A
Reading of Sir Gawain
and the Green
Knight. New York:
Barnes and Noble,
1966.
The Character
Flawed everyman
Element of Romance
Set in a remote place and time
Incorporates the marvelous and
miracles
Hero is superior to other men and his
environment
May involve “Testing Plot”
Testing Plot
Tester is unrealistic and remote
Test is extreme
Hero follows the higher of conflicting
virtues
Tester relents and allows hero to fulfill
lower virtue
Departs from Romance
Calendar time/ real places
Hero is one of us, not superior
Tester is split: Morgan and Bercilak
Gawain fails the test because he is
human and sinful
Mixture of romance and realism
Main Characters
Arthur: King of Camelot
Sir Gawain: Representative, not elect
Green Knight: Ambiguous nature
Green body-supernatural
Green and gold equipment-courtly
youth
Holly bob-life and peace
Axe-war
The Game
Governed by rules
Tests important
knightly virtues
Involves seemingly
inevitable death
Code of Chivalry
Posses faith in God
Loyal to people, principles, and
promises
Without deceit
Upright and Virtuous
The Five Virtues
Generosity
Companionableness
Courtesy
Pure mind
Compassion
Recognition
Social living
Alienation
Self-discovery
Desolation
Recovery and Restoration