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Assignment 3: A Literature Review of Sir Gawain

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is categorized as a late 14^th century Middle English chivalric romance, sometimes said to be a coming together of an alliterative poetic tradition and a tradition of courtly love. “Courtly love” is platonic love at the court of a king (which is why “courtly”) among knights and married noble women; it is a lot flirting and verbal banter, keeping company, flattery and teasing–but no sex. The knights were to be pure (“chaste,” that is) and the women were married.

Literary critics love to plumb Sir Gawain and the Green Knight for deep symbolic meaning(s). Maybe that is in part because the story line doesn’t make that much sense—for example, Gawain has to give “what he gets” form the lady to his host, making us wonder what he’d be required to do if he actually had sex with her. Between green giants, men who love to hunt, nature, color symbolism (green, red, gold), a pentangle–an “endless knot,” no less–temptation and sin, holy quests, beheading games, hunted animals /predation, courtly love, manners/courtesy, the theme of dismemberment and death, five wounds of Christ and even a touch of sorcery, there’s a lot in the story that seems to need to be explained and/or invite interpretation in a way that is not strictly literal (we don’t think of it as being real but more like an allegory).

For assignment 3, read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Then, I want you to begin your paper with a literature review—a summary–of how scholars have approached Sir Gawain and the Green Knight–or just one aspect of it (pentangles and theme of 5, greenness, etc.)–and then, after writing as much as you like about what they have to say, write about what you think it means—if anything. Maybe the whole thing is a tease? Is there deep meaning to it? Let us know.

Your paper can be almost entirely a literature review* with one paragraph of what you think at the very end (conclusion), or it can be one page of a literature review with the rest your perspective. When you write, remember to try to explain your ideas from the perspective of what you think the poet is trying to say, rather than projecting onto it something that is relevant to you personally. Keep it scholarly—no Wikipedia, Cliff or Smoop Notes can be cited–and cite your sources according to MLA style format. Try to make it to five pages not including the works cited page.

*A literature review is predominantly a survey of what scholars have said about a particular aspect of a work. You strive to treat each scholar’s work impartially and objectively. So say, for example, you were writing on the meaning of the color green, you would in your essay represent various points of view. You should try to include multiple sources, even contradictory points of view. Then, at the end, you make your own argument for who you agree with and why, or if you have your own interpretation. You could write about courtly love in Sir Gawain, or who REALLY IS the Green Knight, or just about anything!