Jeffery, I must confess that when I first read the title, I thought it'd be a (boring) scholarly reading ... and within the first couple of paragraphs, you proved me wrong!
Such a great article on literature, history, and humanity, and a great message to start the year 2025. Thank you!
Thank you, Yi, for trusting me for thsoe first two paragrpahs and not moving straight on to something else in your inbox! 😊 You also make me think I should be more careful with my titles and subtitles! I think the poem does what all fine literature does - help us to see the world with more nuance and discernment.
Yes, a perfect tale for the beginning of a year likely filled with “peril, pain and plight..”
I have never trusted the baseless forced joviality of the New Year’s celebration somehow paired with the Scottish funeral dirge “Auld Lang Sein” If only we really could simply bury our mistakes and start again cleansed of our past. Perhaps the Green Knight represents Karma - the natural cycle of action and consequences.
While walking my dogs this morning, a neighbor, an overweight man slowly scuffling along in house slippers, wished me a Happy New Year. Like the celebration, his sad countenance mocked the feigned hopefulness of his greeting. “We shall see…” I answered brushing aside his denial of the Green Knight’s fateful bargain. “We shall see.”
“Troy fell. As will Camelot, along with other cities and even great empires.”
Collectively we have made our bargain and can only hope the blow will be merciful.
Thank you, John! I find the poem very human (despite its supernatural elements) and the story drives us towards the need to recognise life for what it is, and our natures for what they are. The more I consider the poem, the richer and more nuanced it seems.
This was sooooo good! I didn’t know the poem. And so, to not only get introduced to it, but to have you explain the depth behind it with your own words as the poem unfolded was such a wonderful way to engage with it. Thanks Jeffrey :)
I was fully expecting the Green Knight to appear again and re-issue his challenge as they sat around feasting on Gawain's return. It would somehow be fitting considering this last election. And this time, Lady B has no girdle to bestow..... :D
Like others commenting here, this took me right back to my early days as an undergraduate being caught by surprise by the relevance and delight of this 14th century story. Thank you, and happy new year!
I am ashamed to say I have never even tried to read this poem, halted by its length from the start but I love your learnings Jeffrey, perhaps I will try again... thank you for this wonderful essay, whether I do or I don't, I enjoyed your summarisation immensely.
Gosh, it's an awful long time since I've read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And this is a lovely, apt commentary for the turn of the new year. I shall get a copy of the Simon Armitage, I think.
At university in the 1980s, dipping into J.R.R. Tolkien’s translation of Gawain, I was delighted to discover the ‘wilderness’ of my native Wirral peninsula makes an appearance. As I wrote ten years back, it’s not such a wilderness these days, although it still has its wild corners.
Congratulations on bringing to the new year an even greater weight of momentous chance than it already carries. (One flinch, I'd say, proves the later courage.)
Another wonderful essay, Jeffrey. You have a gift for bringing seemingly disparate elements together and shaping a thoughtful, engaging narrative. Troy? Rome? Who else would have thought to start with these places, so distant in time and place?
I had a Children’s Classics edition of “King Arthur” and was completely smitten with it. The story of the Green Knight held a particular appeal to me. Not the beheading part, but the idea of the quest and the strong connection with Christmas and the New Year. There was probably a Yule log blazing away in the hall. It was evident that Gawain came back changed, that he had earned the respect of the King.
Thank you for bringing in Karen Solie. I’d read this poem, but am unfamiliar with her other work. I’ll have to look into it. As for your own journey: I’m not religious, but I would have praying for dear life.
The numerical aspects of the story are striking. They’re presented in the story with a subtlety that modern readers might not be attuned to, although medieval readers and listeners probably caught them immediately.
Thank you again. Wishing you a glorious New Year with no mechanical failures.
Thank you Mary! I'm glad you're also a fan of this wonderfully engaging story. Thank you for sharing your experience of it. And yes, here's to no mechanical or electrical failures in 2025!
Wonderful. I know Gawain's story from Roger Lancelyn Green's King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, which I loved as a child. It's a tale for grownups, and your piece gets to the heart of it.
Jeffery, I must confess that when I first read the title, I thought it'd be a (boring) scholarly reading ... and within the first couple of paragraphs, you proved me wrong!
Such a great article on literature, history, and humanity, and a great message to start the year 2025. Thank you!
Thank you, Yi, for trusting me for thsoe first two paragrpahs and not moving straight on to something else in your inbox! 😊 You also make me think I should be more careful with my titles and subtitles! I think the poem does what all fine literature does - help us to see the world with more nuance and discernment.
😆 A little trust goes a long way!
I've only read Tolkien's version when I was a child: appropriate because today is his birthday!
Thank you James and happy birthday JRR!
Yes, a perfect tale for the beginning of a year likely filled with “peril, pain and plight..”
I have never trusted the baseless forced joviality of the New Year’s celebration somehow paired with the Scottish funeral dirge “Auld Lang Sein” If only we really could simply bury our mistakes and start again cleansed of our past. Perhaps the Green Knight represents Karma - the natural cycle of action and consequences.
While walking my dogs this morning, a neighbor, an overweight man slowly scuffling along in house slippers, wished me a Happy New Year. Like the celebration, his sad countenance mocked the feigned hopefulness of his greeting. “We shall see…” I answered brushing aside his denial of the Green Knight’s fateful bargain. “We shall see.”
“Troy fell. As will Camelot, along with other cities and even great empires.”
Collectively we have made our bargain and can only hope the blow will be merciful.
Thank you, John! I find the poem very human (despite its supernatural elements) and the story drives us towards the need to recognise life for what it is, and our natures for what they are. The more I consider the poem, the richer and more nuanced it seems.
There was also a haunting movie made of the tale that does justice to the layers of nuance in the poem... https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-green-knight-movie-review-2021
This was sooooo good! I didn’t know the poem. And so, to not only get introduced to it, but to have you explain the depth behind it with your own words as the poem unfolded was such a wonderful way to engage with it. Thanks Jeffrey :)
Thank you, Michael! I'm so pleased that you enjoyed it. I'm grateful to you for reading and commenting.
I was fully expecting the Green Knight to appear again and re-issue his challenge as they sat around feasting on Gawain's return. It would somehow be fitting considering this last election. And this time, Lady B has no girdle to bestow..... :D
Maybe there'll be a Season 2 and that will happen...?
Gorgeous and thought-provoking excerpts. And there's nothing medieval about a good holiday beheading, I say!
Like others commenting here, this took me right back to my early days as an undergraduate being caught by surprise by the relevance and delight of this 14th century story. Thank you, and happy new year!
Thank you, PJ. I’m glad it brought back good memories. And happy new year to you, too!
Gawain and the Green Knight, one of my earliest reads: fell in love with it.
I'm thrilled to know that you have long loved this poem, Mary!
I am ashamed to say I have never even tried to read this poem, halted by its length from the start but I love your learnings Jeffrey, perhaps I will try again... thank you for this wonderful essay, whether I do or I don't, I enjoyed your summarisation immensely.
Thank you, Susie! I really appreciate your comments.
Gosh, it's an awful long time since I've read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. And this is a lovely, apt commentary for the turn of the new year. I shall get a copy of the Simon Armitage, I think.
Glad you enjoyed it, June and the Armitage is worth getting if you fancy re-reading the poem.
At university in the 1980s, dipping into J.R.R. Tolkien’s translation of Gawain, I was delighted to discover the ‘wilderness’ of my native Wirral peninsula makes an appearance. As I wrote ten years back, it’s not such a wilderness these days, although it still has its wild corners.
http://richardcarter.com/sidelines/wilderness-of-wirral/
Thank you, Richard. I don't know that area well, so will check out your essay.
Congratulations on bringing to the new year an even greater weight of momentous chance than it already carries. (One flinch, I'd say, proves the later courage.)
Thanks, Jay. Yes, the flinching of Gawain makes him feel so very human.
Another wonderful essay, Jeffrey. You have a gift for bringing seemingly disparate elements together and shaping a thoughtful, engaging narrative. Troy? Rome? Who else would have thought to start with these places, so distant in time and place?
I had a Children’s Classics edition of “King Arthur” and was completely smitten with it. The story of the Green Knight held a particular appeal to me. Not the beheading part, but the idea of the quest and the strong connection with Christmas and the New Year. There was probably a Yule log blazing away in the hall. It was evident that Gawain came back changed, that he had earned the respect of the King.
Thank you for bringing in Karen Solie. I’d read this poem, but am unfamiliar with her other work. I’ll have to look into it. As for your own journey: I’m not religious, but I would have praying for dear life.
The numerical aspects of the story are striking. They’re presented in the story with a subtlety that modern readers might not be attuned to, although medieval readers and listeners probably caught them immediately.
Thank you again. Wishing you a glorious New Year with no mechanical failures.
Thank you Mary! I'm glad you're also a fan of this wonderfully engaging story. Thank you for sharing your experience of it. And yes, here's to no mechanical or electrical failures in 2025!
Brilliant. As always. And this takeaway! “Gawain’s failing is that he loves life too much.”
Thank you, Kimberly! As failings go, it's not a bad one.
This is a lovely poem (and message) for the turn of the year, as you point out. Thanks, again, Jeffrey.
Thank you, Victoria! It's a poem that has lasted very well and I'm glad a poet as fine as Simon Armitage decided to write a new translation.
Wonderful. I know Gawain's story from Roger Lancelyn Green's King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, which I loved as a child. It's a tale for grownups, and your piece gets to the heart of it.
Thank you, Rona! I agree that this is a story for grownups, and the more I read it and think about it, the more nuance I find.
You are lucky to be able to read it in Middle English. RLG did a fine job. I think Malory also did Gawain, but he had no gift for storytelling.