Gawain And The Green Knight Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Gawain And The Green Knight?

Gawain and the Green Knight is a fourteenth-century Middle English alliterative poem that tells the story of a heroic knight, Sir Gawain of King Arthur’s court, who embarks on a quest to find and battle the mysterious Green Knight. Gawain encounters several challenges along his journey and ultimately learns important lessons about chivalry, honor, courage, and loyalty. The story begins when the mysterious figure of the Green Knight appears at King Arthur’s court during Christmas festivities. He challenges anyone from the court to engage him in a beheading game if anyone can strike off his head with an axe then he will return exactly one year later for them to receive their own blow in return. Despite much hesitation from other nobles in the court, Gawain bravely volunteers to take part in this game. The Green Knight allows him three attempts at striking off his head but with no success; however he promises that they will meet again on New Year’s Day one year later so that Gawain can receive a single blow from him in return for his efforts. On New Year’s Eve Gawain sets out on his quest to find the Green Chapel where he must face off against theGreen Knight as promised but not before being met with many dangerous obstacles along the way such as wild beasts and strange supernatural creatures. During this journey he also meets several people who offer him hospitality while teaching him valuable moral lessons about chivalry, courtesy and honour which shape him into becoming an even more noble knight than before. Ultimately after facing danger upon danger throughout his journey Gawain finally arrives at the green chapel only to discover that his opponent is none other than Bertilak de Hautdesert Lord of Hautdesert castle whom he had been staying with during part of his travels. They engage in an intense battle which leaves both men standing unharmed; however due to breaking some of Bertilak’s rules during this encounter (such as accepting gifts) he must suffer certain consequences for it by receiving three strikes from Bertilak’s axe instead of just one as originally agreed upon by both parties before entering combat together.