Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Penguin Classics)
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Book Summary Information
Author: AnonymousTranslator: Bernard O'Donoghue
Introduction: Bernard O'Donoghue
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-04-24
ISBN: 0140424539
Number of pages: 94
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Book Reviews of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: The inferno didn't get this one, so get green...
Summary: 5 Stars
Texts are fragile and all too easily lost to oblivion. Horrific acts that forever erase cultural memory can often result from unforeseen and uncontrollable natural acts, such as fires. Fires eat ideas. A catastrophic fire in a historical library has culture for lunch. Such random conflagrations could even out-censor Big Brother. Luckily, humanity still possesses "Sir Gawain and the Green Night" because a 1731 fire did not engulf a manuscript known as "Cotton Nero A.x." Dating to the time of Chaucer, this lump of illuminated parchment contains 4 anonymous Middle English poems, "Sir Gawain" among them. Just who wrote them, why, and even where remain bubbling controversies amongst historians and literary theorists. Scholars do know that transforming these alliterative verses into comprehensible modern English presents a Knightly challenge. No formaldehyde exists to preserve 600 year old literary techniques. The lexicon, syntax, and form of English has simply changed too much. One look at the original "Gawain" manuscript will make this all too evident. Though no modern rendering can adequately convey the rhythmic feel of the original, "Sir Gawain's" story, symbolism, and emotional impact do come out of the wash sparkling clean. This 2006 translation by Bernard O'Donoghue admirably preserves these aspects of this classic tale.
This edition breaks the story down into four sections. As the first section unfolds, a party attitude overtakes Camelot. It's the Yuletide and eating, drinking, and some bed play, abound. But the general merriment gets disrupted by a giant green knight bearing an enormous ax and a Holly sprig. He challenges the group of brave knights to an exchange of blows. King Arthur accepts the challenge, but Gawain intervenes. Here's the deal: the green knight would like Gawain to take a swing at him with the ax. In exchange, following a year and a day, Gawain will seek the "Green Chapel" and receive a similar weaponry blow. Gawain lops off the giant knight's head, but the monstrosity picks it up and rides off on his horse while reminding Gawain of his promise. End of section one. The second section involves Gawain's travels almost a year later (and also describes his accoutrement in a lavish "medieval lifestyles of the rich and famous" fashion; this includes the famous "pentangle shield"). While searching for the "Green Chapel," he stumbles along, with the Virgin Mary's help, a far off castle. Here he's summarily treated like a celebrity. No holds barred. Gawain is the man. Then the games begin. End of section two. In section three the seduction begins. As the lord of the unnamed castle goes hunting, his wife tries to get all jiggy with Gawain (who has implicitly taken a vow of chastity). All he accepts are kisses, even when she exposes herself. As part of the game, he gives these back to her husband (one wonders how he would have "given back" a full tryst). This lusty temptation leads to weakness, however, as Gawain accepts her garter as a love-token and as protection from harm (so she claims). No other nookie happens. In the final section Gawain confronts the green knight as promised. It doesn't go well, but, not to give anything away, it doesn't go as bad as it could have. Many surprises await, including a Biblically inspired misogynist diatribe. In the end, Gawain is not perfect. But he's probably as close to perfect as a semi-realist literary character can get.
The story itself, here presented in its original poetic verse form, belongs squarely in the medieval romance genre. The tale resonates an ethos from a time when the world "made sense." Christian ethics, metaphysics, and theology undergird the quest, making it a true product of its more "certain" times. One of the poem's possible themes or messages, bajillions have been suggested, is that we humans rarely rise to the level of sainthood, but who can blame us? Sure we can try, but human nature will likely bar our righteous path. The green knight himself tells Sir Gawain: "...you fell short a bit and failed... because you like being alive. I don't blame you for that!" Even glorified, elevated, chivalric Gawain has faults. The occasional second person asides (in certain "bobs and wheels") emphasize the didactic and introspective dimensions of a tale that likely has an oral history. Here the reader/listener receives personal attention. But most readers will revel in the historicity of the tale itself. The mysteries surrounding its composition also makes for an intriguing read. One can scour the text for symbolism and write a dissertation on its complex literary forms, or simply read it as an adventure tale. Either way it delivers. Since this piece of cultural history wasn't eaten in an inferno, we're free to digest it for our own purposes. Get green.
Summary of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Penguin Classics)
One of the greatest works of the Middle Ages, in a marvelous new verse translation
Composed in the fourteenth century, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is as beloved as it is venerable, combining the hallmarks of medieval romance?pageantry, chivalry, and courtly love?with the charm of fairy tales and heroic sagas.
When a mysterious green knight rides on horseback into King Arthur?s court, interrupting a New Year?s feast, he issues a challenge: if any of King Arthur?s men can behead him and he survives, then a year later he is entitled to return the strike. Sir Gawain takes up the challenge and decapitates the green knight, only to see him pick up his severed head and ride away, leaving Gawain to seek him out to fulfill their pact. Blending Celtic myth and Christian faith, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English masterpiece of magic, chivalry, and seduction.
Composed in the fourteenth century, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is as beloved as it is venerable, combining the hallmarks of medieval romance?pageantry, chivalry, and courtly love?with the charm of fairy tales and heroic sagas.
When a mysterious green knight rides on horseback into King Arthur?s court, interrupting a New Year?s feast, he issues a challenge: if any of King Arthur?s men can behead him and he survives, then a year later he is entitled to return the strike. Sir Gawain takes up the challenge and decapitates the green knight, only to see him pick up his severed head and ride away, leaving Gawain to seek him out to fulfill their pact. Blending Celtic myth and Christian faith, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English masterpiece of magic, chivalry, and seduction.
@GawainsWorld So listen here, some green man came to the hall and wants someone to cut his head off. Some sort of dare? Could be fun, right?
The deal is I cut off his head now, and he cuts off mine a year later. What a jester, doesn?t he know he?ll be dead?
This goblin fellow is totally dead.
All seemed fine until Ichabod Crane here fell to the floor, stood up, and picked up his head. His head, in his hands. In HIS HANDS!
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