This edition of one of the classic Middle English romances gives the original text side by side with a sensitive modern translation.

The 14th century English alliterative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is admired for its morally complex plot and brilliant poetics. A chivalric romance placed in an Arthurian setting, it has since received acclaim for its commentary regarding important socio-political and religious concerns. The poem's technical brilliance blends psychological depth and vivid language to produce an effect widely considered superior to any other work of the time. Although the poem is a combination of English alliterative meter, romanticism, and a wide-ranging knowledge of Celtic lore, continental materials and Latin classics, the extent to which Classical antecedents affected or directed the poem is a point of continued controversy among literary scholars. This collection of essays by scholars of diverse interests addresses this puzzling and fascinating question. The introduction provides an expansive background for the topic, and subsequent essays explore the extent to which classical Greek, Roman, Arabic, Christian and Celtic influences are revealed in the poem's opening and closing allusions, themes, and composition. Essays discuss the way in which the anonymous author of Sir Gawain employs figural echoes of classical materials, cultural memoirs of past British tradition, and romantic re-textualizations of Trojan and British literature. It is argued that Sir Gawain may be understood as an Aeneas, Achilles, or Odysseus figure, while the British situation in the 14th century may be understood as analogous to that of ancient Troy.

Chrysanthemum loves her name, until she starts going to school and the other children make fun of it.

"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' is a great poem that gives some powerful twists to traditional materials. The story combines two ancient elements, beheading and seduction, in a fresh and remarkable way; it takes familiar medieval themes -- the feast, the seasons, the arming of the warrior, the hunt -- and gives them a new glamor. The 'intertextuality' of this brilliant poem can be most clearly seen through Elisabeth Brewer's modern English versions of other related medieval writings. Her book is a delightful and unusual small anthology of medieval literature; but its greatest success lies in providing a context for a fuller understanding of "Sir Gawain" through its presentation of extracts and poems (including translations from Celtic and French originals) illustrating the tradition in which the Gawain-poet wrote, underscoring his own great achievement. -- From publisher's description.

Restores Gawain to his true role as the honorable representative and servant of the Goddess.

"This prose rendering of a poem from the late fourteenth century (or earlier) recounts an adventure undertaken by King Arthur's famous nephew, Sir Gawain. Brave and chivalrous, faithful to his word and ever-mindful of his honor, as well as that of others, Gawain represents the model of knightly grace. When a gigantic stranger clad in green armor bursts in on the Round Table assembly to issue a challenge, the gallant Gawain volunteers to do battle for his king. This parable blends pagan elements and Christian ethics to celebrate the virtue of forgiveness, and it is frequently assigned to classes in literature and history because of its short length and its excellent representation of chivalric tradition"--

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a masterpiece of medieval English literature and one of the finest Arthurian tales in any language. Though its ingenious plotting and verbal artistry continue to dazzle readers, it is written in a challenging regional dialect and uses many words that were already archaic when the poem was written in the late fourteenth century. This edition is designed to make the poem, in its original Middle English, accessible to students and general readers. Following standards adopted for editing other Middle English poets, the edition lightly normalizes spellings to make words more recognizable for a modern audience. Extensive marginal glossing of difficult words, thorough on-page explanatory notes, and a comprehensive glossary offer further support for readers. The historical appendices include other examples of medieval romance from France and Britain.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, with its intricate plot of enchantment and betrayal is probably the most skilfully told story in the whole of the English Arthurian cycle. Originating from the north-west midlands of England, it is based on two separate and very ancient Celtic motifs of the Beheading and the Exchange of Winnings, brought together by the anonymous 14th century author. Acclaimed poet Keith Harrison's new translation uses a modernalliterative pattern which subtly echoes the music of the original at the same time as it strives for fidelity. This is the most generously annotated edition available, complete with a detailed introduction whichsituates the work in the context of Arthurian Romance as well as analysing its poetics and narrative structure.

Sir Gawain is without a doubt the greatest of King Arthur's English Knights: fiercely loyal, hot-headed, and fearlessly brave. Collected here in this edition are 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' translated by Jessie Weston; 'Gawain and the Lady of Avalon' by George Augustus Simcox; 'Sir Gawaine's Quest for the White Hart' by Sir Thomas Malory; 'Sir Gawain Meets Sir Prianius' by Sir James Knowles; 'Sir Gawain and the Maid with the Narrow Sleeves' by Rupert S. Holland; 'Sir Gawain and the Lady of Lys' translated by Jessie L. Weston; 'Sir Gawain and the Lady' by Beatrice Clay; 'The Marriage of Sir Gawaine' by Bishop Thomas Percy; 'The Last Love of Gawaine' by Richard Hovey; 'Of Sir Gawaine's Hatred, and the War with Sir Lancelot' by Henry Gilbert; 'Castle Orguellous' translated by Jessie L. Weston; and 'Gawayne and the Green Knight: A Fairy Tale' by Charlton Miner Lewis. Return to a time when chivalry and bravery reigned.