Gawain has to be being tested. the castle in which he is being held seems all to gracious and understanding. no one has ever heard of the green temple of the knight, except the castle, which just happens to be no less than 2 miles away. the king is not phased at all when Gawain walks through the door, and lees so when he announces that he needs to fight a jolly green giant. i'm not sure exactly what is happening, but i know that the castle is hiding something, and Gawain is falling straight into their "trap?". at the time of his departure, i get a sense that the king will switch to monty python mode and offer him great luxuries and pleasures on the night that Gawain has to go and fight. it all seems too perfect to me.
It appears to me that the main struggle with Gawain is the one he has deciding if his qualities as a knight are more important than his life. Not only is this a repetitive theme within all hero journeys (as was Beowulf), but it continues to be an important one. Gawain does not understands that the Green Knight is able to do things beyond natural ability before he even accepts the challenge to fight him. The fight only led to one thing- the survival of the Green Knight, which he managed to do. This Gawain having a year and a day to prepare for the "pay back" that the Green Knight is going to give to him for the first fight. I think that, unlike Beowulf, Gawain has a fear of death that is unlike the usual "hero" in a story, so this may lead to his fall, or take back of his promise to the Green Knight for a return fight.
This tale so far involves both magic and uncertainty. Those two factors both revolve mostly around the green night. It's both grotesque and just kind of jaw dropping when the Green Knight tells Gawain to chop his head off and he'll still be alive. So Gawain does so, and cuts off his head, and what the Green Knight said happened to be true. It makes me question whether the Green Knight is immortal or if there is some type of magical spell or curse on him. It's both magical and uncertain.
We learn through poetry about an adventure at the beginning, I love that its about Christmas time because that's something I can relate to because that's my favorite time of year. I also like the mythological, mysterious, magical, or even sci-fy idea that this book takes on. An example of this is when the Green nights head gets his head chopped off, and still manages to survive, and even ride a horse with no head attached to his body. Something is very off about this knight, the fact that he can survive after his head gets cut off must make him immortal or something along those lines. I also find it interesting how violent he is, and I assume he has some anterior motive. An example of this is on New Years when he wants to play a game involving axes, and when he's always challenging people to duels that he knows he will win. I think something is very off about this knight and I hope we get to the bottom of this as we get further into the book.
Arthur is seen as a noble king, a role model to all of his knights. I feel as if, from the first appearance of the green knight, Arthur knows something that is being kept hidden. There is magic within this story. The green knight portrays some sort of magical being that is uncertain so far in the story. So begins a hero journey. When Gawain stood to fight the knight, you saw a sort of bravery that was not being represented by the other knights at the table. He stood above them all to take on this green giant. The date of the second fight took place exactly a year from the night Gawain struck the giant's neck. This could just be timing or a hidden message or secret behind the whole fight entirely. The giant wants something that is not entirely clear yet. I believe that arthur might know about this. Also I think that he knows what is about to happen with Gawain, he pushes him to his journey, and still he is protecting Gawain....
I've noticed a theme in Sir Gawain's story. I continuously see a mention to the idea of endlessness and cycles, as shown sometimes by the pentangle, the endless knot itself, or simply by weaving its way into the story line. For an example, the first time Gawain encounters The Green Knight is on Christmas of a certain year. Afterwards, we see the seasons change once more, only to bring Gawain back to the same time, in the subsequent year. Also, on line 498, the plot is described as "resolved in the style it arrived". ... tbc
I am really enjoying this book so far. It has made me wanting to keep reading, to try to put pieces together and help me make more sense of what is happening. I am not quite certain on what the green knight is. He seems to be somewhat immortal, if Arthur was able to cut off his head and he just rode off unharmed. He comes off to me to be supernatural, and not of this world. I find there to be a religious aspect to this story as well. (ex. Gawain praying to Mary for guidance and help, Mary depicted on Gawain's shield) I found also that the way they handle themselves at the party to be strange. There is a sense of happiness and joy, and yet also a feeling of gore and horror. The way they do not mind the green knight’s arrival and disturbance of their party. The whole situation was very weird. I am very curious to discover the mystery behind this story. ~Laura
Garwin wore a tunic of extravagant silk, then the neately cut cloak covering his neck, The lining had been done with a layer of white fur. His shoes were steel and the plates that he had on his knees were knotted with gold thread. He also had metal suit had a shield that had agold five ponited star on a red background. Each 5 points on the star represented his fidelity, five senses, five finger, 5 joys of Mary. Garwin is dressed up as a knight showing that he would be going on a heroes journey.
Before Gawain set out on his quest he was dressed accordingly. His outfit included a tunic of extravagant silk, a cloak covering his neck, the lining constructed from a layer of white fur. His shoes that adorned his feet were steel and the plates that protected his knees were secured with gold thread. Over that he wore metal suit and a shield that had a gold, five pointed star with a red background. As he gets dressed his demeanor is one of anxiety, but also of resignation as he knows that his destiny is inevitable.
Gawain has to be being tested. the castle in which he is being held seems all to gracious and understanding. no one has ever heard of the green temple of the knight, except the castle, which just happens to be no less than 2 miles away. the king is not phased at all when Gawain walks through the door, and lees so when he announces that he needs to fight a jolly green giant. i'm not sure exactly what is happening, but i know that the castle is hiding something, and Gawain is falling straight into their "trap?". at the time of his departure, i get a sense that the king will switch to monty python mode and offer him great luxuries and pleasures on the night that Gawain has to go and fight. it all seems too perfect to me.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt appears to me that the main struggle with Gawain is the one he has deciding if his qualities as a knight are more important than his life. Not only is this a repetitive theme within all hero journeys (as was Beowulf), but it continues to be an important one. Gawain does not understands that the Green Knight is able to do things beyond natural ability before he even accepts the challenge to fight him. The fight only led to one thing- the survival of the Green Knight, which he managed to do. This Gawain having a year and a day to prepare for the "pay back" that the Green Knight is going to give to him for the first fight. I think that, unlike Beowulf, Gawain has a fear of death that is unlike the usual "hero" in a story, so this may lead to his fall, or take back of his promise to the Green Knight for a return fight.
ReplyDelete4. Magical/uncertain/otherworldiness
ReplyDeleteThis tale so far involves both magic and uncertainty. Those two factors both revolve mostly around the green night. It's both grotesque and just kind of jaw dropping when the Green Knight tells Gawain to chop his head off and he'll still be alive. So Gawain does so, and cuts off his head, and what the Green Knight said happened to be true. It makes me question whether the Green Knight is immortal or if there is some type of magical spell or curse on him. It's both magical and uncertain.
We learn through poetry about an adventure at the beginning, I love that its about Christmas time because that's something I can relate to because that's my favorite time of year. I also like the mythological, mysterious, magical, or even sci-fy idea that this book takes on. An example of this is when the Green nights head gets his head chopped off, and still manages to survive, and even ride a horse with no head attached to his body. Something is very off about this knight, the fact that he can survive after his head gets cut off must make him immortal or something along those lines. I also find it interesting how violent he is, and I assume he has some anterior motive. An example of this is on New Years when he wants to play a game involving axes, and when he's always challenging people to duels that he knows he will win. I think something is very off about this knight and I hope we get to the bottom of this as we get further into the book.
ReplyDeleteArthur is seen as a noble king, a role model to all of his knights. I feel as if, from the first appearance of the green knight, Arthur knows something that is being kept hidden. There is magic within this story. The green knight portrays some sort of magical being that is uncertain so far in the story.
ReplyDeleteSo begins a hero journey. When Gawain stood to fight the knight, you saw a sort of bravery that was not being represented by the other knights at the table. He stood above them all to take on this green giant.
The date of the second fight took place exactly a year from the night Gawain struck the giant's neck. This could just be timing or a hidden message or secret behind the whole fight entirely. The giant wants something that is not entirely clear yet. I believe that arthur might know about this. Also I think that he knows what is about to happen with Gawain, he pushes him to his journey, and still he is protecting Gawain....
I've noticed a theme in Sir Gawain's story. I continuously see a mention to the idea of endlessness and cycles, as shown sometimes by the pentangle, the endless knot itself, or simply by weaving its way into the story line. For an example, the first time Gawain encounters The Green Knight is on Christmas of a certain year. Afterwards, we see the seasons change once more, only to bring Gawain back to the same time, in the subsequent year. Also, on line 498, the plot is described as "resolved in the style it arrived".
ReplyDelete... tbc
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying this book so far. It has made me wanting to keep reading, to try to put pieces together and help me make more sense of what is happening. I am not quite certain on what the green knight is. He seems to be somewhat immortal, if Arthur was able to cut off his head and he just rode off unharmed. He comes off to me to be supernatural, and not of this world. I find there to be a religious aspect to this story as well. (ex. Gawain praying to Mary for guidance and help, Mary depicted on Gawain's shield) I found also that the way they handle themselves at the party to be strange. There is a sense of happiness and joy, and yet also a feeling of gore and horror. The way they do not mind the green knight’s arrival and disturbance of their party. The whole situation was very weird. I am very curious to discover the mystery behind this story. ~Laura
ReplyDeleteDescription of Garwin and his demeaner,
ReplyDeleteGarwin wore a tunic of extravagant silk, then the neately cut cloak covering his neck, The lining had been done with a layer of white fur. His shoes were steel and the plates that he had on his knees were knotted with gold thread. He also had metal suit had a shield that had agold five ponited star on a red background. Each 5 points on the star represented his fidelity, five senses, five finger, 5 joys of Mary. Garwin is dressed up as a knight showing that he would be going on a heroes journey.
Before Gawain set out on his quest he was dressed accordingly. His outfit included a tunic of extravagant silk, a cloak covering his neck, the lining constructed from a layer of white fur. His shoes that adorned his feet were steel and the plates that protected his knees were secured with gold thread. Over that he wore metal suit and a shield that had a gold, five pointed star with a red background. As he gets dressed his demeanor is one of anxiety, but also of resignation as he knows that his destiny is inevitable.
ReplyDelete