Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Translated by Bernard O'Donoghue
Written 14th c.

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The Well-Educated Mind (poetry)

My first time reading this was with my kids for our Medieval school year, and it was long enough ago that I did not remember the ending. This time I read it for my WEM challenge. I am simply fond of this romantic English poem for its themes, and the verse is charming as well. The author is unknown, but I found the translation agreeable. 

The setting is during the time of King Arthur's court at Christmastime.  After the narrator recapped Britain's founding and the purpose of the writer: "to describe an adventure," a monstrous green sight appeared before the court. Everything about him was green and he requested the most noblest knight to enter a challenge: to strike him and in a year receive the same in return. King Arthur believed it a foolish request, but he honored it, and Gawain stepped forward. 

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Sir Gawain severed the head of the Green Knight with his blade; and the Knight picked up his head and carried it off, with no more instruction other than for Sir Gawain to "seek out the Green Chapel" on New Year's morning "to be promptly repaid."

A year proceeded and the narrator described the honorable character of Sir Gawain. On his shield was displayed a pentangle with five points because "Gawain was reputed in five ways faithful, and five times over; refined as pure gold, devoid of all sin and marked with virtue where he went."

The fifth five virtues that Gawain maintained were generosity and sympathy first of all, chastity and courtesy which he never failed in, and above all compassion. These five things were fixed more firmly in him than anyone else. And all five were rooted in this knight, each locked to the next so that there was no end or beginning to any: fixed and unwavering...

On his journey to find the Green Knight at the Green Chapel, he met many trials of bears and bulls, trolls and giants, and he defeated them all. Yet, icy weather was his greatest foe. He prayed for mercy and wept for his sins and soon came to an inviting castle and was gratefully admitted inside where he was kindly treated. Sir Gawain explained the reason for his travels, and when it was determined that he was very near the Green Chapel, the King requested Gawain stay with them until New Years. It was Christmastime again, and he had a week to spare. 

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Sir Gawain spent his week resting, and three consecutive days the Lord's lady sought to tempt Gawain while her husband was out hunting. Each time he resisted her, to some degree. On the third day she offered him a gift of her belt. She told him it would offer him protection, and Gawain wore it around his waist.

Finally, the day arrived when Gawain must face his foe. The Lord tried to talk him out of it, but Gawain explained that he was not a cowardly knight. At the Green Chapel, he met the Green Knight. At first blow, the Knight struck Gawain, who flinched. He reminded the Green Knight that if he lost his head, he could not recover it, but would be dead. The Green Knight made a second attempt, but before making contact, he stopped short before striking him. After another exchange of words, Gawain told the Knight to just do it. The Green Knight struck again and this time nicked Gawain's neck slightly.

Surprisingly, the Green Knight revealed that he was the Lord of the castle and the challenge was a test in courage and chastity, in which Gawain had faltered somewhat when he agreed to take belt from the Lord's wife, imagining it would have spared him harm. For that he genuinely confessed his shame and continued to wear the belt as a reminder of his human weakness. 

Other themes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in which Sir Gawain faced were charity, faithfulness, trustworthiness, perseverance, and repentance. Especially when Gawain admitted his fault for keeping the belt, when he should have resisted, his repentance set him free and demonstrated maturity.

Lastly, the poem focuses also on themes in nature, such as renewal and rebirth or regrowth, like the Green Knight's head! This was a favorite section. I titled it a chapter on "climate change." It really was not an entire chapter -- just a couple of pages -- and it reminds me that purposefully there are seasons that follow each other, year after year after year. Always have and always will.

...a year passes quickly and changes its moods; the end rarely matches the spirit it starts in.  ...each season follows the other in sequence.

Then the earth's weather weakens the winter: the cold shrinks underground, the clouds draw up higher. The bright rain falls in warming showers, straight on to the ground so that flowers appear. Both meadows and fields are covered in green; birds hurry to build and sing with excitement out of joy at the summer that follows so sweetly all over the hills. Blossoms swell and bloom in dense...

After the soft breeze of summer season and the west wind that fans seed and grasses, the growth is abundant that issues all round, when the soaking dew drops off the leaves with the touch of heaven that the warm sun brings. But then comes autumn to harden the grain, to warn it to ripen ahead of the winter. 

The rough wind in the sky wrestles with the sun; the lime-tree leaves loosen and fall to the ground, and the grass turns grey that sprang in such hope. All ripens, then rots, that sprang in such hope. So the year passes on through its series of yesterdays and winter comes round again, as nature demands, ever the same. 

* * * 

The Romance of Tristan & Iseult retold by Joseph Bédier

The Romance of Tristan & Iseult 

Retold by Joseph Bédier  

Published 1994 (first published 1170)

Chivalric/Celtic Romance 

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Supposedly, this is the love story that started the Westernized version of "star-crossed lovers," and later influenced stories of Lancelot & Guinevere and Romeo & Juliet. It it believed to have been written in the 12th century. 

Such stories begin this way: a courageous knight (in this case, Tristan) conquered foes and dragons, saved whole kingdoms, and hoped to win the princess. Except, in this story, princess Iseult was elusive because first Tristan killed one of her evil relatives and then because she had already been promised to King Mark, Tristan's uncle. What luck!

On her voyage to meet her soon-to-be husband, King Mark, and to make things easier, the princess had a special magical potion to drink on her wedding night to aid her love toward her new husband; however, she and Tristan mistakenly drank it while they were together, before they reached land, and so sealed their fate. Nonetheless, the marriage ceremony took place, and Iseult played the switch-a-roo trick with her servant on her wedding night so she could be with Tristan. 

But they escaped and lived a wild life hidden in the forest until several things happened: they met a hermit who tried unsuccessfully to convince them to give up their adultery, and second, King Mark found them asleep together and, yet, left them in peace. They then considered making things right, repenting of their sin, returning Isuelt to her legal husband, and Tristan leaving the country for good. They even invoked King Arthur for his protection, which he obliged. 

The magical potion supposedly lost its power after this time, as Tristin took up existence in another country and joylessly married another. Even still, he concocted a foolhardy plan to see Isuelt once more by disguising himself, just to see if she still loved him. (I think she did.)

Back to his new life in another country, he was injured in a fight. He knew Isuelt was the only one to heal him and sent a messenger to Isuelt who agreed to return to him. But in jealousy, Tristan's wife lied to him about Isuelt, causing him to give up his life. Isuelt was too late. And neither could she live without him. 

King Mark had his nephew Tristan and his wife Isuelt buried in separate coffins some space apart from the other, and yet a tree grew up from Tristan's grave and took root in Isuelt's. Neither could anyone ever cut it down. 

For men see this and that outward thing, but God alone the heart, and in the heart alone is Crime and the sole final judge is God. Therefore did He lay down he law that a man accused might uphold his cause by battle, and God himself fights for the innocent in such a combat.

I had no idea what to expect of this story, since I did not know the plot; it was all a surprise to me. I found it thoroughly entertaining and enchanting, adventurous - never a dull moment - and tragically memorable. While adultery was a heavy topic, Bédier wrote tastefully where intimacy was often implied; either that, or it went completely over my head - that's how subtle it was. 

The Romance of Tristan and Iseult leaves readers with many questions: Was it truly love if Tristan and Isuelt needed a magical potion? Is love an emotion that causes people to lose their sense of right and wrong? Does love cause people to give up everything good and noble in their lives for that forbidden relationship? Is it worth it? When the potion wore off, was their love true, the same, different? Was the tree that grew at their grave the final answer that their love was true? Everyone may answer differently.

The good singers of old time...told this tale for lovers and none other, and by my pen, they beg you for your prayers. They greet those who are cast down and those in heart, those troubled and those filled with desire, those who are overjoyed and those disconsolate, all lovers. May all herein find strength against inconstancy, against unfairness and despite and loss and pain and all the bitterness of loving. 

The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur by Howard Pyle

The Story of the Grail and the Passing of Arthur

Howard Pyle

Published 1924

Medieval Lit

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This is going to be a super quick post.  I have completed my Arthurian Lit Reading Challenge via Howling Frog Books.  This title was the last of four books on my list.  It was your typical Howard Pyle style, which I do find entertaining, but I think two Pyles in one year may be a little much for me. There were some stories of Pyle's that were in The Four Arthurian Romances by Chretien de Troyes, such as the story of Geraint and Enid.  I actually enjoyed Chretien's interpretation even more. 

For most of the book, I was reading along and just enduring it, until the very end.  The story of Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere grabbed my attention, and I really relished it.  I mean, the termination of the Knights of the Round Table due to the battles between King Arthur's knights and Sir Launcelot's knights was horrible.  But later I felt badly for Launcelot, especially because of the Queen's rejection of him after King Arthur had died.  He truly loved her, I think.

So, yay!  I have completed another reading challenge, having read a couple of titles that I would have never read had I not joined, and I am really grateful that I was exposed to them.  Thanks, Jean @ Howling Frog Books.

The Book of Margery Kempe

The Book of Margery Kempe

Margery Kempe (Translated by B. A. Windeatt)

written 1436-38 (Considered to be the first English autobiography)

The Well-Educated Mind Biographies

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The second autobiography from The Well-Educated Mind is about an English mystic, Margery Kempe.  She married young and, after her first child, had a breakdown.  She asserted that demons taunted her and Jesus visited her, but it wasn't until after thirteen more children that she decided to spice up her spiritual life.  She took a vow of celibacy and went on a pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem. 

Margery claimed to be present (in her thoughts) at Christ's birth and death and said she heard Jesus, Mary (His mother), the Apostles and Saints speaking to her.  During communion or upon hearing the Passion of the Christ she had hysterical crying fits.  She was often removed from church for her obvious disruptions, and many doubted her allegations and thought she was possessed by demons. However, there were some who believed her and were kind toward her. She also did good works for others and prayed incessantly for the sins of everyone, especially those who were against her.

This is the story about her sacrifice and suffering for the love of Jesus Christ.

Questions from TWEM:

First stage:  Who is the most important person in the writer's life? 

Jesus was genuinely the most important person in Margery Kempe's life.  Everything she did was for Him and to gain His love, pleasure, and acceptance.

Second stage:  What is the theme that ties the narrative together?

One theme was Margery's continuous effort to be closer to God, and the other was her constant suffering for Christ.   Any persecution was part of her penance, she believed.  

Third stage:  What have you brought away from this story?  Do you agree with what the writer has done?

Ironically, the medieval (Catholic) church did not want Margery teaching about God. They noted that Scripture prohibits women from preaching.  However, she was not preaching from a pulpit in a church; she was talking about God, using Scripture, and doing good works in Jesus' name. Also, Church authorities had a problem with people knowing Scripture, as she quotes the clerics, 

'Ah, sir,' said the clerics, 'here we know that she has a devil in her, for she speaks of the Gospel.'

She was met with detractors, telling her,

'Woman, give up this life that you lead, and go and spin, and card wool, as other women do, and do not suffer so much shame and so much unhappiness.'

The Church was suspicious of anyone doing anything outside of the Church, without its permission or authority.  Margery was rebuked for confessing her sins directly to God and doing penance on her own.

Other than that, I do not agree with the writer because her theology is off.  For example, 

1. Margery's prayer for celibacy in marriage is a contradiction.  Scripture says: 

1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:  It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control (1 Cor. 7:1-5).

According to Margery, God made her husband suffer in his natural yearning for her.  (Now, in her defense, after fourteen kids, I'd want my own room, too; but I don't think that was her purpose for celibacy.  I think she longed to be singularly intimate with Christ alone.)  

Later, when she must care for her ailing husband, she complains that she almost hates the work because it takes time away from her contemplations of Jesus.  

2. I have a difficult time with visions of, prayer to, conversations with, and worship of Mary.  According to Scripture, Mary says,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden (Luke 1:47-48).

Mary refers to God as her Savior because even she knew she needed a Savior.  She was never equal with God.  

3. We cannot talk to the dead.  Mary, the Saints, the Apostles - though believers in Christ - are all dead and cannot hear or talk to the living.  To believe that Margery received revelation from the dead is unbelievable and suspicious.   Scripture says, 

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. (Lev. 19:31) When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?  (Is. 8:19)

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.  (1 Tim 2:5)

But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.  (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

In the Bible, when anyone sought to contact the dead, they were always met with disaster, like Saul.  

4. There is no purgatory!  Margery claimed that God or Jesus spoke to her about purgatory; but the debt for sin was paid by Christ, once and for all. There is nowhere in Scripture to support another place for paying your debt.  If purgatory is real, then Christ's sacrifice was not enough.

5. Works! Sacrifices! Suffering!  Poor Margery worked and sacrificed to please God - giving up her marriage, going on a dangerous journey, suffering for the sins of others, making a spectacle of herself instead of exercising restraint and self-control.   She believed her good works, suffering persecution, and sacrificing everything gained her Savior's love and added to her merit.  And yet, after all of that crying and affliction, I get the impression that she was still without peace.  

Christ's death is a free gift for all who repent and trust in Him.  We cannot do anything ourselves to gain favor or merit with God or to earn Jesus' love.  

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)