Sir Gawain and the Sir Gawain and the Green KnightGreen Knight

Arthurian RomanceArthurian Romance

Arthurian RomanceArthurian Romance LegendLegend of King of King

ArthurArthur Many tales Many tales

Told since the Told since the Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon periodperiod

Many countriesMany countries: : England, France, England, France, Germany, etc.Germany, etc.

Sir GawainSir Gawain = 14 = 14thth C.C.

Romance poetry - genreRomance poetry - genre

Kings/knightsKings/knights Idealized courtly love (i.e. love within Idealized courtly love (i.e. love within

the king’s court, or assemblage)the king’s court, or assemblage) FantasyFantasy Supernatural creaturesSupernatural creatures Challenge/Test Challenge/Test Quest Quest

Feudal social institutionsFeudal social institutions

ChivalryChivalry – knightly code of – knightly code of behaviorbehavior TruthTruth HonestyHonesty Respect for womenRespect for women CourageCourage Obedience to the kingObedience to the king Humility/humbleHumility/humble

ChivalryChivalry Replaces the Replaces the

Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon comitatuscomitatus

Knight obeys the Knight obeys the king because he’s king because he’s the kingthe king One-way One-way

relationshiprelationship

Challenge / TestChallenge / Test

Purpose of the Test: Purpose of the Test: EnsureEnsure that Sir Gawain must that Sir Gawain must

stick by his morals and stick by his morals and convictionsconvictions

Challenge / TestChallenge / Test

ChivalryChivalry guides guides his actions his actions

the the moral moral structure structure by by which he which he bases his bases his choiceschoices

Challenge / TestChallenge / Test

Gawain is tested and stands by Gawain is tested and stands by his convictionshis convictions he upholds his belief in chivalryhe upholds his belief in chivalry

Why read this today?Why read this today?

Moral lessonMoral lesson 1414thth century century—Knights had to —Knights had to

make choicesmake choiceschoices should reflect choices should reflect acceptance of the chivalric codeacceptance of the chivalric code

Why read this today?Why read this today?

Moral lessonMoral lesson Modern Day Modern Day – We have to make – We have to make

choices in life based on our choices in life based on our belief system. belief system. 11stst: we must explicitly know and : we must explicitly know and understand what we believe inunderstand what we believe in

22ndnd: judge our actions based on : judge our actions based on those beliefsthose beliefs

Why read this today?Why read this today?

ConclusionConclusion:: beliefs, then, become the way in beliefs, then, become the way in

which we measure our actionswhich we measure our actions way in which we decide what we way in which we decide what we

have done as either have done as either goodgood or or badbad

Courtly Love Courtly Love in romance in romance poetrypoetry

audienceaudience = mostly women = mostly women Interest in stories where women Interest in stories where women

play larger roleplay larger role FocusFocus: contained alternates to : contained alternates to

combat ( although combat is combat ( although combat is present)present)

Courtly Love in romance Courtly Love in romance poetrypoetry

The courtly The courtly love consisted love consisted of a of a relationshiprelationship between a between a knight and the knight and the liege ladyliege lady