Literature 25-11

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

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Today

•  The main storyline of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• The term and the definition of the word Chivalry
• Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  

But first... a little throwback

•  You will get 2 puzzles
  
• In groups of 4/5 try to solve it
• Solve the character puzzle first, then the storyline puzzle
  
• Character puzzle: put the descriptions with the characters
• Storyline puzzle: put the actions in the right order.
  
• If you think you have finished a puzzle raise your hands
  
• You have 5 minutes for this
• Let's see who wins!
  

Code of Chivalry

 

•  A knight was expected not only to have the strength and skills to face combat in the violent Middle Ages, but was also expected to temper his aggressive side with a chivalrous side to his nature
• There was no authentic Knights Code of Chivalry as such- it was a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of Chivalrous conduct - qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honour and gallantry towards women
  

Alliteration

Romance Genre Characteristics

Embody the ideals of chivalry
Set in a remote time or place
Emphasize rank and social distinctions
Convey sense of supernatural
Hero engaged in pure adventure
Include love- courtly love
Feature spontaneous fighting

Stages of Romance

1. Undertaking a dangerous quest
2. Facing a test of honour or courage
3. A return point from which the quest began

Themes

1.  Nature (of man) vs. Chivalry: Sir Gawain is not alway chivalrous, because he cares about his own life more than the truth. Chivalry provides a valuable set of ideals toward which to strive, but a person must above all remain conscious of his or her own mortality and weakness. This is essentially what the Green knight wants Gawain to know. Sir Bertilak and his court are more in touch with nature than Arthur's court.

Themes

2. The letter of the law: At the start of the story the Green Knight and Sir Gawain make a convenant about stiking one another. Sir Gawain feels this is a serious agreement and feels he is going to die. When the Green Knight strikes him, it becomes clear that the agreement is more about learning a lesson and the morale of the agreement than following the law to the letter. Also related to the Old and New Testament from the Bible.

Archetypes and Plot

 Archetypes:
- The hero
- The trickster
- The temptress
Plot:
- The journey or the quest
- The temptation or test

Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

- The green girdle (Celtic, Germanic folklore): symbol of failure / symbol of honour
- The green knight: (Green man) In Medieval times the Green man was a pagan representation of nature. NOT evil, but also not Christian (but non-pagans would see an allusion to Christ)
- The beheading game: games are forms of social behaviour, while tests provide a measure of an individual’s inner worth
- Gawain’s shield: colour & endless knot

Gawain's shield

- In the poem Gawain’s Shield is very clearly described as a golden pentacle on a field of red
- The pentacle is also called “the endless knot”
- In medieval symbology, red signifies humility as the blood of Christ, gold signifies perfection
- It goes on to tell us that it represents Gawain’s Five Fifths or virtues

Activity

- Do the exercise on page 23

- The first 5 minutes you work on your own: read the text and try to find some answers

- Afterwards take a few minutes to compare answers with your neigbour and come to a conclusive answer.

What are the 5 virtues that are symbolised by the pentacle on Sir Gawain's shield?

The shield

1. Dexterity of his five fingers
2. The perfection of his five senses
3. His devotion to the five wounds of Christ
4. His reflection on the five joys of Mary in Christ and,
5. Virtues in the five social graces (Knightly Virtues; generosity, purity, brotherhood, chivalry, compassion)

Five wounds of Christ

Five joys of Mary:
- The annunciation
- The Nativity
- The Resurrection
- The Ascension
- The Assumption

Activity

•  Fill in the worksheet
  
• Work in pairs or groups of three
• You can whisper quietly
• We will stop a couple of minutes before the end of class
  

Homework for next week

• Finish the worksheet
• It will give you all information you need about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• Tomorrow: Havo exam practice?