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58 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the purpose of the descriptions of the seasons and religious holidays after the Green Knight leaves Arthur’s court?
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The passage of time is pretty quick, as it must be to Gawain.
> Transient nature of the world. Time speeds up as we age. |
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How long does Gawain give himself to go find the Green Knight?
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Two months. The challenge was set on about the new year. And Gawain stays in Arthur’s court until All Saint’s Day (November 1st).
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So whereabouts did Gawain go?
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North Wales ish, based on the geography of the region.
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What kind of place did Gawain go to?
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At the time, it was notorious for housing thieves, robbers, exiles of civilization [when romans came and pushed undesirables out].
And Gawain goes into these dangers alone. |
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Off all the trials Gawain faces, and they are many, which one grieves him the most?
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The weather is pretty stinking awful. And he has to sleep in his armor. GROSS, UNFCOMFORTABLE.
There is also no decent food. |
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What is the journey a test of?
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Both Strength and Endurance.
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When does Gawain pray?
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When he’s exhausted and like a week from the time he needs to find the Green Knight. [I tried adding up the days. It came out to be like three days he stayed at the castle and on that night, he talked to the Host. And Gawain said he needed to go and the Host said to rest for three days. So yeah….?]
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What happens when Gawain prays?
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Suddenly in the distance, there are woods and vegetation surrounding a castle.
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What should signal to Gawain that the Green Knight is near?
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Gawain’s been traveling for some time and it’s around Christmastime. So the vegetation…should be clue.
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What is the symbolism of the crossing of the moat?
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Generally, crossing water indicates entering another world…another dimension. Magical things are going to happen
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What is the reference to the paper castle?
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Gawain says that the castle is so beautiful it looks like it is made of paper. In those times, you would cut out a paper castle and put it on your cake. And your cake would be like totally beautiful then. So the castle is way awesome…and maybe not quite real.
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How is Gawain welcomed?
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He is met and clothed, cleaned up, given food.
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What’s up with the food?
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To Gawain it is a feast. He’s given soup, bread, fish. The servants keep apologizing that it is not a great meal. Real meals usually have some red meat.
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That first night, what happens?
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Gawain meets the Host and the guests. When the guests find out that he is Sir Gawain, they’re like sweet, we get to learn about the fashions of society. There are also two women.
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Who are the two women at the meal?
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There is the Hostess, young and toothsome.
There is also the old crone. But she is surrounded by an escort of squires. eh? She is Morgan the Fey. |
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How does the image of Gawain change from earlier to later Arthurian stories?
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Earlier: Gawain honorable, devoted to purity. Though a tendency to lechery.
Later: Gawain is notorious for his popularity with the ladies. |
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What is the flirting?
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Gawain flirts with the Hostess. This is considered right and proper….Approval of your Host’s choice. Understanding it will never go past flirting… marriage = sex, romance = love. rules about affairs. Lover for romance…Not ruining honor though.
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What are the terms of the little game?
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The Host will give to Gawain anything he gets during the day and Gawain will give to the Host anything he gets during the day.
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What does the Lord hunt first?
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Deer.
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What is considered when the deer is prey?
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The deer’s reaction is to freeze then take flight. Almost never fights, except when male. And this is doe season.
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How does Gawain’s behavior match the behavior of the deer?
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Gawain freezes: pretends to sleep for a while and maybe she’ll go away. But the lady won’t leave. So he pretends to wake up and look startled.
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How does the interaction on the first day of Gawain and the Lady match the hunt?
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While the lady is aggressive, Gawain eludes her through speech.
When the lady starts praising Gawain, he reminds her that she has better…she is married, the game is over. And he says that he will be her knight b/c he knows that she knows she is getting courtly love. |
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What is going on when the lady and Gawain meet that first day?
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Gawain’s kind of nude under his covers. That’s how he sleeps. Temptation of lust.
When Gawain gives the Host the kiss, he doesn’t say where he got it from, that was not in the bargain. |
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What was hunted on the second day?
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Boar, fat old pig.
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What is considered when the boar is prey?
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The boar has stubby legs so it will fight.
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What does the boar do when attacked by the men?
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It kills a few dogs and injures several men. Even when the lord comes at it with a sword, men worry about their lord. About the tusks. And it takes the dogs to finish off the boar.
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How does the second hunt apply to Gawain?
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He is prepared and more aggressive in reminding the lady that nothing is going to happen. The Temptation of Pride. The boar is the proud creature… Wonder about Gawain’s motives. Is he just virtuous through and through or is he so proud of being virtuous that instead of worrying about dishonoring the host he is worried about his face, honor, virtue.
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What does Gawain give the host after the second hunt?
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Two kisses.
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What was hunted during the last hunt?
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Fox.
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What is it about the fox?
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It is a strange prey animal, because though there is nothing honorable about hunting fox, it is necessary to do and rid countryside of vermin. It is a hard thing to do.
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How did the hunt of the fox go?
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The lord hunts and kills the fox.
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So what happened to Gawain during the day of the last hunt?
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The Lady offered many gifts…and Gawain takes the green girdle. Temptation: Avarice. Gawain breaks faith by not giving it to the Host.
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What is the status of Gawain when he meets the Green Knight?
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Gawain has sinned, broken the unending line of his pentacle.
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What are the three strokes the Green Knight gives?
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The one where Gawain flinches doesn’t count.
1: Doesn’t hit, he behave honorable by coming to find. 2: No flinch, but still not hit, kisses given…still honorable. 3: nicked, Gawain’s deception, broke faith, but forgiven considering circumstances. For who wouldn’t take the chance to save the life? |
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Who does Gawain spout off about after the three “hits”?
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Women.
Why? Perhaps immaturity, rather blame others than self. |
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What revelations does Gawain make on the journey home?
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Begins to take responsibility, wears the girdle as a mark of shame. He’s gone on a quest and gained self knowledge, brought back a symbol.
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How does the court react?
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A little too immature to understand the journey and the quest. Consider the beheading at the challenge set. Foreshadowing fall of court, lack of self knowledge. sin of Wrath?
How is the concept of mercy different to the Green Knight and Gawain? Gawain beheads an essentially unarmed man. W-HAT? The knight seems less judgemental, compassionate. Gawain holds to an impossible perfectin? Self deception? This pacifistic religion has a killer? Appearance vs. reality. |
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What does “Hony soyt qui mal pence” mean?
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“Shame to him that thinks ill of it.
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What does “Hony soyt qui mal pence” refer to?
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It is the motto of the order of the Garter.
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From whence came the order of the Garter?
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Founded by King Edward III in 1348. According to legend, he was dancing with the countess of Salisbury and her garter slipped off. King Ed noticed it and stooped to pick it up ( a favor to the company dancing and to the lady herself, esp.) Some people tittered and so the King said Hony soyt qui mal pence.
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What is the order of the Garter comprised of?
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24 men or women…appointed knights/dames. appointed for life. Prince/King of Walkes leads. For the improvement of mankind. New member inducted when old member dies.
You get your own seat in the choir, a plaque, and a family crest flag. |
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So what is the purpose of “Hony soyt qui mal pence” in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
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Perhaps to associate Ed court to Arthur court. Edward’s court was one fascinated by Arthur. Arthur probably a king not long after the Romans came ~500-600s
-proving who Arthur was…research and speculation…he may not have been a king so much as a military leader. Roman writings. Celtics were like if you don’t remember it, you don’t deserve to know it. |
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Did Gawain Pass the TEST?
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Consider was it a test by the Green Knight or by Morgan The Fey? Morgan’s test was revealed at the end…so the Green Knight still considers Gawain very sinless and has a good rep. When Gawain gets back to the court they forgive him and actually embrace his shame.
Consider Morgan was testing the Court, not Gawain himself….But Gawain as a representative of the court. Consider Gawain thinks he failed the test because he took the girdle or was it before he even started the quest? Consider if Gawain was the ONLY knight to do the quest. Consider the Christian: Don’t kill people…not giving into wrath. hm. Perfect standard? Smacks of pride. Consider what you think. |
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What historical allusions are made in the intro of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
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The poem starts with history, giving the story of Aeneas and Troy; especially, the tale about how Paris steals Helen. This reflects the eventual fall of Camelot. Another historical reference is how the Romans fled Britain and the need for Britian to reinvent itself. British society needs to find itself rather quickly, for example the knights go out and travel and
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What is the “theme” or main message of the beginning tale of Paris and Helen?
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That the guest + host relationship is sacred. Paris is referred to as treacherous trickster
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Who Wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
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The Pearl Poet
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What is “Bob and Wheel”?
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Bob and wheel is a poetic structure where the poem starts out with alliteration and ends with rhyme. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight exhibits “Bob and Wheel” in every fit
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What is a chapter in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight called?
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A fit
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What is ekphrasis?
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Pause in the narration while the author describes some object.
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Give examples of how time is regenerative and cyclical in this tale.
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• All happens in a year and a day – around the same time period on both ends – regernation
• The fall of the Trojan Empire as an allusion to fall of Camelot • Begin and Ends with Trojan War – Cyclical • Regeneration of Gawain’s morality (for the lack of a better word) – from cutting off an unarmed person’s head to true repentance as symbolized by the Green Girdle • Time passes Gawain learns his mistake and wears the Green Girdle in shame |
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Time and Seasons:
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1) Times, dates, seasons, and cycles within Gawain are often noted by scholars. The story starts on New Year's Day with a beheading, and culminates on the next New Year's Day. Gawain leaves Camelot on All Hallows Day (or All Saints Day), and arrives at Bercilak's castle on Christmas Eve. Further, the Green Knight tells Gawain to meet him at the Green chapel in "a year and a day"—a period of time seen often in medieval literature. Some scholars interpret these cycles of time, each beginning and ending in winter, as the poet's attempt to convey the inevitable fall of all things good and noble in the world. Imagery of inevitable fall is strengthened by the image of the fall of Troy.
2) The New Year's symbolizes the beginning of the new year --> fertility/rebirth symbol 3) Gawain has a year and a day - full cycle of years |
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Holly:
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1) Fertility symbol - the holly symbolizes the want of spring and summer, something craved by everyone due to the mini-iceages occurring during this time. 2) Symbol of peace - the Green knight says it himself --> it is a symbol of peace.
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Who's green? Who's red? And the relationship is what?
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The Green Knight is totally...green, and all of Gawain's clothing is Red, gules. The colors are exact opposites to show the enmity between both.
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Who "designed" the pentangle?
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Solomon
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What is the pentangle?
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A five pointed star, all lines under each other...neverending knot.
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What is the pentangle a symbol of?
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Different for different time periods. Here it is a Christian symbol, adopted.
5 senses faultless 5 fingers that never fail 5 wounds of Christ (crown of thorns, one in each hand, spear in side, one nail through feet.) 5 joys of Mary (Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, Assumption) 5 virtues: (Boundless Beneficence: generosity, Brotherly Love, Purity of Mind, Courtesy/Manners, Pite: compassion piety) |
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What does the girdle symbolize?
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So it's the one thing Gawain takes...so it's like the temptation of Avarice, greed. And then it becomes a symbol of shame for Gawain and then of Pride for Arthur's court.
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What is the ritual robing?
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Gawain is preparing to leave. He dons his clothing and armor to go face his nemesis. We get details about his dress...it's like all red. We get the ekphrasis about his shield. And then we see the pentangle. And that Mother Mary, patron of purity is on the inside of the shield. Everything's shiny. And his horse is Gringolet.
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