Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis

Proposed Additions to the Current Syllabus

The story I chose was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I chose this story because it had a little bit of each of the stories that we have read in class already. I also liked the plot twists in the story especially at the end. I feel that it would fit perfectly with our current syllabus.

During one Christmas, during a time when King Arthur ruled the Britons, there was an amazing feast and the most famous knights in the history of Christendom jousted and sparred. A few days later on New Year’s Day, a stranger entered Camelot. A knight decorated entirely in Green, the size of many men, rode in on a green horse. He wielded a mighty axe and demanded to speak with the noblest among the crowd. King Arthur

As they drew nearer, the guide hopelessly attempted to persuade the knight from his doom. Gawain politely refused, as his code of chivalry and honor would curse him if he were to make that choice. He continued alone, until he reached the green chapel. The Green Knight is there, ready to honor their agreement. Sir Gawain bravely kneeled and requested his death. The Green Knight brought the axe down once, and Gawain flinched, and the axe stopped above his neck. The Green Knight disapproved of his cowardice, and Gawain begged that he offer another blow. The Green Knight swung again and deliberately missed. Gawain angrily asked why he held back, and asked if it was not him who had fear in his heart. A third time the axe swung down, and this time the blade made a slight cut into Gawain’s neck. Sir Gawain jumped to his feet, put on his helmet and reminded the Green Knight that the pact was for one stroke, instead of three. The Green Knight laughed and threw off his fearsome disguise. He applauded Sir Gawain’s chivalry and declared him the most honorable man alive. He revealed himself to be the lord of the castle where Gawain stayed, and that it was he who tasked the lady with attempting to seduce him. Gawain was honest with him on the first two days, but on the third he did not offer the silk girdle to the lord. Gawain was punished with the wound on his neck. Sir Gawain was overcome with shame and humility, and prayed to God for his forgiveness. Gawain returned to Camelot, where he told Arthur that he would bear the green girdle as a sign of his failure to keep his promise with the lord. The Knights of the Round Table, declared that they would all wear a green silk girdle, to honor Sir Gawain. The moral of the story warned us of the price of straying from the good path and the value of keeping one's