Symbolism In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

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The poem sir Gawain and the Green knight was written by the pearl poet or the Gawain poet is the name given to the author of pearl an alliterative poem written in 14th century Middle English. Despite its Christian message the poem has strong roots in celtic myth. There are many elements common to pre Christian Celtic mythology, such as the waiting period twelve months and a day, the beheading and the temptation Game. The Green knight himself is a strongly pagan character similar to the Green man or wild man of the woods who fertility in folklore. Gawain’s journey can even be seen like the hero’s archetypical encounter with the otherworld, an essential theme in pagan belief. The pentangle is often a pagan symbol; thus Gawain shield with the