Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Pentangle

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Chivalry
THE THIRTEEN RULES OF CHIVALRY KNOWN AS THE QUEST
1. A TRUE KNIGHT must be a gentleman, yet not fail in duty.
2. A TRUE KNIGHT must uphold the Dignity of Men and Women,
remembering that all are born free and equal in Dignity and Rights.
3. A TRUE KNIGHT’s manner of living is an example to the young.
4. A TRUE KNIGHT shall at no time act outrageously nor do murder or be
cruel in any way to man or beast.
5. A TRUE KNIGHT respects and defends the rights of all men and women to
hold and practice religious beliefs other than his own.
6. A TRUE KNIGHT takes no part in wrongful quarrel, but at all times
supports the lawful rights of all men and women.
7. A TRUE KNIGHT’s word is his bond.
8. A TRUE KNIGHT must be honorable in all things and know good from evil.
9. A TRUE KNIGHT must be of modest demeanor and shall not seek worship
of himself.
10. A TRUE KNIGHT must seek out such Quests as lead to the protection of
the oppressed and never fail in Charity, Fidelity, and the Truth.
11. A TRUE KNIGHT speaks evil of no man. A slanderous tongue brings shame
and disgrace to an Honorable Knight.
12. A TRUE KNIGHT never betrays a trust of confidence given to him by a
brother Knight.
13. A TRUE KNIGHT must so order his life that by his contribution, the people
of the world may hope to live together in greater peace and tolerance.

Compare the above to GAWAIN:


The poem describes Gawain's armor in detail. He carries a red shield that has a pentangle painted on its front. The pentangle is a token of truth. Each of the five points are linked and locked with the next, forming what is called the endless knot. The pentangle is a symbol that Gawain is faultless in his five senses, never found to fail in his five fingers, faithful to the five wounds that Christ received on the cross, strengthened by the five joys that the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (The Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, and Assumption), and possesses brotherly love, pure mind and manners, and compassion most precious. The inside of the shield is adorned with an image of the Virgin Mary to make sure that Gawain never loses heart

The Pentangle
1. "Fiue wyttez" (five senses): may indicate that Gawain did not sin through sensual indulgence, but cf. "fyue wyttez" in 2193 (st. 88), where wyttez have most to do with intelligence, ability to understand a situation, etc.
2. "Fyue fyngres" (five fingers): no special significance is apparent here; may signify manual competence or physical strength. Some critics refer to the use in some devotional manuals of the image of the five-fingered hand.
3. "Fyue woundez" (Five Wounds of Christ): a typical subject of meditation; here Gawain's fealty (Borroff) or faith (Tolkien, Vantuono) is said to depend on them. The original afyaunce vpon folde 'trust upon earth/in the world' may be understood as "trustworthiness" if we see the outward-directed virtue as reflecting something inside Gawain.
4. "Fyue joyez" (Five Joys of Mary): a variable list, but usually Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection, Ascension, Assumption; here Gawain's force (Borroff) or valour (Tolkien) or bravery (Vantuono) is said to derive from them (forsnes 'fortitude' in the original).
5. The "fyft fyue" are the social virtues (generosity, good fellowship, cleanness, courtesy, compassion).

New Vocabulary

Courtliness
Sedately
Personable
Accrue
Malady
Entreaty
Manifest
Moras
Slake
Prehensile

Dialectical Journal Example

"An island lay a short distance from Halfdan's stronghold; on it lived a karl or freeman named Vifil.  The place, called Vifil's island, was name for the freeman, who was a lifelong friend of King Halfdan" (page 1).

The name of Vifil means beetle.  The symbolic meaning of beetle is protection.  The fact that Vifil is a lifelong friend of King Halfdan suggests that he will help Halfdan's sons after Halfdan is assassinated.  Further, the passage later states that Vifil is "well versed in the art of magic".  This will suggest that he will use magic to help protect the boys and introduce magic as theme: both for good and evil (this is opposed to the Christianity idea that all magic is evil and thus setting up the idea that this is a pagan text).  Vifil is noted as a "freeman" meaning that he is not royalty and therefore owes allegiance to someone.  Also he risks more in opposing King Frodi.  He is willing to give his life to protect Halfdan's sons.

Hrolf Kraki

Today - we'll talk about the SAGA Hrolf Kraki and make some connection with Beowulf.  I'll also discuss the history of SAGAs and why some many exist.

For Hrolf Kraki your assignment will be to read 10 pages a night and keep a Dialectical Reading Journal.  You'll need 25 entries in your journal.  Note - the reading journal is a device/a strategy to is suppose to help you keep tract of what goes on in the story.

Remember: 1) Pay close attention to the text.  Whenever you see something that interests you, whether it is a detail that jumps out at you, a weird twist of plot, something a character said that seemed strange, something that appeared to represent a theme, or something that look like a symbol, or literary device - write it down and its page number, and then 2) write down your interpretation of the quote.  Or your question regarding the quote.  3) Last, write down all new characters that appear with a brief description of who they are.  This last point is important because a lot of characters appear in this book and keeping tract of them is important.

The Journal is a project grade and is worth 2 points per entry (or a total of 50 points).

Seafarer

1) The seafarer’s journey is a metaphorical for the state of exile which humans have due to the sin of Adam or Eve; or it is metaphorical for the passage through life the soul takes before it reaches heaven
2) The “Seafarer” is two voices (a dialogue) – the 1st half is a young seafarer, the 2nd half is an older man.
3) Two speeches – one pagan and one Christian written by two different authors. 
4) One speaker who has voluntarily exiled himself for the love of God.
5) A Celtic elegy where an exile laments his misfortunes (in this turn – the exile could be due to things that have happened)
6) Interpret the imagery of sea and birds and discuss what it means in relation to the journey.
7) A meditation on life.

HROLF KRAKI


Hrolf Kraki


Saga translates to "what is said". It is the recording of an oral story in prose. The saga usually starts with the ancestral background of the main character, usually starting with a grandfather or great-grandfather and briefly telling the relatives story and bringing the narrative quickly forward. For background info on Hrolf Kraki go here

1. Characters

Halfdane
Frodi
Helgi
Hroar
Signy
Regin
Vifil
Heid
Olaf
Yrsa
Hrok
Adils
Skuld
Berserkers
Svipdag
Svip (his advice to his son)
Bjalki
Bera:
Bjorn:
Bodvar Bjarki:
Drifa:
Elk-Frodi:
Haki:
Hakland:
Hardrefil:
Hjalti:
Hott:
Hjorvard:
Hring:
Hromund:
Hvit:
Skuld: 
Storolf:
Vogg:
Vott:
Yrsa:

2. Explain how the following themes work and what characters can looked at as symbols of the theme:

Role of Kings:
Role of the warrior:
Role of women:
Concept of Magic:
Revenge:
Hospitality:
Loyalty:
Pride:
Man alone in a hostile world:

3. Discuss one event in the story that seems to represent what you believe the book to be about. 
4. How do Hrolf and his Champions compare with King Arthur and the round table?
5. Make a list of at least ten moments of magic in the book.
6. Who is your favorite character and why?
7. How is the Cult of Odin important to this book?
8. Compare Hrolf Kraki to Beowulf.

More Beowulf NOTES

Heremod – is father of Shield. 

He is a hero with a kind of courage and heroic excellence that he worships violence.  He is not a good kind.  He becomes so bloodthirsty that he becomes a monster.  He kills his own companions at the banquet table, and becomes a kind of exile, until ambushed in Jutland.  His name means: Here = warlike   Mod= mentality/pride

Heremod in some mythology is the son of Odin who is sent into the underworld to bring back Baldr.

Finn and Hnaef

The main character here is Hildeburh.  She is married to the Friscians as a peace pledge.  The Danes travel to Friscians to spend the winter.  They are attacked and Hnaef and Hildeburh’s son are killed.  The Friscians suffer heavy loses and are unable to finish off the Danes.  Finn offers a peace.  Hengest becomes the new leader of the Danes and accepts the peace until springtime.  After springtime Hunlafing gives Hengest a sword to remind him of the feud, Guthlaf and Oslaf return from Denmark and the Danes wipe out the Friscians, kill Finn, and take Hildeburh back to Denmark.

NAMES from BEOWULF

Names to study for Beowulf: 



Beowulf poet Anonymous Christian scribe who wrote down the oral Beowulf narrative
Grendel Rapacious, man-eating monster
Grendel's mother Devious, vengeful monster

Danes, aka Shieldings, Shield-Danes
Shield Sheafson Famous Danish king described in the opening
Heorot Hrothgar's mead-hall
Beow Hrothgar's grandfather
Halfdane Hrothgar's father
Hrothgar King of the Danes
Wealtheow Hrother's queen
Hildeburh Danish princess married to a Frisian King, described in the minstrel's song
Freawaru Hrothgar's daughter. Married Ingeld, a Heathobard 
Hrethric Hrothgar's son
Heorogar Hrothgar's older brother

Geats
Hygelac Beowulf's overlord and uncle
Hygd Hygelac's queen
Hrethel Hygelac's father
Ecgtheow Beowulf's father, brother-in-law of Hygelac
Handscio Geat killed by Grendel 

Other
Geatland Tribal territory of the Geats in southern Sweden
Unferth Thane in Hrothgar's court. Name means mar-peace. Killed his own brother.
Wulfgar Thane of Hrothgar, also a Wendel chief
Breca Beowulf's opponent is swimming match, 
Aeschere Hrothgar's good friend, killed by Grendel's mother
Modthryth Beautiful queen who behaved badly
Hrunting Famous sword that Unferth gives to Beowulf
Hnaef Danish king, Hildeburh's brother, killed by the Frisians
Sigemund Dragon-killing hero who helped King Heremod, described in a minstrel's song after Beowulf kills Grendel



Haethcyn A king of the Geats, Hrethel’s second son, who takes the throne after accidentally killing his older brother, Herebeald. He is eventually killed by Ongentheow, king of the Swedes, in a war in which Ongentheow is killed by a second band of Geats, led by Hygelac.

Heardred A king of the Geats, son of Hygelac and later killed by Onela of the Swedes.

Onela (also spelled Onla) A king of the Swedes and the youngest son of Ongentheow. He is married to the Danish king's (Halfdane’s) daughter and assumes the Swedish throne after the death of his older brother. He later invaded Geatland after his two nephews fled to join Heardred, the king of the Geats. Onela then killed the oldest nephew but the younger lived. Later, Beowulf ruled the Geats, and invaded Sweden with Onela’s younger nephew, who then killed Onela and ruled Sweden.
Wiglaf A young Waegmunding kinsman and retainer of Beowulf who helps him in the fight against the dragon while all of the other warriors run away. Wiglaf adheres to the heroic code better than Beowulf’s other retainers, thereby proving himself a suitable successor to Beowulf.
Eofor A Geat warrior who kills the Swedish king named Ongentheow, and is given Hygelac’s daughter as a reward.

Ongentheow A king of the Swedes, a famous warrior and father of Onela. He killed Hathcyn and was later killed by a group of Geats led by Hygelac.

Beowulf PART III - ESSAY

For Part III, you'll need to write a 2-3 page essay on some theme found in section three.  You need to look at literary devices (symbols, litotes, irony, kennings, etc), structure (parallelism, sun-rise/sun-set, is the dragon a symbol?), and events to reinforce or back up your position.  Possible themes include: The Role of Kings (was Beowulf a good king?  How does Beowulf compare with Hygelac or Hrothgar? Does Beowulf fail to listen to Hrothgar's sermon from section II?), The Transitory Nature of Life (part III is elegy to a passing way of life - think of Beowulf's funeral and the foreshadows of doom in part III - not just the after-death of Beowulf but the entire build-up of this section, example: Hygelac's invasion of the Friscians, the feud with the Swedes), The theme of Pride (are the Dragon and Beowulf similar?), Good vs. Evil (Beowulf as a Christ-like figure vs the Dragon as a symbol of ultimate evil), Wryd.


You essay will need a hook, a thesis statement, and at least two detailed examples for each of your points.

This is due on October 10.