Publisher's Synopsis
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English poem written anonymously in the 14th century. The story follows Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table, who accepts a challenge from a mysterious green knight. The challenge is for Gawain to strike the Green Knight with an axe and then allow the Green Knight to return the blow a year and a day later. Gawain accepts the challenge and beheads the Green Knight, only to watch in amazement as the Green Knight picks up his own head and reminds Gawain of their agreement. The rest of the poem follows Gawain's journey to find the Green Knight a year later and fulfill his end of the bargain. Along the way, he faces various challenges and temptations, including a seductive lady who tries to seduce him. Gawain ultimately realizes the importance of honesty, loyalty, and bravery, and learns a valuable lesson about the consequences of his actions. The poem is considered a masterpiece of medieval literature and is known for its complex structure, vivid imagery, and themes of chivalry, honor, and temptation. It is also notable for its use of alliteration and rhyme, which add to the poem's musical quality. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a timeless classic that continues to captivate readers with its timeless themes and timeless characters.In translation from the West Midland dialect (sorry, prose was best I could find.)This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
