Post date: Sep 12, 2016 12:10:16 PM
Please read "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" by class time on Wednesday, completing this as you read:
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Reading Instructions
You can find this story on our blog as a PDF, posted on this page.
As you read the story, take note of how each of the Romantic elements is developed in the story and write down examples of the elements listed below, but be careful! Your impression of things is likely to change by the end of the story.
This story is a romance, an adventure tale, NOT a romantic love story in the modern sense. This should sound somewhat familiar after discussing “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.” Here are the elements of a romance to watch for and make notes about as you read:
a near-perfect hero
an evil enemy
a quest
a test
supernatural elements
good vs. evil
stereotypical female characters (damsels in distress, old hags, temptresses, mothers, wives)
AND, can you see any potential symbolism in the story? If so, explain what you think something or someone might symbolize.