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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Intro Notes. Background. Author = unknown Single surviving manuscript in the British Museum Written in 1350-1400 (end of chivalry) Middle English. Poetic Form. Tetrameter (4 stress line) with a caesura (pause in the middle)

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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  1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Intro Notes

  2. Background • Author = unknown • Single surviving manuscript in the British Museum • Written in 1350-1400 (end of chivalry) • Middle English

  3. Poetic Form • Tetrameter (4 stress line) with a caesura (pause in the middle) • Uses alliteration (like Beowulf) • Alliteration is the repetition of the first consonant sound in a series of words ("Pat picks a piece of pie") • Medieval Verse practice - gained renewed popularity in poems such as Gawain. • “The battlements broken down and burnt to brands and ashes.” Ceasura

  4. The “bob and wheel” • “bob and wheel” • Bob: short line of 1-3 syllables that rhymes with 2nd and 4th lines that follow (in wheel) • Wheel: final 4 lines that rhyme alternately (abab) • EX: Whenever he sat with his knights around him (from p. 51)And feasted, His face proud He remained on his feet, And his laughter was loud As he waited his New Year’s treat.

  5. Poetic Form (cont’d) • Point of View – 3rd person omniscient • Structure- • 4 parts • 101 stanzas • 2500 + lines

  6. Romance • Romance • Definition: a fictional narrative that is set in the past and that deals with the adventures of a hero. • -It deals with people, events, and places that are unreal, out of the ordinary, or idealized. It emphasizes adventure, surprising incidents, and improbable sitiuations.

  7. Characteristics of a Romance • Embody the ideals of Chivalry • Keeps his oath/obligation • Shows courage • Has a sense of humor • Shows manners and civility/courtesy • Demonstrates humility and honesty • Has loyalty to God, his master, his lady • Demonstrates piety • Goes on a quest/fights monsters/evil • Respects women/reveres and swears to serve a lady/ a pale ideal of womanhood/courtly love • Exacts just and fair compensation for injury • Follows the rules of warfare/shows fairness

  8. Characteristics of Romance • Set in a remote time and place • Emphasize rank and social distinctions • Convey a sense of the supernatural/fantastic/unreal • Present a hero engaged in pure adventure • Includes love as a major plot element • Feature spontaneous, unmotivated fighting • Events and characters come in sets of threes • Women are often represented as 1)maidens 2) mothers 3)temptresses 4)crones • Have a loose structure lacking unity

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