Great Books III Study Questions for Assignment 22

Great Books III Study Questions for Assignment 23, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight pg. vii. When was this poem written? Where? By whom? In what language? pg. 55, top, and 58, bottom.. What is the metrical form of the poem? Summarize briefly the events of each of the four parts. How does the poem begin and end, and why? Describe the scene in the court before the Green Knight shows up. Why is the description of Gawain's armor and clothing at the beginning of part 2 so elaborate? What does the pentangle on his shield represent? What parallels are there between the hunting scenes and the temptation scenes? What failure is Gawain guilty of in the story, and what lesson does he learn as a result? How does Arthur's court treat Gawain's failure? Why do they do this? What is the tone of the story? What kind of audience does this seem to be written for?

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