Written by an unknown 14th century poet between 1360 and 1400

2. Written by an unknown 14th century poet between 1360 and 1400 Manuscript from the 15th century discovered in 1839 No original manuscript survives

3. Siþen þe sege & þe assaut watȝ sesed at Troye, Once the siege and assault had done for TroyÞe borȝ brittened & brent to brondeȝ & askeȝ, And the city was smashed, burned to ashesÞe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wroȝt Watȝ tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erthe. Hit watȝ Ennias þe athel & his highe kynde Þat siþen depreced prouinces, & patrounes bicome Welneȝe of al þe wele in þe west iles, Fro riche Romulus to Rome ricchis hym swyþe; With gret bobbaunce þat burȝe he biges vpon fyrst, & neuenes hit his aune nome, as hit now hat; Ticius to Tuskan, & teldes bigynnes; Langaberde in Lumbardie lyftes vp homes; & fer ouer þe French flod Felix Brutus On mony bonkkes ful brode Bretayn he setteȝ, To England and opened cities on slopes

4. wyth wynne; And hills, Where werre & wrake & wonder Where war and marvels Bi syþeȝ hatȝ wont þer-inne, Take turns with peace & oft boþe blysse & blunder Where sometimes lightning trouble Ful skete hatȝ skyfted synne.Has struck, and sometimes soft ease.

5. The Unknown Poet • Knew Latin, French, and French poetry - probably a scholar of some merit • From the "wild country" of Cheshire in Northwestern England, yet knew theology and cared deeply about Christianity

6. The Unknown Poet • Was familiar with aristocratic life • warfare, hunting, chivalry • Was influenced by Norse and Saxon legends • dragons, trolls, giants • Takes knighthood seriously • description of armor

7. The Unknown Poet • Used an Old English poetic form (which went underground after Norman Conquest) as well as French end-rhyme • May have written "St. Erkenwald" and 3 other less famous poems - “The Pearl,” “Patience,” and “Purity”

8. The Poem: Stuff to Know • Takes place early in the reign of King Arthur • young and naive • Arthur presides over a court that has great wealth and few problems • The Green Knight is a mysterious and magical character • presents a challenge to the pride and wealth of Arthur's kingdom • The challenge is not to the battle-strength of Arthur's court, but to its values.

9. The Poem: Stuff to Know • Beheading game • based on ancient Celtic pagan ritual • the incarnation of spring must be slain to provide for rebirth • Temptation story comes from Celtic, particularly Welsh, stories • Gawain resembles Gwalchmai of Welsh legend and Cuchulainn of Gaelic origin.

10. Structure of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” • Combination of French rhyme and Anglo-Saxon alliterative verse • Long alliterative stanza, followed by a bob and wheel: • Bob = 1 very short line • Wheel = 4 short lines Castle, And worthy of that star, The noblest of men in asking And telling, the hardest For words to baffle • Rhyme scheme is ABABA (where the translator is able to adhere to this) Bob Wheel

11. Pay Attention To • 4 level interpretation • Literal • Christian allegorical • Psychological or moral • Anagogical • Mystical or spiritual interpretation

12. Pay Attention to • Conflicting roles of knight as warrior, courtly lover, soldier of Christ

13. Pay Attention to • How the poem fits the pattern of quest and romance literature • The knightly virtues of honor, courage, loyalty, courtesy, humility, and strength

14. Pay Attention to • Numbers – especially 3 and 5

15. Pay Attention to • The pentangle • a five pointed star drawn in one continuous, linking line • traditionally non-religious emblem that was given magical and religious associations in medieval times Then they carried in his shield, striped with bright red; A pentangle star, painted pure gold, Shone at its center. He swings it by the belt, Then tosses it across his neck. And the sign Of that star, its perfect points, fitted That prince, and I’ll tell you how, though it hold up This tale. Solomon shaped that star – Triangles blended in triangles – as a symbol Of truth, for each of its angles enfolds The other, and fastens the other, five In all and everywhere endless (and everywhere In England called the infinite knot). Lines 619 - 629

16. The Pentangle • The pentangle's five points have been said to represent • the five wounds of Christ • the five senses • the five fingers • the five virtues of knighthood • generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety • the five joys of Mary • the Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption • Since Gawain is a knight of the church, the pentangle probably represents all of these things

17. Pay Attention to

18. Pay Attention to • Humor – especially black or dark humor – yes, this poem is supposed to be funny (given the gift exchange game, consider what would have happened if Gawain had slept with the lady!)

19. “’Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ is a medieval romance but also an outlandish ghost story, a gripping morality tale and a weird thriller. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s easy to imagine huddling around the fire to listen to it.” http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/books/review/Hirsch-t.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

21. http://www.gallimauphry.com/PD/gawain/gawain.html Gawain paper dolls! http://csis.pace.edu/grendel/projs3a/sggk01.html Good website!