Why It Gotta Be Green???

The Green Knight is very, well, green! There isn't much more about him so far that we know about the guy. But, what we do have so far from is that he's super GREEN. Why though? Why is the Green Knight green? What is so significant about the color green when he comes to the Christmas/New Years kickback of King Arthur and his Round Table buddies? Is there symbolism with the color green? What are they? We shall discuss ;).

Gawain: Devoid of all vice

From a creative writing standpoint, I was annoyed with the redundancy of other characters loving Sir Gawain so, so much. I was able to discern his character for myself in the beginning when he declared, “I am the weakest of [the knights], I know, and the dullest-minded, / So my death would be least loss” (Lines 354-5). I figured he was excessively humble, but he was willing to take one for the team, so I mentally gave him a thumbs up. And then we get to Fitt 2, and Gawain is “reputed as virtuous […]/ Devoid of all vice” (Lines 634-5). I’m pretty sure that nobody is free of all vice, so I was already a little peeved at this point. Then, when Gawain gets to the other castle, everyone thinks he’s the greatest person ever! The writer states, “And all the men in the castle were overjoyed/ To make the acquaintance quickly then/ Of the man to whom all excellence and valor belongs” (Lines 910-2) and later the lord exclaims, “Indeed, Sir, as long as I live I shall be the better/ Because Gawain was my guest at God’s own feast” (Lines 1035-6). Mr. Writer-Man, we get it. We get you’re point. Everyone loves this guy. As a minor note, that’s super unrealistic, and it bothers me that nobody hates him. But more importantly, why beat your audience over the head with the constant reminders about how great your character is! Especially, especially, when Gawain’s actions don’t exactly reflect this reputation. We know some “great pleasure” happened in “private” (SEX) (probably), which is definitely not what a man of his religion is supposed to be doing. In short, the writer broke the “show, don’t tell” law, so we should consider arresting him. 

Casual Headlessness is Casual

I feel like having a headless character in a story with magic is a trope more commonly used than you would think. There is the story of The Headless Horseman, Nearly Headless Nick from Harry Potter, anything with zombies, mummies, and other traditional supernatural creatures, and anytime you need to conveniently roll a strike in bowling (Men in Black Three). It of course gives the people involved and/ or the viewer a shock that THIS CHARACTER JUST GOT THEIR HEAD SEVERED FROM THEIR BODY, or that it's just plain old missing. I feel like it is a quick way to establish that yes this is a world with magic and your sciencey laws need not apply. It's straightforward and to the point. I also think that in some stories it is a little noncommittal, the character sustained a fatal blow but didn't die, putting into question all character deaths in the story and any sense of danger depending on which rules for magic were used. But it is a good way to establish the rules of magic. Magic might only work on that one character, it might be a spell, it might just be part of the character's anatomy. It could be the opposite of an Achilles' Heel, only their neck is protected from a fatal blow. I feel like it is a unique, but simple, way to get information to the viewer and other characters.

As Custom Requires...

""Dry winds of autumn force the dust to fly / From the face of the earth high into the air; / Fierce winds of heaven wrestle with the sun...Then all ripens and rots that had sprung up at first, / And in so many yesterdays the year wears away, / And winter comes round again, as custom requires, / in truth"" (II. 523-531).

I feel like this passage encapsulates the poem's repetitive focus on nature, chronology, and images. Considering our previous readings, these lines not only hint at the inevitable prophecy of Gawain's duel, but also of the natural magic, or order, of the event by relating it so strongly to the change of the seasons. Despite the court's reaction to the green knight's beheading, the text itself is not overly concerned with magic and its existence. It's another 'required custom' for telling the story.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2007/12/16/books/hirsch-600.jpg

Song for Sir Gawain

In this song the singer is singing about being loyal. Sir Gawain was loyal to himself by going on the quest, he was loyal to King Arthur by taking his spot in the Christmas game, and he was loyal to his god by praying and keeping faith. Sir Gawain would do just about anything for King Arthur and to keep his honor. The other reason this song is appropriate is because he walked/rode a very long way.

Analyzing Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

The opening scene of the Christmas celebration at Arthur's castle and the Christmas celebration at the castle Sir Gawain finds in Part 2 hold many similar parallels. In both scenes all of the men are described to be the boldest, the strongest, and the most valiant. In the first scene, Queen Guenevere is described as "The loveliest to see / Glanced round with eyes blue-grey; / That he had seen a fairer one / Truly no one could say" (81-84). And yet the woman Gawain meets in Part 2 is described as even more beautiful--even more fair. It seems that each grand location beholds the best nobles, the strongest knights, the most beautiful women, and the most thankful servants. How is it possible to have the most and the best of each person at each location? With each scene, it is described frequently how tremendous their population seems to be, and these are purposeful exaggerations. Possibly this is the perspective of each respective population, everyone believes their people are better than the rest! Or it is possibly the perspective of the narrator who is speaking in first person, maybe they just think everyone they see is the best at everything!

However, each scene is also emphasized in the excess and the grandeur of each castle's settings. The Christmas feast seems to be the grandest of the year, spanning out over days and finding comfortability in the finest luxuries. Greed and gluttony seem to be favored in both settings, and living in such excess seems to be almost a reward for how good the population is described to be. Maybe these descriptions of the nobles and knights justify the excess they desire to live in? The Green Knight's appearance in the first Christmas scene seems to be a necessary interruption to this lifestyle; he is magical and different than the norms the population is used to. Maybe his difference and shocking existence is necessary to their dignified and normalized state of being.

Analytical Paragraph - Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

In Part One of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, when everyone is feasting and The Green Knight arrives with the game he calls King Arthur and his people cowards for not taking his challenge upon themselves. They could have easily said no to the knights challenge how ever he used there pride against them.  The text states "'For you all cower in fear before a blow has been struck!' Then he laughs so uproariously that the king took offense; The blood rushed into his fair face and cheek". This overall theme of having pride versus being a coward is a huge part of these first two parts of the story. 

Even after the should have been killer blow was dealt to The Green Knight by Gawain the Knight challenges Gawain to come to him to receive the blow. "Make your way to the Green Chapel, I charge you, to get Such a blow as you have dealt, rightfully given". I find this interesting because Gawain could simply not go to the Green Chapel and receive the blow that will probably kill him, but because he does not want to be a coward he will go. Even if this meant leaving the very comfortable castle that he was staying at. The overall theme of courage is very prominent as Gawain continues his quest.

Foreshadowing?

"'let us make an agreement: / Whatever I catch in the wood shall become yours, / And whatever mishap comes your way give me in exchange...'" (ll. 1105-1107)

To me this implies that the person who owns the castle Gawain is at will take his 'mishap' which in Gawain's case is him being decapitated by the Green Knight. Unless I'm misreading I believe that's what is happening.

When will the shoe drop

Discussion Question-
I'm really skeptical of the last part of the second Fitt. They discuss all of these lavish things that Gawain is receiving from the beautiful castle like robes and amazing food and beautiful women.  Do they really like him because he's working for Arthur and want to treat him that well or will he somehow be manipulated and end up with his head cut off? I'm very interested to see what actually happens to Gawain.

Harry Potter in the News!

A curious bit of news this weekend...Harry Potter is still encountering challenging and is being removed from libraries, over a DECADE after the last book came out! This time, they books were removed from a Catholic grammar school in Nashville, based on consultation with "'several' exorcists."

Here's a story in The Guardian that sums up the events quite well.

And here's the quote I thought we might want to consider as part of our discussion today:

“These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception,” Rev Dan Reehil wrote. “The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which when read by a human being risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text.”

Hmm.