Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written by an anonymous author in the 14th century. It was written in a dialect from Northern England. The poem uses alliteration similar to the Anglo-Saxon form of poetry. Alliteration uses a repetition of consonants. The poem ends the way it begins. At the end of each scene, the section of the poem concludes with a sharp rhyme.
There are many patterns that are developed by the author in the poem. There are three literal hunts with the deer, boar and fox. The deer is represented as being timid; the boar is represented as being ferocious, and the fox as being cunning and sly. There are also three symbolic hunts, three attempts to seduce Gawain and the three hits of the Green Knight's ax. The poem seems to emphasize magical elements such as Morgan, Merlin, and the Green Knight. The poem gives us a very realistic depiction of the slaughtering of the animals, the big feasts that take place, as well as the changing seasons. The poem also contains many religious elements such as the celebrations that take place according to the church calendar.
King Authur's court is in the midst of a celebration that has taken place for fifteen days. They are celebrating the New Year, and in the middle of their celebration, the Green Knight and his green horse come barging into the hall. Sir Gawain is the youngest knight of the Round Table. He is the only one that volunteers to play the "game" with the Green Knight. The game is that the challenger gets a chance to hit the Green Knight now, but in a year and a day, he must go to the Green Knight's chapel and then the Green Knight will test him and if he fails the tests, the Green Knight will hit him. The Green Knight has no fear, and he even lowers his neck to make it easier for Gawain. Gawain bravely cuts off the Green Knight's head, and the Green Knight proceeds to pick it up. Then the head speaks to the people on the dais, and he reminds them of the deal. The Green Knight then rides off on his horse with his head in his hand.
The people in the hall are surprised that King Arthur allows Gawain to go on this journey to the Green Knight's chapel.
The American Civil War was caused because of the North and South differences in economies, disagreements about abolishing slavery and whether the state or federal government had more power. These three factors played a key role in America's deadliest war. Understanding the causes of the Civil War is important because the war was one of the most important events in our nation's history. After the Civil War all men were truly created equal, it reunited the country as one, and redefined what it meant to be an
The story begins during the New Year's feast in King Arthur's court. Then a green knight enters asking all of the knights in the court if they would like to play a game. The game is he will allow which ever knight that chooses to challenge him one swing with a battle ax to try and chop off his head, but in order to play the game, the accepting knight must meet the green knight one year later at the green chapel. The brave knight Sir Gawain accepts to the challenge of the green knight. Sir Gawain takes one swing and chops off the head of the green knight. Right after the green knight's head is chopped off he gets up immediately, picks up his head and leaves. Once a year passes, Gawain sets off on a journey to find the Green Chapel. He arrives at a castle in which a lord welcomes him to stay for several days (Gawain only needs to stay there for three). The next morning the lord makes an agreement to share everything he gets during these three days with Gawain, but Gawain must agree to do the same. During days one and two the lord's wife tries hitting on Gawain, but he only allows her to give him a few kisses. At these days Gawain shares what he got to the lord for what he has hunted those days. On the third day, Gawain finally accepts to take a magic girdle from the lord's wife, but he didn't share it with the lord. This magic girdle helped Gawain survive the three fatal swing's of the green giant's ax, only leaving him with a little nick. After Gawain survives these 3 swings at his neck, the green knight then reveals his identity and explains that he is Bercilak, the lord of the castle. He also said that the three blows were taken at him in regards to the three days of their agreement.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – A Test of Chivalry Essay with Outline: Loyalty, courage, honor, purity, and courtesy are all attributes of a knight that displays chivalry. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is truly a story of the test of these attributes. In order to have a true test of these attributes, there must first be a knight worthy of being tested, meaning that the knight must possess chivalric attributes to begin with. Sir Gawain is admittedly not the best knight around. He says "I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; / and the loss of my life [will] be the least of any" (Sir Gawain, l. 354-355).
In this passage from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Green Knight enters the hall on his horse. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are having their feast. They are astounded to see a green knight on a green horse. They don't take any action; instead they stare at the stranger. The Green Knight challenges the king and his companions to take his game. He is arrogant, and he uses their pride to get them committed to his game. He is successful, as the king promises to take the game, although he does not know what it is yet.
In this passage taken from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Lines 1623-1718, the reader sees how Sir Gawain is the hero of the poem, through the tests of the host. Sir Gawain is speaking to the host of the castle where he is staying for a few days before journeying on to the Green Chapel. The host has just returned from hunting and killing some boar. While the host is out hunting for the boar, we learn that Sir Gawain is developing a love interest in a special lady friend, the wife of the host, who makes several attempts to seduce him. Before this hunt, Gawain and the host make a promise to each other that they will exchange whatever they may win that day for the other's winnings. The host gives Sir Gawain the boar in exchange for two kisses. Then the host says to Sir Gawain "Now we are even" (Norton, 236, line 1641.) There is a vivid description of the meal that follows, as well as the singing of Christmas songs. Then Gawain tells the host that he should be on his way to the Green Chapel to face the Green Knight. The host comments on the fact that he has tested Gawain twice and is quite impressed with his performance. The host then tells Gawain about the third test. In the test, the winner will take all, and the loser takes nothing. Gawain thinks this is all just a game and doesn't realize that it is actually a test. Sir Gawain later decides that he will stay, after learning from the host that the Green Chapel is not too far away from the castle. He has some more drinks with the host. After this, he goes to bed and gets the best night's rest, and is up early the next morning. That morning, the host hunts for some fox as Gawain lies in bed. The passage ends with a description of how the host an...
Sir Gawain is the nephew of the most famous King Arthur. Gawain being in line of the throne knew he must show his bravery and man up in front of his fellow knights. The Green Knight stormed into the king’s courts riding on a mystical horse. He taunted the men asking for the bravest knight in the kingdom to stand up and take his outrageous challenge. As the men sat quietly not knowing what to do, Sir Gawain decides t...
Sir Gawain is introduced to us at the beginning of the story when he takes the place of Sir Arthur, in the Green Knight’s challenge. The Green Knight openly challenged all Knights of the Round Table to strike one blow, and in return, the knight must allow the Green Knight to return the blow in exactly one year. Initially, none of the knights step up to the challenge, forcing their leader, Sir Arthur, to accept. Sir Gawain performs the virtuous act of taking on the challenge in Sir Arthur’s place to protect his lord from taking any part of an unusual challenge that might kill a man. In the story Sir Gawain explains his reason for taking his lord’s place, “I hold, none more honest of purpose, no figures fairer on field where fighting is waged. I am the weakest. I am awa...
Even though geographic and economic disputes were considered important, mainly political and social differences gave birth to the Civil War. Unable to agree about the amount of rights a state deserved, the North and South fell further away from each other. This division increased as the Fugitive Slave Law was passed and when the final verdict of Dred Scott’s case was announced. Abolitionist attempts to end slavery continued to separate the splitting sides. All in all, the Civil War started out as political and social discords, but grew into a full-scale battle deciding the fate of our nation.
“Now through England’s realm he rides and rides, / Sir Gawain, God’s servant, on his grim quest, / passing long dark nights unloved and lone, / foraging to feed, finding little to call food,” (691-694). Before his journey begins, Gawain celebrates in Arthur’s court and is just as jubilant as before the Green Knight appeared. But once Gawain leaves the castle, the tone shifts dramatically to somber and destitute. Gawain “rides and rides” on this “grim quest.” The repetition of rides infers that the journey is long, making it sound like Gawain is alone for a long time on this quest to have his head chopped off, as the game entails. This somber tone is accompanied by the winter setting that Gawain travels; it is cold and bare of color or life, where lack of food and shelter can and will kill people, including Sir Gawain. His position this year is much different from the one he was last year; last year he was celebrating with King Arthur and the lords and ladies of the Round Table, drinking and celebrating. Now, a year later, a full circle has passed, but instead of being in the same place, Gawain is gone from the safety of the castle and not celebrating; he is on a quest to die—at least that’s what he thinks will happen. The outside world he travels is physically menacing as well as symbolically menacing since he is only outside the castle walls to find the
The American Civil War fought from 1861 to 1865 is described as “the bloodiest conflict in the history of North America” (Feature Causes Of The Civil War). The Civil war or war between the states was fought for many economic, political and moral reasons tracing back to the very start of America. The civil war fought between the Northern and Southern states is truly a significant event in the history of the United States because it involved American citizens fighting against each other. The American civil war was initiated through the controversy over slave labor, unfair actions toward Southern states and the vast division between the Northern and Southern states.
The leading cause of the American Civil war cannot be traced down to just one issue and many individual ones. The American Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865 and had over 618,000 deaths because of it. All this was building up years before the first battle was fought. These issues of slavery, cultural differences, economics, and different constitutional views created tensions and conflict which ended to the Civil war.
Many are clueless today on what caused the civil war in America. Three of the main causes of the war were: That nation was split into two totally different societies (Kelly), that the growth of slavery in American had become one of the most intense issues in America at this time period, and finally the election of the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
Political and social causes launched the Civil War as the most significant causes of the war. Representing the conflicting opinions of the people, government decisions and social movements/ideas clashed. Problem after problem accumulated until violence ruptured. With no other option to resolve the conflicts, for America, the Civil War was inescapable.
In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain shows qualities of a chivalrous knight. He demonstrates that by showing generosity, courtesy, and loyalty during his travels. A mysterious knight shows up at the king’s castle and calls himself the Green Knight. The Green Knight then challenges one to play a game which he challenges the king to strike him with his axe if he will take a return hit in a year and a day. Sir Gawain steps forward to accept the challenge for his uncle King Arthur when nobody else in the castle would. He took the King’s role in the game to protect him from the Green Knight. He must learn to accept his responsibility as a knight, in accepting his fate.He demonstrates goodness at the hand of the Green Knight. He shows courage by accepting what is to come upon him during his voyage. His journey to find the Green Knight is filled with temptations.In the conversation with him and the “Lady”, Sir Gawain showed a Chivalrous code by keeping his loyalty to the king by not kissing his wife. The lady states “if I should exchange at my cho...
Firstly, The Good Samaritan was not an actual historical figure; he was a fictional man in a story that Jesus told to a religious legalist who was trying to justify his unwillingness to walk the walk. It story showed that the Priest and Levite did not love their neighbour as the Samaritan did, so the only one who was a neighbour to the wounded man was the Samaritan. Clearly, the message Jesus was trying to communicate was that "Love your neighbour as yourself" which means to show mercy and kindness to everyone we you come across.