Book Club - Read Along Wrap Up

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 

Sir Gawain and Gringolet

The story starts with the Christmastide feast at King Arthur's court.

A giant green knight enters the hall, but he is not armed.  He wants to play a game - he asks for a volunteer to strike him with an axe, but he must allow the green knight to return the blow the following new year.  At first, there are no takers, so Arthur accepts the challenge.  But then Gawain asks to take his place.  He strikes the knight cleanly, removing his head.  The knight picks up his head, announces to Gawain where to find him, and bids adieu.

We roll through the seasons until it is time for Gawain to head out in search of the Green Chapel.  In his travels, he comes across a castle, and hopes to hear mass and rest comfortably.  He is welcomed into the castle and given rest while the lord of the castle goes out to hunt.  The two men make a deal though - he will give to Gawain what he catches, and Gawain must give him whatever he gets during the day.

Gawain is met by the lord's wife in his room as she tries to seduce him.  The brave man she's heard stories about.  She talks him into giving her a kiss, nothing more.  And Gawain returns the kiss when he sees the lord later on.  This happens again the next day with two kisses.  On the third day, he again refuses the advances of the lady, so she offers him her girdle.  She says it will protect him, so in the end, he accepts it but she asks him not to tell her husband.

Gawain then finds the Green Chapel and the Green Knight.  He bares his neck, but flinches.  He holds fast for the second swing, but the knight does not strike.  On the third swing, Gawain suffers a slight nick.  He grabs his helmet to flee but the knight is laughing.  Turns out, he is the lord of the castle Gawain has been staying with, and all of this was a trick of Morgan the Fay.  The lord sent his wife to Gawain, it was all part of the plan.  The nick was for concealing her gift.

Gawain is so full of shame for his "cowardice and covetousness" but the lord believes he's already made amends by confessing his faults.  He invites Gawain to stay longer, but he won't.  He heads back home to Camelot where he again confesses his faults and his shame.  But King Arthur, like the Green Knight, finds no blame in his behavior.  Those of the Round Table agree they shall all wear a band of green - the Order of the Garter.  HONY SOYT QUI MAL PENCE.

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I wanted to comment on the Pentangle he wears, "proper to this prince of knights," because I was not aware of its use in this context.  It is said to represent his five wits: Liberality and Lovingkindness, Continence and Courtesy, and Piety.  It also mentioned his five fingers and the five wounds of Christ....which is especially interesting considering the connotations of the Pentagram today.....

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Anyway, I greatly enjoyed the flow of this old poem, the rhyme and the alliteration.  I had read this once before but I really only remembered the New Year quote - "The year in passing yields its many yesterdays."  I'm glad that brought me back to read this.