Intro notes for
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The manuscript:
• One story out of four in a single manuscript
Pearl, Patience, and Cleanness are the others
• Composed in the late 1300s around Chaucer’s time
most likely written by a priest or a monk
• Not as well known as The Canterbury Tales
found referenced in many other texts
• Original manuscript was “lost” in the 1600s in a fire
• Found in 1839 among other manuscripts
story gains its fame in scholarship
• Now kept in the British Museum
The predominant characters:
• Sir Gawain – youngest of Arthur’s knights
• King Arthur – Sir Gawain’s uncle
• Queen Guenevere – wife of Arthur
• The Green Knight – Gawain’s challenger
• Lord Bercilak – assist’s Gawain toward the end of
his quest
• Lady Bercilak – wife of Bercilak
The story:
Medieval Romance – quest to test a person
Different dialect of Middle English than Canterbury Tales - more poetic and great use of alliteration
Challenge of Sir Gawain’s knightly qualities
Gawain’s symbol on his shield - pentangle
Symbolism: five wounds of Christ
His side
Left footRight foot
Left handRight hand
Symbolism: five joys of the Virgin Mary
Annunciation
ResurrectionAscension
NativityAssumption
Symbolism: five virtues of knighthood
generosity
chastitychivalry
fidelitypiety
Generosity – giving nature, kindness
Fidelity – brotherly love, loyalty, truthfulness
Chastity – purity, integrity
Chivalry – honor, courtesy, valor
Piety – holiness, dignity, humility
Setting of Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight
Snowdonia in North Wales
Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey in Wales
Caernarfon Castle in Wales
Possible site of Bercilak’s castle in Wales
This is one possibility for the Green Chapel…
This is a close up of the previous picture…
St. Seirol’s Well… another possibility
The most likely candidate for the Green Chapel