Analysis Of The Poem Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

An abundance of the literary world’s best and most engaging poems or stories took place during the very fictional reign of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, who most famously, resided in Camelot. The poem, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight†, written during the medieval period, is without a doubt one of the best fictional stories to ever come from this era. I found it especially interesting that both Christianity and Paganism intertwine during this heroic story. This encourages whoever is reading it to have a contrasting mindset because the story has not only Christian elements, but many pagan themes as well; it makes you wonder what type of story this really is. Many people speculate, however, whether the Gawain author could†¦show more content†¦It’s blade brightly burnished, with a long cutting-edge razor (208-213). Oddly, in his other hand he held a holly. The Holly King is most popularly associated with Paganism; he also coincidentl y wears all green and reigns during the colder seasons. He also gains his power from the Oak King and this happens during the Winter Solstice. This is relevant because the story at first takes place in Camelot during Christmas; there are parallels when discussing the Green Knight and the Oak King. Although that is Pagan tradition, Christianity also has a similar entity that is associated with nature. This Christian version is called â€Å"Father Christmas† or St. Nicholas. Just like the pagan version, St. Nicholas is also always dressed head to toe in the color green which can contrast the red and the white robes that the Bishops dressed in during the medieval era. I found this interesting because the modern day version of St. Nicholas wears red and white. Not only does the holly plant have an association with the Pagan religion, it is also associated with Christianity and it is said to be a representation of revitalization. Christmas is a very well-known Christian holiday and many people don’t know it’s Pagan roots. As I stated beforehand we are first introduced to â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† when they are having a feast for a Christmas celebration. During the time this story was written, pagan traditions started to intertwine with theShow MoreRelatedImportance Of A Pentangle And Their Long Uses And The Past History Associated With It1534 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom spiritual protection to demonic associations. 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