summary
Gawain is going to face the knight like he promised a year and 1 day earlier. He soon hears the sound of an axe being sharpened and knows its his fate. The Green knight comes out and welcomes Gawain. He is oddly polite toward him. The knight pretends to try and cut off his head three times before Gawain gets angry and challenges him to a fight. The Knight does not fight but tells Gawin he is spared.
quote
And one and all fell prey
To women they had used;
If I be led astray,
Methinks I may be excused.
(lines 2242-2248)
reaction
I was surprised to find out that Gawin would be spared. I thought the knight would cut his head off like he promised in the begining of the book. Instead he complimented him on his courage and even offered a reward for it, that Gawin did not take.
Showing posts with label roar5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roar5. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sir Gawin and the Green Knight Part one
summary
The entire book is one big long poem. It talks about England and the city of Troy. They are having a celebration when a green knight crashes the party. He claims to be peaceful but wants to play a game. He wants someone to hit him with his axe and he will do the same in a year and a day. He calls the court cowardly when they don't respond. Gawin decides to step forward and cuts off the knight's head. It doesn't kill him though. The knight picks his head up and rides away.
quote
There hurtles in at the hall-door an unknown rider,
One the greatest on ground in growth of his frame:
From broad neck to buttocks so bulky and thick,
And his loins and his legs so long and so great,
Half a giant on earth I hold him to be,
But believe him no less than the largest of men,
And the seemliest in his stature to see, as he rides,
For in back and in breast though his body was grim,
His waist in its width was worthily small,
And formed with every feature in fair accord
was he.
Great wonder grew in hall
At his hue most strange to see,
For man and gear and all
Were green as green could be.
(Gardner 56).
reaction
My reaction is that the 'for man and gear and all were green as could be ' part of the quote shows that everyone was jealous of the knight. The knight was litterally the color green all over. He isn't like the rest of the court.
The entire book is one big long poem. It talks about England and the city of Troy. They are having a celebration when a green knight crashes the party. He claims to be peaceful but wants to play a game. He wants someone to hit him with his axe and he will do the same in a year and a day. He calls the court cowardly when they don't respond. Gawin decides to step forward and cuts off the knight's head. It doesn't kill him though. The knight picks his head up and rides away.
quote
There hurtles in at the hall-door an unknown rider,
One the greatest on ground in growth of his frame:
From broad neck to buttocks so bulky and thick,
And his loins and his legs so long and so great,
Half a giant on earth I hold him to be,
But believe him no less than the largest of men,
And the seemliest in his stature to see, as he rides,
For in back and in breast though his body was grim,
His waist in its width was worthily small,
And formed with every feature in fair accord
was he.
Great wonder grew in hall
At his hue most strange to see,
For man and gear and all
Were green as green could be.
(Gardner 56).
reaction
My reaction is that the 'for man and gear and all were green as could be ' part of the quote shows that everyone was jealous of the knight. The knight was litterally the color green all over. He isn't like the rest of the court.
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