1. Choose one repeated symbol or theme and trace its development throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Where does it appear? What is its significance in the story? Sample topics include colors (red, green, white, gold); seasons; Christian rites (prayer, church services); armor and weapons; hunting; holidays; castles; saints; […]
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1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has many paired or parallel characters, settings, or situations. Choose the paired elements that interest you most and look at the comparisons or contrasts the poet makes between them. Are these pairs opposites or mirror images? Why does the poet present them this […]
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Agravain of the Hard Hand (a la dure main) Gawain’s younger brother, also a knight. Gawain and Agravain are the sons of Arthur’s sister (usually identified as Anna) and, thus, Arthur’s nephews. Anglesey an island off the northwestern coast of Wales; several small islands are associated with the main island. […]
Read more Study Help Full Glossary for Sir Gawain and the Green KnightCritical Essays The Structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
In the Cotton Nero manuscript, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is divided into four sections by large decorated capital letters that appear at line 1, line 491 (the start of Gawain’s year of waiting), line 1,126 (beginning of the first hunt), and line 1,998 (the dawn of New Year’s […]
Read more Critical Essays The Structure of Sir Gawain and the Green KnightCritical Essays Symbolism and Medieval Literature
One of the most characteristic features of medieval literature is the richness and variety of the symbols it uses. Sometimes, these symbols are easy to recognize and interpret. Gawain’s pentangle emblem is an obvious symbol, and the poet actually steps forward to explain its significance for the audience, bringing the […]
Read more Critical Essays Symbolism and Medieval LiteratureBiography of the Poet
Extremely little is known about the origins of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The poem survived the Middle Ages in a single manuscript that was preserved because it fell into the hands of a book collector, Sir Robert Cotton, whose collections were later donated to the British Museum. There, […]
Read more Biography of the PoetCharacter Analysis Queen Guenevere
Guenevere appears only briefly, at the Christmas feast in Camelot. As dictated by Arthurian convention, she is an ideal beauty. According to Bertilak, Morgan le Fay’s desire to frighten Guenevere to death was the motivation for the Green Knight’s challenge to the court. However, there is no indication that Guenevere […]
Read more Character Analysis Queen GuenevereCharacter Analysis King Arthur
Arthur is the legendary King of the Britons. The poet emphasizes the youthfulness of both the king and his courtiers, but there may be an element of criticism in this characterization, perhaps pointing to Arthur’s immaturity. Arthur proves to be bolder and braver than his court when faced with the […]
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Morgan appears at Castle Hautdesert as an old woman in the company of the Lady of the castle. The poet’s description of the beautiful young woman and the ugly old one reflects standard medieval rhetoric. Morgan has a position of honor at Hautdesert, sitting at the high table, but her […]
Read more Character Analysis Morgan le FayCharacter Analysis The Guide
The guide who leads Gawain from Hautdesert to the Green Chapel provides one last opportunity for Gawain to give in to temptation. The temptation offered is at least partially parallel to the one that Gawain has already succumbed to, an appeal to Gawain’s fear for his life. However, the guide’s […]
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