Sir Gawain and the Green Knight An Analysis of Parallel...

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: An Analysis of Parallel Scenes The anonymous author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was supposedly the first to have originated the alternation of temptation and hunting scenes, which both contribute importantly to the effectiveness of the poem (Benson 57). The two narratives are obviously meant to be read as complementary. Therefore, the parallel juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated episodes is the basic characteristic of the narrative. The narrative, which appears parallel, contrasts temptation and beheading tales; which posed the major problem of unity for the early critics (Benson 26). H. L. Savage analyzes the relation between the hunting and temptation scenes and concludes that they are†¦show more content†¦They are each a variation that blend to point up to Gawains trial and his hosts involvement in it. The lady is intent unpon her prey (Gawain) as her husband is intent upon his prey (wild game). The hosts pursiut of his prey then becomes a commentary on the ladys pursuit of Gawain. The significance of the animals at each stage of the hunt narrative is symbolic; the hunting scenes act as metaphors for the temptations (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight). In the first hunting scene a deer is obtained. The deer is portrayed as gentle. The poet provides great detail about the hunt and the carving- both of which are considered to be skills of ideal courtly perfection. In the first temptation scene Gawain uses his skills of courteous speech to please the lady all the while remaining loyal to his host; which is the ideal behaviour expected of a knight (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight). In the second scene the prey is the boar, which is considered to be aggressive. The host is fierce in his quest and finally emerges as the victor. In the second temptation scene, the lady is much more aggressive in her attack on Gawains knightly reputation. Gawian must work harder to please the lady with his courtly speech on the subject of love. In the third hunting scene the host is very disapointed, he spent an entire day of hunting and only obtained a fox;Show MoreRelatedSir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay1395 Words   |  6 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the poet depicts an entertaining story of adventure and intrigue. However, the poem is more than a grand adventure. It is an attempt to explore the moral ideals of Sir Gawain. Gawains standards are represented by the pentangle on his shield. The depiction of the pentangle occurs when Sir Gawain is preparing to gear up for his quest for the Green Chapel. Gawains outfit is described in great detail, including its color,Read MoreStatement of Purpose23848 Words   |  96 Pagesstandards set by your university. (―Sample—Statement of Purpose 3.â€â€" English for Practical Purposes, Fall 2002. 2002. Web.) http://sex.ncu.edu.tw/members/Ho/study/2002fall_praticalenglish/st2002f_praticalenglish_1025j.htm Environmental Studies Two scenes stand out in my mind from my visit to Brazil‘s Wetland: Forests burning before seed planting and trees as hedgerows. Before the planting season, I could see the leafless remnants of burnt trees still standing. The burning of pristine forests destroys