Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 1

Things to consider:

1. How do Hrothgar and King Arthur compare and contrast? Hrothgar was consistently referenced as a hero, but it was no secret that his love of wealth, excess, and "mead" lead to the downfall of the Danes. Does the author of SGGK follow this pattern in creating Arthur's character? How does he/she depict Arthur? Reference lines 85-101.

2. Where do the knights of the round table sit in relation to Guenevere? Why is this so important? P.S. A la dure main means directly next to, or literally "to the hard hand of".

3. Take note that the Green Knight arrived wearing no armor and bearing a sign of peace. This may remind us of our dear friend Beowulf. What causes these men to be so confident...or cocky?

4. The Green Knight is not the only one who is posing a challenge. Gawain is challenging himself and his own courage. This is where we see our hero start to form. Do you still have Cambell's heroic cycle? At what stage is Gawain entering?

5. A quick shout out: Andrew is the man for remembering (twice!) and correctly using the term comitatus. I hope he is not the only one who knows it...