The Popular Medieval Romance, Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

The popular medieval romance, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,† explores many aspects of the Arthurian legend, including chivalry, religion, and courtly love. Although the poem does feature many female characters, one aspect that the Gawain poet does not touch upon is the role and place of women in this feudal society; all of whom live under the objectification of a male driven culture. One might say that the women featured in this romance are focused on more heavily than that of other literature during this time period and that might be true; however, after a closer look the reader can see how it’s the little things that the Gawain poet does or doesn’t do that diminish the importance of the four main female characters in this poem. The first women referenced in the text is Guinevere. She was â€Å"†¦ gloriously framed at her place on the platform, pricelessly curtained by silk to each side, and canopied across with tasteful tapestries†¦ studded with stones and stunning gems†¦ but not one stone outshone the quartz of the queen’s eyes; with hand on heart, no one could argue otherwise† (lines 74-84). After reading this sensual and graceful description, it can be assumed that Guinevere is an incredibly beautiful woman, which places her on a dais while at the same time objectifies her for her beauty. Her involvement in the story revolves around her physical appearance which solidifies the Gawain poet’s intent to show Guinevere as a submissive observer rather than an active member ofShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Sir Gawain And The Green Knight804 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many elements that are used to classify medieval literature. Beside the obvious association to the medieval time period, the writings contain unique aspects that create the iconic medieval tale. Characters within medieval romances are larger-than-life, courageous, and noble. The people of the Middle Ages openly received ea ch of these traits, because of the importance they put on acts of nobility and chivalry. The themes of medieval stories were based on beliefs or ideas, expressed by theRead MoreKing Arthur, Sir Gawain and Superman Essay1160 Words   |  5 Pageshe is correct because that is exactly what King Arthur, Sir Gawain and Superman do. They risk their very own lives and put themselves in front of others with their courageous acts from fighting great green knights to fighting the towns super villain. They do it all just to protect their city. The culture of the Medieval Ages valued with bravery and courtly love which was reflected in the exploits and adventures of King Arthur and Sir Gawain; the modern culture trait of compassion is embodied in theRead MoreSir Gawain and The Green Knight Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a very interesting and stimulating narration, filled with mystical creatures and wonderful details, the author known as Gawain-poet did a wonderful job in portraying the characters throughout the story. During the story, The Green Knight challenges King Arthur to a game, which Sir Gawain accepts. Gawain participates in the game by chopping the head off of the green knight, who picks it up and leaves, Gawain is to meet the greenRead MoreCharacteristics Of Medieval Romances2016 Words   |  9 PagesWhen someone thinks of a medieval romance, that person will more than likely think of these common characteristics: knights, quests, a lady, magic, romance, Christianity, and of course King Arthur. There is actually much more to these stories than just â€Å"A knight goes on a quest. He meets a lady. And they all live happily ever after.† A reader needs to know what features to look out for in order to know for sure what kind of story he is reading. A Handbook to Literature by William Harmon and C. HughRead MoreHistorical Analysis Of Of Beowulf s Poem, Beowulf, Sir Gawain, King Arthur And Other Legends918 Words   |  4 Pagesan incredible journey that begins with battles against Anglo-Saxon monsters and takes us on a journey to a time where writers try to tackle modern problems. Along the way we come across characters such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain, King Arthur and other legends who remain a vital part of popular culture. History offers us a variety of heroes and legends that we can read and learn about. The historical poem of Beowulf not only reveals to us the importance cultural values of the warrior society, but alsoRead MoreThe Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1454 Words   |  6 PagesThe Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 1: Consolation of Philosophy, written by Boethius 1. Boethius was a popular member of the senatorial family. He was a philosopher that agreed with Plato that government should be solely in the hands of wise men. After becoming consul, charges of treason were brought against him. He lived in a time in Roman society when everyone was mainly Christian. He was an Arian Christian and believed that ChristRead MoreRealism And Romance Coexistence By Charlotte Griffiths Essay1935 Words   |  8 Pages Realism and Romance Coexistence Charlotte Griffiths S00902011 Regent’s University London English Literature: Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature ENL401.R_T1 George Yeats 24 October 2016 Get rid of titles for each section to create natural flow in essays Introduction In both literature and art, realism usually expresses a message in a way that depicts situations in a real way while romanticism explains messages by utilizing fiction. RomanticismRead MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight1591 Words   |  7 Pages  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English chivalric romance. It is one of the best known Arthurian stories, and is of a type known as the beheading game. The Green Knight is interpreted by some as a representation of the Green Man of folklore and by others as an allusion to Christ. Written in stanzas of alliterative verse, each of which ends in a rhyming bob and wheel, it draws on Welsh, Irish and English stories, as well as the French chivalric tradition. It is anRead More Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Knight’s Tale, and Malory’s Morte2061 Words   |  9 Pages The term â€Å"chivalry† refers to one of the most popular medieval social ideals. Indeed, this term has excited the imagination of poets and readers throughout history, and modern cultures continue to revise the chivalric ideals of past ages. However, pinpointing what the term meant within the medieval period is difficult at best. The source of this difficulty lies within the fact that there was never one consistent definition for chivalry. Indeed, the meaning of the word seems to shift betweenRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight Hunt vs. Temptation: a Comparison816 Words   |  4 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight is an Arthurian poem; an enchanting story of chivalry, romance and heroism. With its intricately woven details, parallels and symbols, the reader will often easily overlook these facets in a story of this caliber. Undoubtedly, the author would not have spent time on details that do not add to the meaning of the overall telling of the story. The three hunting scenes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and in parallel, the three temptations, monopolize a consid erable

The Constitutionality Of Redressing Historic Injustice Essay

Lauren Pardue GOVT 2306 M2 27 December 2016 Affirmative Action: The Constitutionality of Redressing Historic Injustice One of the most problematic and controversial issues in The United States of America is affirmative action. Affirmative action is a policy of affording minorities certain privileges in order to combat the historical prejudice against them. In an effort to redress the historical injustices faced by African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities, universities and employers across the nation have taken race into account when admitting students or hiring employees. Abigail Fisher, of Texas, applied for admission into the University of Texas at Austin (UT) and was denied; she sued the public university on the grounds of racial discrimination or reverse racism in the supreme court case Fisher v University of Texas. Abigail Fisher is a white female from Sugarland, Texas. Both her father and her older sister are UT alumni. She was not in the top ten percent of her class, so she was not granted automatic admissions to UT per Texas House Bill 588 (HB 588), which grants automatic admission to public high school students who graduated in the top ten percent of their class. When Texas Senate Bill 175 was passed in 2009, UT could cap the number of students automatically admitted at seventy-five percent of the incoming class (or the top seven percent of high school graduates). Only fifteen percent of the incoming class consists of Texas residents not in the top seven

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Free Essays

Brendan Orner Mr. Whewell AP Literature 3/21/13 Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Theme: Isolation * The speaker appears to be telling this poem as if he is distant or far away from any other person * â€Å"His house is in the village though† (2) * People do not/cannot own woods * The word woods brings up the idea of an untamable wild area * â€Å"He will not see me stopping here† (3) This quote brings up the idea that the speaker is slightly paranoid * Instead of using a word like catch or find, the speaker decides to use the word see, as if someone is looking for him or directly at him right then * This also brings up the idea that the speaker wishes to be left alone * â€Å"The little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near† (5-6) The speaker is walking along at this point in the poem, when he sees a horse in the middle of nowhere * The horse also has human-like qualities, for it can think and has its own opinions, changing the thought th at the speaker is alone after all * â€Å"The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. † (11-12) * This is one of those times when a person is an a spot where it is eerily quiet, and yet because of this, they feel like someone is watching them * If someone is watching the speaker, then it furthers the idea that he is not alone * â€Å"And miles to go before I sleep. We will write a custom essay sample on Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening or any similar topic only for you Order Now And miles to go before I sleep. † (15-16) * The repetition of this line emphasizes the thought to the reader that the speaker has a long way to go until he gets ‘home’ * It never clears up the thought of if the speaker is ever truly alone out in the forest though Tone: Solemn and Indirect * â€Å"The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. † (11-12) This quote is a great example of how solemn the poem truly is * These lines make the speaker seem to be alone, yet to be watched at the same time * It makes the reader feel sympathetic for the speaker since he truly is alone in the woods, and by imagining other people watching him, he is paranoid * When someone is paranoid, most other people view him or her in a condescending way (with a solemn attitude) * The poem’s message of loneliness is also said indirectly * â€Å"And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep. † (15-16) These lines let the reader infe r that the speaker is very far away from home * This home though could be inferred to be the speaker’s sanity or his family, both of which may be lost (or in his family’s case, dead) * â€Å"He will not see me stopping here† (3) * This quote has both an indirect message and a solemn tone * It is telling the reader that the speaker does seem to be alone, yet is being watched or looked for by someone else, and this makes him nervous * The indirect message given here is how the speaker really wants nothing more than to just be alone, without anyone else around to bother him How to cite Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Essay examples