peremadeleine:literature meme | one “epic” | [1/1]→ Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSir G
peremadeleine:literature meme | one “epic” | [1/1]→ Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSir Gawain and the Green Knight is an Arthurian romance from the late fourteenth century. Though it was written in a northern dialect of Middle English, Gawain is part of the “Alliterative Revival,” a literary movement which sought to return to the distinct alliterative style of Old English verse. More specifically, the stanzas are constructed in a “bob and wheel” format.The Gawain poet presents a very different picture of the Arthurian court than is typically seen in other romances of the medieval period, particularly those of French origin. The poem portrays Arthur as youthful and enthusiastic, and focuses on Gawain, a British knight, rather than later French additions such as Lancelot. These details, along with the poem’s nostalgic, “throwback” style, may even suggest the poet may have had strong proto-nationalist views.Gawain survives in only one manuscript, which also includes three other religious narratives. The authorship of all four is unknown. Still popular todaty, Gawain has been translated into Modern English by the famous author and linguistic scholar J.R.R. Tolkien, among others. [x] -- source link
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