Some elements of Romance

•Knights & ladies (a largely aristocratic cast)

•“Courtly love”

•Adventure & knightly combat

•Setting removed from the everyday (holiday; chanson d’aventure)

•Marvels, wonders, magic, supernatural elements

•Interlace structure (sometimes)

•Narrative strategies of deferral (through dilation, repetition, multiplication of adventures)

•Bookishness

Some elements of Romance

•Knights & ladies (a largely aristocratic cast)

•“Courtly love” (rules, behaviors, psychology)

•Adventure & knightly combat

•Setting removed from the everyday (holiday; chanson d’aventure)

•Marvels, wonders, magic, supernatural elements

•Interlace structure (sometimes)

•Narrative strategies of deferral (through dilation, repetition, multiplication of adventures)

•Bookishness

Some elements of Romance

•Knights & ladies (a largely aristocratic cast)

•“Courtly love” (rules, behaviors, psychology)

•Adventure & knightly combat

•Setting removed from the everyday (holiday; chanson d’aventure)•Note how holydays become holidays: Pentecost, St. John’s Day in Lanval, Chistmas in SGGK

•Marvels, wonders, magic, supernatural elements

•Interlace structure (sometimes)

•Narrative strategies of deferral (through dilation, repetition, multiplication of adventures)

•Bookishness

Some elements of Romance

•Knights & ladies (a largely aristocratic cast)

•“Courtly love” (rules, behaviors, psychology)

•Adventure & knightly combat

•Setting removed from the everyday (holiday; chanson d’aventure)

•Marvels, wonders, magic, supernatural elements• i.e., fairy lovers and headless green knights

•Interlace structure (sometimes)

•Narrative strategies of deferral (through dilation, repetition, multiplication of adventures)

•Bookishness

Some elements of Romance

•Knights & ladies (a largely aristocratic cast)

•“Courtly love” (rules, behaviors, psychology)

•Adventure & knightly combat

•Setting removed from the everyday (holiday; chanson d’aventure)

•Marvels, wonders, magic, supernatural elements

•Interlace structure (sometimes)

•Narrative strategies of deferral (through dilation, repetition, multiplication of adventures)

•Compare the repeated arrival of ladies at the end of Lanval, and the repeated hunts/bedroom scenes in SGGK III

•Bookishness

Some elements of Romance

•“Courtly love” (rules, behaviors, psychology)

“And name what knight you will, they are noblest esteemed For loyal faith in love, in life as in story; For to tell the tribulations of these true hearts, Why, ‘tis the very title and text of their deeds, How bold knights for beauty have braved many a foe, Suffered heavy sorrows out of secret love, And then valourously avenged them on villainous churls And made happy ever after the hearts of their ladies.”

(SGGK 1512-19)

•Lanval: “Her loveliness transfixed his gaze. / Love pierced his eyes with its bright rays, / Set fire to and scorched his heart”

•Lanval: “He curses both his heart and tongue; / A wonder ‘tis he lives so long / Without committing suicide…/ Alas, how can he bear the pain?”

•SGGK: “Who shares [Gawain’s] converse, sure, / Shall learn love’s language true”

•“His courtesy concerned him, lest crass he appear”

•“I am grateful for favor shown / Past all deserts of mine / And ever shall be your own / True servant, rain or shine”

The opening lines of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

(BL MS Cotton Nero A.x., f.91a)

The opening lines of Beowulf

Sir Robert Cotton

(1571-1631)

Cotton Nero A.x (Sir Gawain, Pearl)

Cotton Vitellius A.xv (Beowulf)

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,After the siege and the assault was ceased at Troy

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,The walls breached and burnt down to brands and ashes

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3tThe knight that had knotted the nets of deceit

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,Was impeached for his perfidy, proven most true.

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,It was high-born Aeneas and his haughty race

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicomeThat since prevailed over provinces, and proudly reigned

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles. Over well-nigh all the wealth of the West Isles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye,

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez,

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe,

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde,

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles.

Siþen þe sege and þe assaut watz sesed at Troye, [aaa/ax]

Þe bor3 brittened and brent to brondez and askez, [aaa/ax]

Þe tulk þat þe trammes of tresoun þer wro3t [aa/ax]

Watz tried for his tricherie, þe trewest on erþe, [aa/ax]

Hit watz Ennias þe athel and his high kynde, [aa/ax]

Þat siþen depreced prouinces, and patrounes bicome [aa/ax]

Welne3e of al þe wele in þe west iles. [aa/ax]

“Indeed,” said the doughty knight, and doffed his high helm,And held it in his hands as he offered his thanks,“I have lingered long enough—may good luck be yours,And He reward you well that all worship bestows!And commend me to that comely one, your courteous wife,Both herself and that other, my honoured ladies,That have trapped their true knight in their trammels so

quaint.But if a dullard should dote, deem it no wonder,And through the wiles of a woman be wooed into sorrow,For so was Adam by one, when the world began,And Solomon by many more, and Samson the mighty—Delilah was his doom, and David thereafterNow these were vexed by their devices—‘twere a very joyWas beguiled by Bathsheba, and bore much distress;Could one but learn to love, and believe them not.For these were proud princes, most prosperous of old,Past all lovers lucky, that languished under heaven,

bemused.And one al all fell preyTo women that they had used.If I be led astray,Methinks I may be excused.

(SGGK 2407-28)

2 Samuel 11 (New International Version)

 1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.  2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then [a] she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."

Troy story

Troy story

Emboîtement in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Troy story

Celebration at Camelot

Return to Camelot and celebration

Troy story

Emboîtement in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Troy story

Celebration at Camelot

Challenge and beheading

Return blow

Return to Camelot and celebration

Troy story

Emboîtement in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Troy story

Celebration at Camelot

Challenge and beheading

Gawain arms himself and journeys off

Gawain arms himself and goes to Green Chapel

Return blow

Return to Camelot and celebration

Troy story

Emboîtement in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Troy story

Celebration at Camelot

Challenge and beheading

Gawain arms himself and journeys off

Temptation/hunting/temptation/hunting/temptation/hunting

Gawain arms himself and goes to Green Chapel

Return blow

Return to Camelot and celebration

Troy story

Emboîtement in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (1)

The wery huntere, slepynge in his bed,To wode ayeyn his mynde goth anon;The juge dremeth how his plees ben sped; (Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowls 99-105,

The cartere dremeth how his cart is gon; London dialect c. 1380-82)

The riche, of gold; the knyght fyght with his fon; The syke met he drynketh of the tonne;The lovere met he hath his lady wonne.

Ac on a May morwenynge on Maluerne hilles (Piers Plowman B.1.1-10; Me bifel a ferly, of Fairye me þo3te. Northwest Midlands dialect, I was wery forwandred and wente me to reste near Malvern & Worcester, c. 1370)

Vnder a brood bank by a bourne syde,And as I lay and lenede and loked on þe watresI slombred into a slepyng, it sweyed so murye.

THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (2)

Bot of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kyngesAy watz Arthur þe hendest, as I haf herde telle.Forþi an aunter in erde I attle to schawe, (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 25-32;

Þat a selly in si3t summe men hit holden NW Midlands nr. Cheshire,

And an outtrage awenture of Arthurez wonderez. s. Lancashire, n. Staffordshire, c. 1400)

If 3e wyl lysten þis laye bot on littel quile,I schal telle hit astit, as I in toun herde.

Manne on molde, be meke to me,And haue thy maker in þi mynde,And thynke howe I haue tholid for þe,With pereles paynes for to be pyned.The forward of my Fadir free (York Play of the Harrowing of Hell,

Haue I fulfillid, as folke may fynde, Yorkshire dialect, c. 1475)

Þer-fore a-boute nowe woll I beeÞat I haue bought for to vnbynde.Þe feende þame wanne with trayneThurgh frewte of erthely foode,I haue þame getyn agayneThurgh bying with my bloode.

THE DIALECTS OF LATE MEDIEVAL ENGLAND (3)

Ane dooly sesoun to ane cairfull dyteSuld correspond, and be equivalent. (Robert Henryson, The Tesatment of Cresseid 1-7, Richt sa it wes quhen I began to wryte Late Middle Scots before 1500)

This tragedy; the wedder richt fervent,Quhen Aries, in middis of the Lent,Shouris of haill can fra the north discend;That scantly fra the cauld I micht defend.

why pryncys a'n dewolowscon egereugh an porthowpy mar ny wreugh y fyth guow

yn certan kynys tremenerak an porthow hep dyweth (Cornish Play of the Resurrection,

a vyth ygerys yn weth Cornwall, 15th c.)

sur may thello aberuethan myghtern a lowene

1. How much time does the Green Knight give Sir Gawain to seek him out to receive the return blow?

2. Who is Sir Gawain's patroness? Hint: “..he fittingly had / On the inner part of his shield her image portrayed…”

3. What is depicted on the outside of Gawain's shield?

4. Name the three beasts pursued in the hunts of Part 3.

ENGLISH 2310 FALL 2009 SIR GAWAIN QUIZ (6)

1. How much time does the Green Knight give Sir Gawain to seek him out to receive the return blow?

2. Who is Sir Gawain's patroness? Hint: “..he fittingly had / On the inner part of his shield her image portrayed…”

3. What is depicted on the outside of Gawain's shield?

4. Name the three beasts pursued in the hunts of Part 3.

ENGLISH 2310 FALL 2009 SIR GAWAIN QUIZ (6)