Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Home , Avalon, Bob and wheel, Excalibur, Excalibur (rock opera), Patience (poem), Rience

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

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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. TEXT BASED 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

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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

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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 his decision to let the most promis- returns to the castle, he presents the venison

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to Gawain who praises the quantity and qual- Meanwhile, the Lord and his greyhounds ity of the bounty. e Lord’s end of the bar- have finally cornered the sly fox; they sur- gain met, Gawain courteously kisses the Lord round and kill it. When the Lord returns as a noble knight, mentioning that the kiss from the hunt, Gawain presents him with the was all he won that day. ey laugh and feast three kisses, but keeps the belt to himself. e long into the night, agreeing to the same Lord is embarrassed to present to Gawain the bargain for the next day. bedraggled hide of the lone fox. e people Again, early in the morning, the Lord leaves in the castle are sad Gawain will be leaving for the hunt. is time, the object is a wild them the next day. At this point, the poet boar, which poses quite a challenge. Once urges us to pay attention just a little longer to more, the Lady approaches Gawain while he find out how his adventure ends. is asleep. Once he wakes, she tells Gawain to teach her the “ways of love.” He does not Part Four: (ll.1998-2531) believe that she is ignorant of those ways and e day dawns stormy and once again Gawain gracefully evades her advances. He offers her is armored and prepared for battle. is time, his lips for as long as she likes; they kiss twice he has the protection of the green silk belt and then she eventually leaves. On the hunt, wound twice around his royal red tunic. He the Lord continues to struggle with the fero- bestows a blessing on the castle and its inhab- cious boar, finally wrestling it to the ground itants, and, with the help of a guide, rides off and stabbing it with his sword. e poet in search of the Green Knight’s chapel. e again spends time describing the butchering. guide attempts to dissuade Gawain from e Lord cuts off the boar’s head and brings approaching the Knight, convinced that he it to Gawain on a stick. Gawain is pleased will surely die. Gawain will hear nothing of and presents the Lord with two kisses. ey his protests vowing that God will guide him. feast joyously, while the Lady of the House As Gawain approaches the chapel, he hears flirts openly with Gawain who is embarrassed the noise of a grinding stone and knows that by her overt attention. As the feast winds the Knight is preparing the axe for him. e down, the Lord proposes the bargain for one Knight is ready for Gawain and frolics about more day. on the shore waiting for his arrival. e Morning arrives and the Lord and his men Knight praises Gawain for keeping their are ready to hunt again. is day’s quarry is a appointment and gets down to business. fox. As the fox cleverly evades capture, the Gawain bares his neck for the axe blow, but Lady of the House prepares to visit Gawain flinches slightly as the Knight swings the axe. again, dressing provocatively, expecting to e Knight stops the blow and admonishes succeed in her seduction. Dreams of his Gawain for flinching, citing his own steadfast impending encounter with the Green Knight performance a year ago. Gawain assures the have given Gawain a fitful night’s sleep and knight that he will not flinch again. e he is comforted by her visit. Despite her best Knight raises the axe and brings down a hard efforts, Gawain once again refuses to involve blow which only nicks Gawain’s neck. Gawain himself in an affair, citing his deep respect for is elated and ready to leave the chapel until the Lord of the House. She relents and offers the Knight reveals that he is, in fact, the hos- Gawain a dazzling ring as a token of her affec- pitable Lord of the House, Bercilak de Haut- tion. Gawain refuses it as it is “too rich a gift.” desert. He was directed by Morgana Le Fay, a She then offers Gawain her green silk belt, witch who lives in his castle, to bring the scary which he also refuses. However, when the challenge to Arthur’s court to test their chival- Lady explains that whoever wears the belt will rous reputation. He concludes that Gawain never be killed, Gawain accepts it, thinking almost passed the test since he gave back the of his battle with the Green Knight. She kisses but failed in that he kept the belt to save bestows upon him three kisses and leaves. his own life.

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Gawain is instantly ashamed and throws the of his shame. Embarrassed, he shares his story belt at Bercilak, no longer wanting to be with Arthur who, in support of Gawain, reminded of his cowardice. He refuses Ber- decides all knights and ladies of Camelot will cilak’s invitation to return to the castle and forever wear a belt of green as a badge of honor. returns to Camelot, wearing the belt as a sign

PREREADING ACTIVITIES

ese activities are designed to draw on and perceptions have changed as a result of deepen students’ background knowledge of the information in the unit. the Middle Ages, poetic forms, archetypes, 2. Prior to beginning this activity, go to and themes they will encounter as they read Weebly for Education at http://educa- the poem. Choose and adapt the activities tion.weebly.com/ (Weebly) to create a that best meet students’ needs and your classroom account and set up accounts teaching goals (Note: Consult other Teacher’s for the members of your classes or for Guides to Signet Classics; they contain ideas groups as you divide them (directions are that can be adapted to prepare students to on the site). Assign each group an aspect read and interact with this text). of life in the Middle Ages such as food, work, feudalism, religion, weaponry, reli- I. BUILDING BACKGROUND gion, literacy, and hunting as a social KNOWLEDGE IN HISTORY activity. After researching, have students AND LITERATURE create Weebly sites with the information they found. Once they’ve created the sites, have them present the information, Understanding the Historical noting when their perceptions of the Context of the Poem: Middle Ages diﬀered from what they The Middle Ages learned in their research. Some useful web sites to begin this research are: 1. Poll your students’ prior knowledge about the Middle Ages as a starting point http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/ e Domesday Book Online for discussions and a way to reﬂect life.html ( ) throughout the unit. Consider daily life, http://www.learner.org/interactives/ leisure, food, hygiene, society, the church, middleages/feudal.html (Part of the gender roles, chivalry, and warfare. Create Annenberg Western Tradition series) a GoogleDoc spreadsheet, and as your Another interesting resource is Crash students call out answers, type them into Course, a series of educational videos cre- the spreadsheet. Don’t worry about repe- ated by self-professed nerd, author, blog- titions. Accept everything. After collect- ger, and YouTube celebrity John Green ing the responses, paste the contents of focusing on World History. He uses the spreadsheet into a word cloud pro- humor and hip wit to discuss historical gram such as Wordle (www.wordle.net). happenings and concepts that have previ- Using Wordle can instantly provide great ously been tedious to study for most stu- analytics without having to break out the dents. Although some of the delivery is calculator. e words that appear numer- silly, the historical basis is sound. You ous times will be larger and bolder than might wish to establish the context of the other words. Print this word cloud or Middle Ages by having students view embed it into your class website. It would “ e Dark Ages” at http://www.youtube. be a great idea to do this very same activ- com/watch?v=QV7CanyzhZg Have stu- ity at the end of the unit to mark how

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dents listen for the reasons the Middle media timelines to showcase their find- Ages were considered dark and to the ings on Timeglider at www.timeglider. description of feudalism. Have them com. Timeglider gives students the abil- compare their answers in groups before ity to embed text, photos, video, and the whole class discussion. audio, ensuring a more active experience. 3. Without the leadership of centralized Be sure to point out that the manuscript Sir Gawain and the Green government, many developing nations containing Knight historically relied on some kind of feudal was first shared around the late system based on territorial rights. is 14th century, while the beginning of the system provided a chain of command chivalric age was more likely in the 6th with regard to responsibilities, but its century. Discuss with students: Since the rigid system of rules rarely allowed any Gawain poet is a Christian (check the opportunity for advancement. Brain- Preface, p. 13), re-telling an ancient story storm with your students what they about a challenge to honor and pride, understand about feudalism and list what might be the message he wants to these ideas in a graphic organizer. Ask convey to his listeners? students who have seen the film, A 5. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight survived Knight’s Tale (written, directed, and pro- as part of a handwritten illuminated duced by Brian Helgeland, 2001), in manuscript containing three other narra- which a hero aspires to be a knight even tive poems: “Pearl,” “Purity,” and though he is not of noble birth, to add to “Patience.” All are thought to have been the list of ideas about feudalism. You can written by the same author, according to also show your class the trailer to the film handwriting and style analysis. Illumi- which is available at http://www.youtube. nated manuscripts offer a rare glimpse com/watch?v=zH6U5y086hw to aid into the culture of the audience at the their thinking. time of authorship. As with the Pearl Conduct a Google search with the class Manuscript, many times the illustrations for images of the feudal hierarchy. Select are not relevant to the story on the pages, one of these images, asking students to but rather artwork depicting cultural or explain any additional information the religious subjects. Gain a glimpse into image provides about the feudal system. the life of people in the Middle Ages by Discuss with students: Where do they visiting the British Library’s Virtual think most of the population fit into the Books online site at http://www.bl.uk/ hierarchy? What would be the nature of onlinegallery/virtualbooks/viewall/index. the relationship between the nobles and html# Here you can find scanned copies the peasants? Why did people accept this of original illuminated manuscripts. Glimpses into system? What did they gain? What did One, in particular, called Medieval Life they lose? What was the basis of this is useful as primary source system? material for contextualizing life during this time period. Access the site and have 4. To begin to understand the influence of students study the pages, reading or lis- Christianity on the poet, have students tening to the accompanying narration, create timelines tracing the history of noting on a T-chart where they infer Christianity in Europe during the Middle from the illustrations information that Ages from 449-1066 using online ency- supports or refutes their assumptions clopedias such as Britannica or Encyclope- about life in the Middle Ages in the fol- dia.com, if the school has a paid lowing categories: Life, Religion, and subscription to such a service. (www.bri- Technology. In the left column, brain- tannica.com, www.encyclopedia.com). storm assumptions. In the right column, Have students create interactive multi-

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list information inferred from the illus- Understanding the trations in the manuscript. Genre of the Romance Additional manuscripts: 1. Direct students to research the meaning http://www.kb.nl/manuscripts/browse of the term romance as a genre of litera- More information about illuminated ture by having them check several sites manuscripts: listing the etymology of words such as http://www.getty.edu/education/ Dictionary.com or e Online Etymol- for_teachers/curricula/manuscripts/ ogy Dictionary (www.dictionary.com and background1.html http://www.etymonline.com/index.php). BBC Program-Illuminations: Ask them to look up variations of e Private Lives of Medieval Kings “romance,” such as romantic and roman- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ esque (or accomplish this as a whole b019h3g2 group, projecting the site results). After they’ve explored the etymology of the 6. One of the most interesting facets of term, give students a 12x12 sheet of alu- teaching about the literature of the minum foil and have them each sculpt a Middle Ages is the romanticizing of the symbol representing an aspect of romance war hero who came to be known as the as it applies to the Middle Ages (you can legendary King Arthur. In this activity, purchase precut sheets for ease of use). have your students access e Middle Ages After they have shared what their sculp- website (http://www.themiddleages.net/ tures represent, display them in the people/king_arthur.html) and, using a classroom so the class can go back to double bubble map, compare and con- them while reading the poem to discuss trast the historical theories about Arthur how their idea of romance as a genre of with the romantic version, said to have literature is developing. been created by Geoﬀrey of Monmouth in his History of the Kings of Britain. Why 2. Have students read a brief selection from is it that we, as a society, believe the Le Morte d’Arthur, book 1, chapter 25, in legend more often than the history? which Arthur gets the sword Excalibur What aspects of the legend are improba- from the Lady of the Lake. It is available at ble? What events in history parallel http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mart/ closely events in the legend? Also inter- mart024.htm. esting to note are the writings of geogra- phers and historians who enjoy tracing Ask them to list the elements of the story, the historical basis for the King Arthur such as the adventure, the quest of the legend and the website of Caerleon, hero, magic, the wise man (Merlin), the thought to be the location once known as lady, the warfare of knights, the code of “Camelot.” Other useful resources are: honor. en explain to students that these elements occur in the stories of the http://www.independent.co.uk/ Middle Ages which are called romances life-style/history/top-10-clues-to-the- or chivalric romances. Explain how these real-king-arthur-2024729.html stories of the adventures of knights were http://www.caerleon.net/ popular among the aristocrats of the time. Discuss with students: Why, do you think, the nobles enjoyed these stories? Elements of these stories continue to be used in contemporary ﬁlm and literature. Why? What is universal in these stories?

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3. In groups have students read various However, Burton Raffel, the translator of medieval codes of chivalry. A good source the Signet Classics edition stayed true to is the Baronage page at http://www.bar- the poet’s intent by including, wherever onage.co.uk/chivalry/chival1a.html possible, this poetic device (pp. 152-153 Have students identify specific rules that of the “Afterword”). Use the original relate to the Church and Christianity and Middle English translation on pp. 10-11 those that only spell out humane behav- of the “Preface” in the Signet Classics ior. Have students review their findings edition and have students identify the with the whole class and discuss how the bob and wheel, noting the meter and ideal knight would behave when con- rhyme. e companion translated lines fronted with an enemy or interacting begin on Line 421 in the text. Now, have with his lord, a lady, a widow, and an students flip through the text of Sir orphan. Ask if students find anything Gawain and the Green Knight choosing surprising in the codes. bob and wheel stanzas at random. Have them identify the meter and rhyme, 4. To help students understand the code of noting when it was kept true to the origi- chivalry and the expectations of knightly nal form and intent. For a definition of behavior, ask them to read the portrait of bob and wheel and a further example the Knight and Squire in Geoffrey Chau- students can be directed to http://web. cer’s Canterbury Tales which was written cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_terms_B.html. around the same time as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (see p. 14 of the Preface 2. Archetypes are recurring characters, for speculations about the date of the images, or situations that are found across poem). A side-by-side translation of Middle multiple cultures and that therefore speak English into Modern English is available to some universal truth of human experi- from the Medieval Sourcebook at ence. Carl Jung, a psychologist and contemporary of Freud, theorized that http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/ archetypes express the unconscious mind CT-prolog-para.html and that humans have access to a collec- Have students compile a list of the char- tive unconscious that explains common acter traits of the Knight and his son, the patterns of behavior. Reading the poem, Squire. en discuss Chaucer’s assess- students will encounter the archetypes of ment of each character. Who does he the trickster, the temptress, and the hero admire more and why? What are the on a journey or quest. qualities of a knight and what behaviors e trickster is someone who plays tricks are expected of knights? and generally exhibits unconventional behaviors. Students may be aware of Understanding Literary Devices trickster characters from the study of 1. e “bob and wheel” metrical style of folklore, such as Robin Hood in British poetry, commonly associated with the tradition and Brer Rabbit from Uncle alliterative style of Sir Gawain and the Remus Tales. Ask students to make a list Green Knight, is comprised of a short, of the common behaviors or characteris- one or two-stress “bob” followed by four tics of these characters. What inferences three-stress lines which are the “wheel.” can students make about this type of e rhyme scheme is ABABA with the character? Do they mean to do harm to second and fourth lines of the wheel others? What is their role? You can rhyming with the bob. Most modern remind students of their ideas when the translations of Sir Gawain and the Green class first encounters the Green Knight Knight have all but done away with the who appears at Arthur’s Christmas feast intended meter and rhyme of the poem. as “half an ogre, a giant,/But clearly the

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biggest creature in the world” (ll. 140- from the metric system. Compare those con- 141) and totally green from head to foot. ditions to where you are located. Any simi- Does the poet’s description alert the lis- larities? How might weather affect a person? tener/reader to the possibility that the Are there times when the weather and nature knight is a trickster? can be a force against a person? What are e temptress is beautiful and seductive, some examples from literature or life? intelligent and manipulative. She tempts the hero generally to give into immediate Quest pleasure and to forget his duty or respon- Is a quest a journey from here to there or is sibility. In classic myths, the sirens called there more to it? How does it differ from a men to their death by their pleasurable pilgrimage such as the one in Chaucer’s e songs. Ask students to name some classi- Canterbury Tales? Have students simply put cal, biblical, or contemporary examples “What is a quest?” in the Google search of the temptress. What do these charac- window. Based on what they learn from this ters have in common? Are some more search, ask them to create a three way Venn dangerous than others? What is their role Diagram comparing a quest, a journey, and a in the testing of the hero/heroine? pilgrimage. What are the defining character- istics of each? What commonalities do they II. BUILDING BACKGROUND share? What happens to persons who engage KNOWLEDGE THROUGH in these experiences? INITIAL EXPLORATION OF THEMES Codes of Rules of Behavior 1. roughout history, games have been Man vs. Nature used as allegory for historical happenings or personal relationships, and they all Have students create their own Google Map have something in common: a set of rules to locate and pinpoint the following places, or behaviors, much like the expected traditionally thought to represent Gawain’s behaviors of knights with regard to their journey (there are lots of tutorials on Google, kings and their ladies. Each move has a https://maps.google.com/ and on YouTube if consequence. Just as Gawain’s moves this is your first time creating maps): have consequences, so do the moves on a • Caerleon (Geoffrey of Monmouth chessboard. Have students bring in actual thought this to be the basis for Camelot) chess boards or use a free online chess site • Anglesey Islands (mentioned in line 698) such as Chess.com to have students experience the complicated rules of this • Holywell (line 700) game. e game of chess reflects the • Wirral (lines 700-701) authoritarian rule imposed on society • Other locations: the River Dee, River during a feudal system, so discussion Mersey, Peak District, Roaches, and Lud’s could certainly go in that direction as Church in Staffordshire (thought to be well. Don’t worry if you don’t have expe- the location of the Green Knight’s Chapel) rience with chess strategies. Poll students After noting the topographical features of at the beginning of the activity and pair Gawain’s journey, use the locations on the experienced chess players with inexperi- map and a weather service such as Yahoo! or enced players (masters and novices). UK Weather.com to chart the average After students have played part of a weather conditions during the year, includ- game, discuss: What happens when you ing highs, lows, and average rainfall. Students don’t follow the rules? What if you don’t will likely have to convert the information know the rules? Who is in control? What

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are the rules or codes of behavior that 3. Since Aristotle’s Rhetoric, a treatise from apply to knights or soldiers? What are the the 4th century, the art of persuasion has rules of hospitality, of courtship? Can been a skill studied worldwide by people they think of other behaviors that have in powerful positions. Understanding the set rules? elements of rhetoric is not only impor- 2. A tradition that continued from the Anglo tant in order to get what we want, but Saxon period into the literature of the also to protect ourselves from those who Middle Ages was the all important boast would use it against us (as might the or “beot.” e boast, although scorned as Green Knight or Lady Bercilak). Use an “sinful pride” once society became Chris- example from the American Rhetoric tianized, was an integral part of any sto- website at www.americanrhetoric.com to rytelling event and served to focus analyze a speaker’s familiarity with these attention on the hero, establishing him as ancient pillars of rhetoric, and to help a person of conviction, character, and your students familiarize themselves with strength. In modern society, students will the prevalence of their use. Print out the have experience with boasting in the words individually and assign each of the world of sporting events such as profes- elements to students in the class. Have sional wrestling and football. In order to the class brainstorm examples of each in “rouse the troops,” and establish their the context of a discussion in which the prowess, have your students write boasts student is trying to persuade a teacher to of one minute or less. You can modernize change a grade or as a child trying to them or keep them traditional by includ- persuade a parent to do something. en, ing elements such as the particular enemy as you read aloud the piece of rhetoric to be vanquished, the history of success you have chosen from the website, have in the past, and the name of the weapon students pop up and shout out their ele- to be used in the ﬁght. You can have stu- ment when they hear evidence of its use. dents deliver them live, but, for an added Discuss any disparities as they arise. As Sir Gawain and dimension, use an avatar program or you get into the text of the Green Knight text-to-speech program such as Voki , use the knowledge of (www.voki) or Xtranormal (com www. rhetoric to analyze the Green Knight’s xtranormal.com). Students who would persuasion of the knights and Lady Ber- feel silly bragging (because, for the most cilak’s persuasion of Gawain. part, society continues to frown upon such behavior), will not feel self-conscious at all when using an electronic avatar.

e Purposes Informing Persuading Motivating

e Modes Ethos Logos Pathos (establishing trust) (arguing the point) (playing on emotions)

e Elements Similarity Diﬀerences Repetition

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Bravery vs. Moral Courage T-Chart categorizing the actions from the book as “Bravery” or “Moral Cour- 1. Have students create a Venn Diagram age.” What distinctions can be made using “Bravery” and “Moral Courage” as between the two terms? How is bravery the elements to be compared. Where do different from moral courage? Which they differ? Where are they similar? Go to actions do we find most admirable? Post your local library or bookstore and these charts so that students can return to choose a picture book such as Courage by their definitions when reading about Bernard Waber (Houghton Mifflin Gawain’s actions. Books for Children, 2002) which addresses in very simple terms the con- 2. Lawrence Kohlberg, a student of Jean cept of bravery and/or moral courage. As Piaget’s work on cognitive development, you read the book aloud to the class, have asserted that there were three stages of them mark on a T-Chart the Actions and moral development under which behav- the Consequences involved in the book. ior might be categorized. e table below Compare the Venn Diagram and the explains the stages:

Level 1: Obedience; Self-Interest Orientation How can I avoid Preconventional Punishment punishment? avoidance What’s in it for me?

Level 2: Conformity to Following Authority What is good Conventional Societal Norms behavior? What does the law say?

Level 3: Democratic Do the greatest good How will it aﬀect Postconventional expectations (martyrdom) the world?

Students have read or viewed stories visualizations in a website or have them involving bravery or moral courage present them to the class. A good way to (Beowulf, e Odyssey, Antigone, various collect the presentations for later use is to fairy tales or even popular movies, such as set up a Google Form in which students Star Wars). Have them categorize decisions fill in their names and then paste in the made by protagonists according to Kohl- URL (web address) of the presentation berg’s levels of moral development. How which is usually available on the publish- do we, as an audience, react to the hero’s ing page when they finalize the presenta- actions? What level do we expect of heroes? tion. After they have filled out the form, 3. Have students create visualizations using you will have a spreadsheet with all the Vuvox, a multimedia collage creator, group names and the clickable URLs of (http://www.vuvox.com/ ) to illustrate their presentations. After viewing their the essential question: What is bravery? collages, ask students what are the simi- Vuvox will allow students to place photos, larities/differences in their depiction of video, audio, and text into a seamless the concept of bravery? Is bravery all slideshow presentation. You can also use about overcoming physical odds or are SlideRocket, a tool available to Google there forms of bravery that do not involve users which has an interface much like a physical struggle? When is spiritual or PowerPoint. Have students embed the mental bravery even more difficult than physical bravery?

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Excessive Pride the Eagle,” which is available at http://www. aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2& eFight Have students read Proverbs 16:18 from the ingCocksandtheEagle. Bible: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Have students Discuss with students: What is pride? What is discuss the meaning of this proverb in small the diﬀerence between pride and humility? groups and to think up an example from life When is pride an appropriate human feeling or from literature that applies the moral of and when is it excessive or misguided? When the proverb. After students present their people fall from excessive pride, how might example to the class, you can present the they redeem themselves or regain what they fable from Aesop, “ e Fighting Cocks and have lost?

DURING READING ACTIVITIES

I. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 7. Why is Gawain facing the Knight instead of Arthur (l. 345)? What are Gawain’s ese questions ask students to take a closer apparent virtues and strengths? look at the text, draw inferences and make connections. Students can address these ques- 8. How does the Knight’s description of the tions independently or in small or whole stellar reputation of Arthur and his court group discussion. You may choose some of spur the knights on to accept the chal- these questions for journal or quick write lenge? How is hubris, or excessive pride, responses to spark discussion. involved (ll. 257-338)? 9. Should a knight in Arthur’s court have Part One accepted the challenge of the Green Knight? Why or why not? 1. What descriptors give the reader the feeling of excess and abundance in lines 25-80? 10. What is Gawain’s motive for accepting the challenge? Why might this appeal to the audience of the Middle Ages? Today’s audience? 11. Why did the poet include such a gruesome description of the beheading of the 2. What gives the impression that Arthur is an Knight in lines 424-443? unusual kind of king? How does that affect our impression of him as a leader (l. 85)? Part Two 3. e author spends lots of time describing the Green Knight in lines 137-205. What first 1. How does the storyteller indicate the impressions do you have of this character? passage of time in lines 500-530? What is the effect? 4. Why would the poet describe the Green Knight as both huge and graceful? 2. To what is Gawain compared as he is Ghastly and opulent? What effect does being armored? How is this compared to this use of paradox have on our percep- the Knight (ll. 570-590)? tion of the Knight (ll. 140-145)? 3. What is the significance of the number 5 5. Why has the Knight sought out the men in lines 640-665? in Arthur’s court? Why not another king’s 4. Why do the members of Arthur’s Court court (ll. 257-283)? regret allowing Gawain to take the chal- 6. Compare the description of the Knight to lenge (ll. 675-685)? that of other heroes from literature such 5. How is Gawain in conflict with nature on as Odysseus (l. 305; both are described his journey to the Green Knight’s chapel alliteratively as having “bristling brows”). (ll. 710-739)?

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6. In what way does the description of the 6. Why won’t Gawain accept the ring from natural surroundings in lines 741-749 the Lady (l. 1828) while he accepts the parallel the description of the Knight in green silk belt? Does this change your Part One? opinion of Gawain as a hero (ll.1856-1859)? 7. What leads to the turning point that 7. After each day’s hunt, the Lord and occurs on line 765? Gawain exchange gifts. What are they? What might be the symbolism of each of 8. Compare the description of Gawain’s the animals of the hunt? accommodations beginning on line 854 with those of his home in Camelot. 8. Has Lady Bercilak succeeded or failed in achieving her goal? What was the goal? 9. In line 1067, Gawain states he’d rather “be dead than fail.” What does this sug- 9. Why might Gawain find Lady Bercilak gest about the code of knighthood? more attractive than Guenevere? What About Gawain? qualities does she possess that he admires? 10. Defend or refute this statement: “Gawain is only seeking fame through his encoun- Part Four ter with the Green Knight.” 1. In what way do the natural elements characterize Gawain’s fate on his ride to Part Three the Green Knight’s chapel (ll. 2003-2005)? 1. Examine lines 1209-1240. In what ways 2. Who is Hector, referenced in line 2102? is the Lady of the House’s behavior Why might the poet be making this ref- shocking to an audience who expects erence to the Greek (classical) hero? ladies to be shy and demure? 3. Why are Gawain’s words in line 2131 2. Why would the poet spend so much time ironic? describing the slaughter and butchering 4. Why is the description of the Green of the deer in lines 1330-1361? Knight in lines 2229-2230 surprising or 3. What is the result of the bargain between unexpected? Gawain and the Lord of the House? How 5. What action in line 2272 causes the does Gawain avoid telling the host he’s Green Knight to pull back on the axe? had somewhat inappropriate interactions with his wife (l. 1379)? 6. What surprising revelation is made in lines 2341-2357? How is it an example of irony? 4. Once again the Lady of the House visits Gawain. What does she want him to 7. Is the Knight angry about the relation- teach her (l. 1530)? What is his response? ship Gawain had with his wife (ll. 2350- Did it surprise you (l. 1548)? How does 2352)? Why/why not? Gawain’s response fit with the code of 8. What effects do cowardice and greed chivalry? have on chivalry (ll. 2374-2375)? 5. Compare the ways the Lord’s three hunts 9. Who is the Green Knight, in reality? parallel what is happening in Gawain’s What does he reveal to Gawain about the bedchamber. Note: Once students have charade? Why does this double the shame drawn their connections, you can direct that Gawain is feeling as the Knight them to the explication provided in the reveals the ruse (ll. 2444-2463) “Preface,” (p. 30) to see if they agree with the critic’s interpretation. 10. What is surprising about the invitation Bercilak extends to Gawain in lines 2467-2470? Do you think Gawain is tempted to return?

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11. Why does Gawain wear the green belt (maybe the Green Knight’s chapel is not back to Camelot? really a chapel). Warning: 36:00-38:00 contains graphic butchering of an animal 12. When Gawain returns to Camelot, he (in parallel to lines beginning on p. 98, expects to be shamed and shunned for his line 1330, the butchering of the deer). behavior. Describe his actual reception. Students can then create and post visuals Why do the knights react as they do (ll. as they continue to read the poem. 2513-2520)? Why does Arthur adopt the green belt as part of the uniform for the 2. Have students create a travel blog in the Knights of the Round Table? What is voice of Gawain that he would post to as your response to Arthur’s action? Why? he traveled. is is obviously an anachro- nistic exercise as Gawain would not have II. ACTIVITIES TO GENERATE known how to write much less how to blog! A site such as Travelpod (http:// RESPONSE AND www.travelpod.com/) will allow students EXPLORATION OF THE TEXT to create free accounts then create entries ese activities ask students to check their and upload video based on his location. understanding of the events in the text, to Students can even integrate locations on re-read and make connections, and to analyze a Google Map. is activity will not only themes and the art of the poem. reinforce the events in the poem, but will also allow students to put themselves in 1. e Gawain poet is skilled in using Gawain’s place, thinking deeply about his imagery to create vivid scenes. From the emotional state and reactions to events as beginning of the poem, it is important they unfold. that students “see” the scenes created by the poet. Ask students to draw a quick 3. Use a double column format to have sketch or describe in their own words students take notes as they read. Instead their visualization of certain scenes as of overwhelming students with all of the they read the poem—such as Arthur’s elements of the poem and their signifi- hall when the Green Knight arrives, cance, assign or allow students to choose Gawain’s journey through the woods, the from a list such as use of alliteration, hunt scenes, Gawain’s encounters with things that happen in threes, use of color, the lady of the house in the private space Biblical allusions, persuasive speech, of his bedchamber. moral courage, temptation. As they read, have students note in the left column the Once students have shared their visual- information from the text that fits their izations, you could show students one or category, including the line number. In more scenes from a BBC documentary the right column, have students explore authored by poet Simon Armitage which the significance of the element as it fits traces Gawain’s journey from Camelot to into the story thus far. ey can make the Green Knight’s Chapel. e video, predictions, ask questions, or note a pat- available at http://www.youtube.com/ tern they see developing. Have students watch?v=74glI1lg1CQ, is hip with cur- with like elements meet together at the rent music and a poet’s voice, and may end of the reading for the day to share increase the students’ ability to visualize elements they noted and their reactions. the scenes of the poem. Armitage pays As the poem progresses, have students lots of attention to the natural elements share what they have found with the rest in the poem, even calling it one of the of the class. Students tend to pay better “world’s first eco-poems.” e scene at attention to the reading if they are focus- Lud’s Church is particularly enlighten- ing on a particular element. ing, considering it’s not really a church

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4. We often wish we could converse with nizer such as a Venn Diagram to have stu- the characters in literature to give them dents compare the two scenes in each of advice or warn them not to go down that the three instances (the first visit with road in the dark. How would the story be hunting the deer, the second visit with different if Nemo had listened to his dad hunting the boar, the third and final visit or if Peter Parker had stayed home sick with hunting the fox). You could also use a that day? As Sir Gawain and the Green copy of Freytag’s Pyramid dramatic struc- Knight progresses, have students use a ture layout copied onto acetates to facili- sign generator (www.signgenerator.org) tate direct comparison of scenes when they or paper and pen to create specific warn- are placed over one another. Encourage ing signs to post along Gawain’s journey. students to make inferences about how the After they create the signs, have students specific words chosen, the length of the predict how the story would change given scenes, the attention to sensory detail, and their warnings. Why did the poet make the meter affect the rendering of the scene. the intentional choice to have Gawain Why did the poet structure his plot in this fail? What kind of impact would the manner? What could be its impact on the warning signs have on the storytelling or audience of the Middle Ages/of today? didactic aspects of the poem? How would What modern examples of interlacing warning Gawain affect the poem’s appeal? from movies or television shows have simi- 5. During Gawain’s stay with Bercilak, the lar effects on audiences today? bedchamber seductions scenes are pur- You can find a list of printable graphic posefully interlaced with the hunting organizers such as Venn diagrams and scenes, allowing a sense of urgency and spider maps at http://www.eduplace. conquest to develop on two different com/graphicorganizer/. Freytag’s Pyra- levels. Sexual lust is parallel to bloodlust; mid, a lesson in plot structure, including seduction parallel to the thrill of the kill. an animated plot diagram, is available at Use a comparison-contrast graphic orga- http://tinyurl.com/freytag. AFTER READING ACTIVITIES

After reading the poem, students can discuss 2. Numbers clearly play an important role the themes in greater depth and engage in in this story. Trace the use of the number projects that connect the poem to other texts. five in the poem. When and how often is it used? Why do you think that is signifi- I. TEXT BASED TOPICS FOR cant? What about the number three—in the context of numerology or the context ESSAYS AND DISCUSSIONS of religion? Consult this site explaining 1. Gawain is an important character in most the significance of numbers in the Bible Arthurian legends and, in fact, there are to gain additional background about the more tales written about Gawain than significance of certain numbers: http:// Lancelot. In other romantic verse, afgen.com/oldtest.html Discuss what the Gawain is characterized as the “golden use of these numbers contributes to boy” whose purity helps to find the grail. interpretation of the poem. In this poem, however, Gawain’s charac- 3. One of the most important characteris- ter is more complicated. Look back tics of knighthood is “service to a lady.” through the text and trace the physical Analyze the characterization of women in and psychological changes Gawain goes the poem. Discuss to what extent the through. Be sure to note situations when women are worthy of respect. Based on he disregards his own high standards and your analysis of the women characters, how his failure is resolved.

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what can you theorize about the poet’s does Gawain live up to the code, and in view of women? what ways does he fail? Overall, does 4. What role does color play in the poem? Gawain emerge as a chivalric hero or as What is the symbolic significance of the something different? If you applied color green? Consult the Color Matters modern day standards of conduct to website with its extensive collection of Gawain’s actions, how would that change color theory to test your answers: http:// your evaluation, if at all? www.colormatters.com/ 5. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a II. GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL romantic poem of the chivalric era. PROJECTS THAT EXTEND Romances are generally stories of the THE TEXT adventures of knights which describe the ese projects are designed to extend the behavior of the courtly society, such as the themes and archetypes found in Sir Gawain loyalty between a king and his subjects and the Green Knight to the daily lives of your and the relationship of the knight to the students. Using the highest level of Bloom’s Lady. Consider how the concept of the Revised Taxonomy (http://www.odu.edu/ romance has changed from this original educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxonomy. idea to the modern day romance novel. htm), ask your students to create, design, What elements of Sir Gawain and the develop, and formulate their ideas into a Green Knight continue in romance novels variety of texts, in order to get a deeper of today? Why do these elements persist? understanding of Gawain, the conflicts he What has been dropped off? Why? faces, and universal themes of the poem. 6. After reading, survey the poem and iden- 1. Gawain returns home wearing what he tify the elements in the story that relate to perceives to be a sign of shame, the green Christianity and those that relate to myth silk sash he neglected to disclose to Ber- or magic. How does the inclusion of these cilak for fear of losing his life in the disparate elements affect the main con- challenge with the Green Knight. King flict and the resolution in the poem? Arthur turns this sign of shame into a 7. A common denouement in literature is learning experience and requires all of his the hero’s return home, bringing with knights to wear the belt. Discuss with him the object of the quest, but, most students their individual perception of importantly, returning in a more enlight- the girdle and what it represents. en ened state. Did Gawain return home using materials from home or at school, enlightened? If so, in what way? What have them create a physical representa- was the object of the quest? Did he com- tion of the belt that they could wear. If plete the quest? your school will allow it, have the stu- 8. Compare and contrast Sir Gawain with dents wear this badge/sign throughout Lady Bercilak in terms of their physical the day, hopefully, prompting questions attributes, motivation, and behavior. from other teachers and classmates. Pre- How are they alike/different? Which of pare students to explain, briefly, the story the characters is more virtuous? Explain of Gawain and why he and the other your assessment of their characters. knights wear the belt. Once students have experienced wearing the girdle, dis- 9. Apply one of the codes of chivalry discuss the reactions they received and the cussed in the Prereading section of this experiences they had teaching others guide to evaluate Sir Gawain’s actions in the about the story of Gawain and the poem. See http://www.baronage.co.uk/ choices he made. chivalry/chival1a.html. In what ways

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2. In the “Afterword,” Neil Isaacs addresses 3. Since the invention of the MP3 player, the question many people ask about music has become an even more impor- works of literature: What is the poet’s tant part of everyday life, accessible almost intention in telling this story (pp. 140- everywhere. Certainly, this is true for 147)? He quotes noted scholars with dif- most students today. With Internet music ferent opinions, finally concluding that sites such as Pandora (www.pandora. the appeal of Sir Gawain and the Green com), listeners have access to countless Knight is its universality. Is it a romance? songs in countless genres any hour of the Yes (p.140). Is it an Everyman story? Yes day they choose. Encourage students to (p. 144). Is it a comedy? Yes (p. 147). Sir research the music of the Middle Ages Gawain and the Green Knight in its uni- and create a Pandora music channel/genre versal appeal contains within it all the (either in reality or in theory) that Gawain elements of a modern Hollywood block- might have enjoyed listening to on his buster: graphic violence, a vulnerable journey. What kind of music would it hero, a beautiful temptress, powerful contain? Would it be mostly historical, magic, and a deep devotion to a higher traditional music, religious music, secu- power. Using a program such as iMovie, lar? Have them list the songs they would Windows Movie Maker, or Animoto expect him to “thumbs up” and those he (www.animoto.com/education), have would skip with a “thumbs down” and students create a movie trailer for Sir have them justify their choices. Gawain and the Green Knight rivaling Note: You may wish to sample and share that of Jerry Bruckheimer. First have each with students an album by Canadian group focus on the tone that they picked recording artist Heather Dale called e up as they read the poem to decide the Green Knight, which includes songs in tone of their film. Will it be a comedy, a the Celtic folk tradition about the Middle horror movie, a fantasy, a liturgical film, Ages, and one song, in particular called a chick flick? What would they use to “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” is encourage modern audiences to want to album is available at www.heatherdale.com. see this ancient story? Whom would they cast in the roles? What justifications can 4. Now that students have read the poem, they make regarding those choices? Make they can outline the stages of a quest and sure to have them storyboard and pitch create their own quest stories. e Hero’s their ideas to you before they begin to Journey site at http://www.mcli.dist.mari- make the experience more authentic and copa.edu/smc/journey/main.html based more organized. After the trailers are fin- on Joseph Campbell’s e Hero with a ished, hold a screening, complete with ousand Faces, is a formatting service popcorn, and allow students to watch which guides students through writing each other’s trailers, voting for their their own quest story. Each section (Initia- favorites in categories such as Best Cast- tion, Departure, and Return) asks guiding ing, Best Use of Narration, Most Likely questions about what characters will face to Make $150 Million. To illustrate to in each step. e site scaffolds the process, your students how tone can make a dif- but does not edit or interact with students ference in the audience’s perception, as they create their stories, so they will show them a few trailers from e Trailer need to pay attention to writing conven- Mash (http://www.thetrailermash.com), tions such as spelling and grammar. is a website where amateur filmmakers can site, if you have the time to devote to it, is submit their reworked movie trailers a great way for students to tap into their (such as Mary Poppins as a horror film own creativity as storytellers while gaining and e Shining as a “feel good” relation- exposure to the mythological and arche- ship movie). typal terms used in quest literature such as

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“belly of the whale” and “apotheosis.” poem, the themes, and their perceptions Some students might prefer to create a and conclusions. Your students can export more visual version of their quest stories. their finished Popplets as .pdf or as .jpg ey can use a comic strip creator such as for use in a class website or for printing Make Beliefs Comix (http://www.make- and display. Popplet also has a collabora- beliefscomix.com/). Students can share tion feature within the “share” button so the comics by printing and posting them students who have created accounts can on the walls of the classroom. You might work together to create content. have a gallery walk instead of an individual sharing time. Provide students with III. PARALLEL OR sticky notes on which they can identify EXTENDED READING and post archetypal elements of quests they find in the comics as they read them. When Gawain returns home, he is filled with shame for the sins he has committed, fearing, 5. In this activity, students will stage a mock above all, that he has disappointed Arthur trial of one of the characters in the Sir and the other lords and ladies with his fall Gawain and the Green Knight, once and from grace. On the contrary, Arthur is over- for all establishing guilt or innocence in joyed to have his most noble knight back in the shaming of King Arthur and his Camelot and the audience is reminded that noble knights. Is Arthur to blame for not flaws are part of human nature, even for leg- accepting the challenge himself? Is Mor- endary Knights of the Round Table. e les- gana more culpable for concocting the sons Gawain learns on this journey are plan in the first place? Could the Green applicable still today. Knight/Bercilak be the guilty party or is the ideal of Chivalry (personified) to Ask students to read or view one of the fol- blame? Use the resources found in the lowing works which focus on relevant NY Times article “In Any Case: Conduct- themes. Since Sir Gawain is a brief work, ing a Mock Trial” (http://learning.blogs. perfect for an in-class study, students could nytimes.com/2010/10/04/in-any-case- choose one of these novels as a parallel/com- conducting-a-mock-trial/) to help you panion piece to be read outside of class or structure the participants and the objec- during Sustained Silent Reading and dis- tives. You could encourage students to cussed along with the poem. wear appropriate clothing. Have them As they read, have students practice interactive cite the text throughout the proceedings reading by annotating the text with margin or and have them practice the strategies sticky notes any time they encounter one of they learned in the prereading activity on these themes or a parallel to Sir Gawain. An rhetoric to create persuasive arguments. interesting article from the New York Times 6. “Art is the lie that enables us to realize website explores how marking up texts helps the truth”—Pablo Picasso the brain process information more effectively Using the list of themes you and your (http://tinyurl.com/interactivenotes). students have identified while reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ask stu- Man vs. Nature dents to perform a Google Image search Collins, Suzanne. e Hunger Games. NY: using some search terms such as “Gawain” Scholastic, 2010. or “Green Knight” to identify images and art which correlate with the themes of the Lewis, CS. e Chronicles of Narnia. NY: poem. Next, have them create an account Harper Collins, 2005. on Popplet (www.popplet.com) and use Tolkien, J. R. R. e Hobbit, or, ere and its display features to respond to a piece of Back Again. NY: Ballentine Books, 1966. artwork they found with regard to the

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The Quest IV. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Green, John. Paper Towns. NY: Dutton Barnes, Daniel, dir. Beastly. CBS Films, Books, 2008. 2011. Film. Gaiman, Neil. Stardust: Being a Romance is is a modern interpretation of the Beauty Within the Realms of Faerie. NY: DC Comics, and the Beast story which is useful in studies 1997. of archetypal elements and romance. Boorman, John, dir. Excalibur. Orion Riordan, Rick. e Lightning ief. NY: Pictures, 1981. Film. Hyperion Books for Children, 2005. is film introduces the King Arthur legend which begins before his birth and ends with his Rules and Order final journey to Avalon with the Lady of the Lake. Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonder- Cabot, Meg. Avalon High. New York: land and rough the Looking Glass. NY: Harper Teen, 2007. Print. Penguin Group, 2003. In this young adult novel, set in a modern Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. NY: high school, a core group of characters dis- Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. cover they are reincarnations of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table. Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. NY: Simon Pulse, 2011. Celetic Twilight: Legends of Camelot. At http://www.celtic-twilight.com/ camelot/oas.htm Ambition and Pride is huge collection of sources on King Arthur Buck, Pearl S. e Good Earth. NY: Pocket and the legends of Camelot includes links to Books, 2005. poetry, plays, art, movies, and online resources. Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl. NY: Miramax Gillard, Stuart, dir. Avalon High. Books, 2005. Sudden Motion Productions, 2010. Film. is film is a modernized interpretation of a Flinn, Alex. Beastly. NY: Harper Teen, 2011. King Arthur legend based on the books by Meg Cabot. Bravery v. Moral Courage Lucas, George, dir. Star Wars. Lucasfilm, Lowry, Lois. e Messenger. NY: Bantam 1977. Film. Books for Young Readers, 2006. is popular and familiar film can be used to introduce archetypes. Philbrick, Rodman. Freak, e Mighty. NY: Scholastic Paperbacks, 2001. Stewart, Mary. e Crystal Cave. New York: William Morrow, 1970. Print. Zusak, Markus. e Book ief. NY: Alfred e Arthurian Saga. A. Knopf, 2007. is first novel in the Arthurian Saga begins before Merlin’s birth and follows his development as a wizard. e novel provides a good overview of 6th century history. e Western Tradition. 1989. WGBH Boston. DVD. is series of historically-based documenta- ries has a useful historical section on the Middle Ages (also available online through the Annenberg Foundation website at http:// www.learner.org/resources/series58.html).

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS GUIDE

KELLI McCALL SELF is a high school Education, School Library Media, and Aca- Media Specialist in Asheville, North Caro- demically and Intellectually Gifted Educa- lina. She is Nationally Board Certiﬁed in tion. She has facilitated numerous workshops Adolescent and Young Adult English Lan- on the local, state, and national level on guage Arts and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in information literacy, technology integration, English and a Master’s Degree in Education, and the Graduation Project. in addition to her certiﬁcations in Special

ABOUT THE EDITORS OF THIS GUIDE

JEANNE M. McGLINN, Professor in the JAMES E. MCGLINN, Professor Emeritus Department of Education at the University of Education at the University of North Car- of North Carolina at Asheville, teaches Chil- olina at Asheville, has taught high school dren’s and Adolescent Literature and directs English and developmental reading at all the ﬁeld experiences of 9-12 English licensure levels, elementary through adult. His research candidates. She serves on various editorial interests focus on motivating and increasing and professional boards and is the president the reading achievement of students in high of the Language Experience Special Interest school and college. He is the author and Group of the International Reading Associa- editor of numerous Penguin Teachers’ Guides. tion and editor of its on-line journal. She has written extensively in the area of adolescent literature, including numerous teachers’ guides and a critical book on the historical ﬁction of adolescent writer Ann Rinaldi for Scarecrow Press Young Adult Writers series.

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NOTES

DR Gawain TG 100912a.indd 22 10/24/12 4:55 PM A Teacher’s Guide to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 23 FREE TEACHER’ S GUIDES

A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF AND OTHER PLAYS A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO THE SIGNET CLASSICS EDITION OF A TEACHER’S GUIDE TO SIR GAWAIN AND BY OSCAR WILDE THE GREEN KNIGHT EMMA THE HELP BY JANE AUSTEN BY KATHRYN STOCKETT

BY LISE KLOEPPEL BY TEACHER’S GUIDE KELLI McCALL SELF TEACHER’S GUIDE

BY KELLI McCALL SELF CGLINN

BY JEANNE M. M

TEACHER’S GUIDE TEACHER’S GUIDE

A full list of Teacher’s Guides and Teacher’s Guides for the Signet Classic Shakespeare Series is available on Penguin’s website at: us.penguingroup.com/tguides TEACHER’S GUIDES Adventures of The Fountainhead My Ántonia Redwall Huckleberry Finn Frankenstein A Narrative of the Life The Scarlet Letter Animal Farm The Grapes of Wrath of Frederick Douglass, The Scarlet Pimpernel An American Slave Anthem Great Expectations The Secret Life of Bees Nectar in a Sieve ■ Atlas Shrugged Heart of Darkness Silas Marner 1984 ■ The Awakening ■ The Help ■ Sir Gawain and The Odyssey Beowulf ■ The Importance the Green Knight The Call of the Wild of Being Earnest Of Mice and Men Sophocles: Cannery Row and Other Plays One Day in the Life The Complete Plays of Ivan Denisovich ■ Chekhov’s Major Plays Incidents in the A Streetcar Named Desire Life of a Slave Girl The Pact City of God A Tale of Two Cities Jane Eyre The Pearl The Country of the Pointed A Thousand Splendid Suns Firs and Other Stories A Journey to the Center Persuasion The Time Machine of the Earth The Crucible ■ The Phantom Treasure Island The Jungle of the Opera Dear Zoe Two Years Before the Mast The Kite Runner Poems by Robert Frost Death of a Salesman Up from Slavery Listening is an Act of Love Pride and Prejudice Doctor Faustus The Wal-Mart Effect Looking Backward The Prince and the Pauper Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Washington Square Lysistrata Pygmalion A Doll’s House We the Living Main Street Ragged Dick Dubliners The Women of The Mousetrap A Raisin in the Sun ■ Emma Brewster Place and Other Plays The Red Pony Ethan Frome Wuthering Heights TEACHER’S GUIDES FOR THE SIGNET CLASSIC SHAKESPEARE SERIES Antony and Cleopatra Julius Caesar A Midsummer Richard III As You Like It King Lear Night’s Dream Romeo and Juliet Hamlet Macbeth The Merchant of Venice The Taming of the Shrew Henry IV Part I Measure for Measure Much Ado About Nothing The Tempest Henry V Othello Twelfth Night

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DR Gawain TG 100912a.indd 24 10/24/12 4:55 PM