Introducing the Poem Literary Focus: The Romance Reading Focus: Understanding Cause and Effect

1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Feature Menu Introducing the Poem Literary Focus: The Romance Reading Focus: Understanding Cause and Effect Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

2. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What moves a hero to act?

3. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Introducing the Poem Click on the title to start the video.

4. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Introducing the Poem Would you take a dare that might cost you your life?

5. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Introducing the Poem • Sir Gawain did. • Of course, as a knight of Arthur’s Round Table, he was expected to be brave. • The code of chivalry also bound him to • • remain loyal to his lord • • protect the oppressed • • treat women with courtesy [End of Section]

6. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Focus: The Romance • Many stories about Gawain and King Arthur’s other knights are about seeking justice and helping those in need. • Chrétien de Troyes, a French court poet, made stories about knights’ adventures popular between 1160 and 1190.

7. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Focus: The Romance • These stories are called Arthurian romances.However, they’re not usually love stories. • The hero typically • • undertakes a quest in the service of a lady or a high ideal • • faces a series of tests • • meets dragons or supernatural beings

8. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Focus: The Romance • Many medieval romances are about Camelot and King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table. • Romance describes any story that presents a happier, more perfect, or more heroic world. • Can you think of any contemporary story or movie that fits most of the criteria for a medieval romance?

9. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Focus: The Romance • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight • One of the most famous Arthurian romances • Anonymous tale, probably written around 1375 • Ideals of knightly conduct were already beginning to fade

10. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Literary Focus: The Romance • As the poem opens, King Arthur and his court are celebrating Christmas. Suddenly, an enormous green stranger carrying an ax rides into the hall. He challenges any knight to hit him with the ax. • Sir Gawain accepts the challenge and beheads the challenger. However, the Green Knight calmly picks up his own head, repeats his challenge, and gallops off with his head in his hand. What element of the romantic tradition is represented by the Green Knight? the presence of a supernatural being [End of Section]

11. washing hands with soap Gawain makes promise Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Reading Focus: Understanding Cause and Effect • A cause is anything that makes something happen. • An effect is the result of that cause. removes germs • Recognizing causes and effects will help you understand the relationship between events in a narrative. meets Green Knight

12. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightReading Focus: Understanding Cause and Effect Into Action: As you read, use a diagram like the one below to record a cause for each of the important events of the selection. Be sure not to create incorrect relationships or logical fallacies. [End of Section]

13. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer Find It in Your Reading Writers often use imagery to share their ideas with readers. A writer might present a visual picture of a dream, for example, to share a character’s innermost feelings in a dramatic way. As you read, note passages in the selection in which imagery helps you understand and “experience” the romance hero’s challenges. [End of Section]

14. Vocabulary

15. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary whettingv. usedas adj.: sharpening a blade on a stone made for the purpose. daunted v. used as adj.: made to lose courage. shiedv.: shrank or flinched away. efficaciousadj.: effective or useful. covetousnessn.: desire for what belongs to others.

16. The chef used the tool’s whetting edge to sharpen his favorite knife. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The word whetting comes from an Old English word that means “sharp.”

17. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Whettingcan also have a figurative sense. What is being sharpened in the sentence below? The smell of hot soup acted like a whetting stone on the sick toddler’s appetite.

18. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary A whetting noise could be described as • grinding • pounding • sighing

19. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary A whetting noise could be described as • grinding • pounding • sighing

20. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The word daunted comes from an Old French word that means “to tame” a horse. Later it came to refer to people who were made to feel discouraged. The competition was fierce, but Sean refused to be daunted.

21. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Synonyms for dauntedinclude • cowed • intimidated • scared When you feel daunted, what are some ways to recover your courage?

22. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which of these words means the opposite of daunted? • fearful • noble • unafraid

23. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which of these words means the opposite of daunted? • fearful • noble • unafraid

24. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The word shied comes from an Old English word that means “to avoid.” The nervous colt shied away from the snowflakes.

25. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary People also flinch or shy away from things that make them nervous. Which person has shied away from a stranger?

26. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The phrase closest in meaning to shied is • went forward • moved on • turned away

27. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The phrase closest in meaning to shied is • went forward • moved on • turned away

28. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Something that is efficacious has the power to produce the desired effect. Antonyms include • ineffective • useless “There are so many headache medicines. Which is most efficacious?” asked Chris.

29. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which method of study is more likely to be efficacious—cramming all night before the test, or short, regular reviews?

30. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which word means almost the same thing as efficacious? • effective • effervescent • efficient

31. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which word means almost the same thing as efficacious? • effective • effervescent • efficient

32. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary The word covetousness comes from an Old French word that means “long for,” but covetousness is more than simple desire. The person or object that is coveted belongs to someone else. Covetousnesssuggests the desire to take what does not belong to you.

33. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Why might Gawain feel that covetousness is unworthy of a true knight?

34. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which word is most nearly the opposite of covetousness? • bravery • generosity • patience

35. Sir Gawain and the Green KnightVocabulary Which word is most nearly the opposite of covetousness? • bravery • generosity • patience [End of Section]

36. The End