Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

'But as your reputation, royal sir, is raised up so high, And your castle and cavaliers are accounted the best, The mightiest of mail-clad men in mounted fighting . . . Most valiant to view with in virile contests, And as chivalry is shown here, so I am assured, At this time, I tell you, that has attracted me here.'

When it comes to stories of chivalry, truth, and righteousness, there is no work in Western Literature that tells the tale of a knight like this. This book goes over the story of Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, who accepts a challenge by a mysterious Green Knight, who challenges all the knights in attendance to strike him. However, a year and a day later, whatever strike is placed upon the Green Knight shall be given to his challenger. Sir Gawain takes this challenge, cutting the Green Knight's head off his shoulders. But, to the alarm of the audience, the Green Knight picks up his head and instructs Sir Gawain to find the Green Knight at his castle to uphold the agreement. What follows are the struggles Sir Gawain faces to keep his word.

The themes contained in this poem include, but are certainly not limited to:

·         Tests and Temptations

·         Hunting and Seduction

·         Nature and Chivalry

·         Games

·         Times and Seasons

The Green Knight represents an exciting display of symbols and motifs throughout the poem. The Green Knight challenges Gawain to rise to honor and religious ideals. His name, the Green Knight, shows man's dichotomy concerning nature: the color green represents the force of primal instincts. The word "knight" also connects the Green Knight to society and civilization. While the Green Knight describes the primitive, wild side of man's nature, he also opposes nature. The description of the Green Knight reveals the central idea of human nature's potential.

Overall, the poem reflects the concept that salvation is an individual experience and is difficult to communicate to outsiders. An analogy is made between Gawain's trial and the Biblical test that Adam encounters in the Garden of Eden. Adam capitulates to Eve just as Gawain yields to Bertilak's wife by accepting her girdle. Although Gawain sins by placing his faith in the sash and not confessing when he is caught, the Green Knight pardons him, allowing him to become a restored Christian by learning from his mistakes. Gawain finds his place within the Christian world through the games played and the hardships endured.

I would recommend the J.R.R. Tolkien translation, as it follows a similar concept to the NLT translation of The Gospel of St. Luke: it takes out the confusing aspects of older versions of English and provides context for a modern reader.

Estimated Reading Time: 1hr. 27 min.