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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT BY KELLI McCALL SELF TEACHER’S GUIDE TEACHER’S DR Gawain TG 100912a.indd 1 10/24/12 4:55 PM 2 A Teacher’s Guide to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................3 LIST OF CHARACTERS .............................................................................................................3 SYNOPSIS OF THE POEM .......................................................................................................4 PREREADING ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................6 I. BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE IN HISTORY AND LITERATURE ................................................................................6 II. BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE THROUGH INITIAL EXPLORATION OF THEMES ............................................10 DURING READING ACTIVITIES..........................................................................................13 I. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ..................................................................................13 II. ACTIVITIES TO GENERATE RESPONSE AND EXPLORATION OF THE TEXT ......................................................................15 AFTER READING ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................16 I. TEXTBASED TOPICS FOR ESSAYS AND DISCUSSIONS ..........................16 II. GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT EXTEND THE TEXT ........17 III. PARALLEL OR EXTENDED READING ...........................................................19 IV. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ..............................................................................20 ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS GUIDE ...........................................................................21 ABOUT THE EDITORS OF THIS GUIDE ...........................................................................21 FREE TEACHER’S GUIDES ....................................................................................................23 Copyright © 2012 by Penguin Group (USA) For additional teacher’s manuals, catalogs, or descriptive brochures, please email [email protected] or write to: PENGUIN GROUP (USA) INC. In Canada, write to: Academic Marketing Department PENGUIN BOOKS CANADA LTD. 375 Hudson Street Academic Sales New York, NY 10014-3657 90 Eglinton Ave. East, Ste. 700 http://www.penguin.com/academic Toronto, Ontario Canada M4P 2Y3 Printed in the United States of America DR Gawain TG 100912a.indd 2 10/24/12 4:55 PM A Teacher’s Guide to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 3 INTRODUCTION Cue: sweeping orchestral music Cue: close up of horse thundering through the forest Cue: overly dramatic narrator “In a world where men are men and monsters rule, In a time when nature is a formidable foe, One man holds the fate of a kingdom in his hands while One woman holds the key to his heart— A tale of violence, intrigue, treachery, romance, and magic.” Although it’s not the latest blockbuster movie is guide offers information and activities of the summer, Sir Gawain and the Green designed to spark interest in the poem and Knight combines the elements of traditional activate students’ prior knowledge of the his- Middle English literature with colorful, de- torical and literary time period of the Middle scriptive language, a compelling plot, and vio- Ages. e During Reading activities will help lence enough to please even a modern audience keep discussions on track, allowing students of teens reared on Avatar and e Avengers. to notice connections they might have In the classroom, Sir Gawain and the Green missed, and include activities designed for Knight will spark discussions about pride, students to reflect and extend their knowl- bravery, honor and humility—virtues relat- edge of the poem and its thematic elements. able to the lives of young adults today. It can e After Reading activities encourage stu- be used as a stand-alone text or as a compan- dents to apply their knowledge and focus on ion to modern pieces of literature which the use of Web 2.0 and 21st Century tools. focus on archetypes such as the hero, the trickster, the temptress, the journey or quest and the temptation or test. LIST OF CHARACTERS King Arthur: young and beardless; knows Bercilak (the Lord of the House): Gawain’s nothing of fear; stresses entertainment before accommodating and cheerful host at the food; holds an opulent court in which excess castle before he meets the Green Knight at seems to be common and the knights have no the Chapel; tall and strong with a beard the need to fight for territory or defense color of a beaver and a fiery red face Sir Gawain: humble, thoughtful, and coura- Bercilak’s Wife (the Lady of the House): geous; gallantly volunteers to take the chal- stunningly beautiful, smart, and demure; lenge of the Green Knight in Arthur’s place tempts Gawain three times to kiss her and to Green Knight: huge, square, thick, and, at seduce her while her husband is otherwise the same time, graceful; a big, green mystical occupied; presents Gawain with the green knight on a big, green mystical horse; revealed silk girdle he believes will save his life to be Bercilak in disguise (Gawain’s host) Morgana Le Fay: Arthur’s half sister and doing Morgana Le Fay’s bidding Gawain’s aunt; concocts the challenge in hopes of scaring Queen Guenevere to death and bringing shame on Camelot; may be the old woman who accompanies Bercilak’s wife Guenevere: Arthur’s wife; Queen of Camelot DR Gawain TG 100912a.indd 3 10/24/12 4:55 PM 4 A Teacher’s Guide to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight SYNOPSIS OF THE POEM Part One: (ll.1-490) ing of his knights accept the challenge. Gawain encounters many obstacles on his Celebrating Christmas and preparing for journey: dragons, wolves, satyrs, trolls, and New Year’s Day, King Arthur and his court the freezing elements. After thrice desperately praise their good fortune with feasting and praying to Mary to send him shelter and celebration. Suddenly, a ghastly green knight attempting to atone for his past transgres- mounted on a huge green horse bursts in, sions, he finally reaches a huge castle. e interrupting the merriment. He first praises drawbridge is lowered and he is welcomed to Arthur and the reputation he and his knights the castle with enthusiasm. e Lord assures have for bravery, strength, and pride. en, Gawain he is pleased to have him as an hon- he proposes a challenge: any knight in the ored guest and invites him to celebrate court can use his axe to take a swing at him Christmas with them. en he meets the while he sits still. In return, the knight must Lady of the House, who is lovelier than agree to take a blow from the challenger’s axe Guenevere, and her companion, a hideously in one year’s time. When the court sits in ugly old woman. Accommodations and cele- stunned silence, the Green Knight mocks brations at this castle are even more lavish them, wondering where all the courageous than at Camelot, and Gawain is lulled into men have gone. Shamed, Arthur angrily vol- comfortable companionship with the Lord. unteers to take the challenge himself until After the feast, he shares the story of the Gawain humbly asks leave to accept. Arthur Green Knight and his terrible errand, vowing agrees and reminds Gawain of the details of that he’d rather “die than fail.” e Lord the bargain. Gawain braces himself and encourages Gawain to take advantage of his swings the mighty axe, beheading the Green hospitality: drink, eat, sleep, keep good com- Knight swiftly and easily. e now headless pany with his wife. As he parts from Gawain, Green Knight picks up his head, holding it by he proposes a bargain between them: he will the hair, and mounts his horse. e head share with Gawain whatever he catches at the opens its eyes and reminds Gawain that he next day’s hunt as long as Gawain shares will be expected at the Green Knight’s Chapel whatever he gains during his day at the castle. in one year’s time to complete his end of the bargain. en, as quickly as he arrived, the Green Knight is gone in a flourish, his head Part Three: (ll. 1126-1997) in his hands. Arthur, masking his true feel- e Lord and his knights leave very early the ings of fear, insists the queen and the ladies next morning for the hunt, delighting in the take no note of the events and proceed with chase. Gawain, still asleep, is awakened sud- the celebration. ey hang the huge axe denly by a noise at the door, the Lady of the against a tapestry and continue celebrating. House quietly entering his room. He pre- tends to sleep, but, when she does not leave, Part Two: (ll. 491-1125) he “wakes” and engages in courtly flattery with her. She subtly indicates that she is e seasons change and Gawain’s dreaded interested in him and his reputation as a appointment approaches. He is opulently knight, finally mentioning that a worthy armored and prepared for travel. In remem- knight would not hesitate to kiss a lady. He brance of his dedication to truth and his faith obliges and she leaves the chamber satisfied. in God, his shield is decorated with a pen- Meanwhile, the Lord has finished his hunt; tangle star (representing five knightly virtues) the poet pays particularly gruesome attention and a portrait of Mary (to remind him to be to the slaughter and butchering of the deer brave). Arthur sends Gawain on his way, the hunters have killed. When the Lord regretting
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