Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight associated as the outstanding example of Medieval Romance. A chivalrous Romance retain in various alternative verse , it is carefully structured, narratives,vividly conceived and sharply visualized.

The plot of the poem is placed during the early part of King Arthur's reign. A Christmas celebration at the court was being enjoyed then suddenly King Arthur was disrupted when a Green Knight enters the hall and throws a challenge to the King. He challenges the court to give him a blow with his axe ,with the condition that he too would return a similar blow to the acceptor a year later at his own home that is the Green Chapel. The challenge surprises the court and for a long time , no Knight comes forward. Eventually, King Arthur takes up the challenge but then Gawain steps in to give a blow to the Green Knight. On the blow ,the head of the Green Knight was separated from his body and then the Knight picks up his head and promptly walks off after reminding Gawain of the promise to be kept the next year.

The second filed encompasses the preparations of Gawain for the encounter with the Green Knight and describes his journey from Camelot to Northern England Aa he moves on to honour his word. Gawain arrives at a Castle where he decides to stay on as he is informed that the Green Chapel is close by.

The third stanza , shows the last three days before the encounters and during this time ,an interesting game takes place between the Host and Gawain. The Host goes for hunting ,returns with a deer,boar and a fox. Gawain was attempted to seduce by the wife of the Host. Though she was not successful, he faithfully reproduces the kisses on the third day . The lady wants a gift from Gawain which he refuses and then she gives him a ring and her Green Girdle. She tells him that the Green Girdle would save him from any violent death. It is a temptation he could not refuse and accepts her gifts.

In the fourth stanza, Gawain and the Green Knight meets at the Green Chapel. A lot of fight takes place in  that and the Green Knight stops before the final blow to Gawain. In the first two times, nicks the skin in the third. This activates Gawain and he gets ready to fight when it is revealed that the Lord of the castle is the Green Knight. Gawain refuses the Lord's invitation to grace the Castle once more and moves back to king Arthur's Court. He wears the Green Girdle as a mark of shame but in the court ,his actions are celebrated by everybody and the girdle transforms into a symbol of honour.

Sir Gain And The Green Knight remains the most accomplished and sophisticated of the Middle English Romances.