Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

It was New Year's Eve, and King Arthur and his knights were celebrating
in the great hall at Camelot. Suddenly, the doors of the hall ew open, and
a man rode in on a huge black horse. The man was huge also, with long hair
and a bushy beard. He wore no armour, but was dressed entirely in green.
In one hand he carried a branch of holly, and in the other he carried a large
axe. Who are you? asked King Arthur.
You can call me the Green Knight.
And what brings you here on this cold winter's night, Sir?
A game, good king! I bring a challenge for the bravest of your knights.
He will take my axe, and chop o my head.
Everyone looked at the Green Knight in surprise, thinking he must be
mad. But that is only the rst part of the game, the Green Knight continued, with a laugh. One year from today, he must come to visit me at the
Green Chapel, and I will strike him with the same axe.
Nobody rose to take up the challenge. King Arthur stepped forward to
accept, because if none of his knights would agree, the honour of Camelot
would be lost. But before Arthur could strike, his nephew, young Sir Gawain,
stood up.
I beg you, my lord, let me accept this challenge, he said.

I am the

youngest and weakest of the knights here. My only worth is that your blood
runs in my veins.

Let me take up the challenge, for if I die, it will be no

great loss to Camelot.

Before anyone could stop him, Gawain stepped forward and took the axe
from the Green Knight. The Green Knight knelt down and bent his head
forward, lifting his long hair to expose his neck. Then Gawain struck, and
the Green Knight's head fell to the oor.
To the horror of all, the Green Knight stood up, headless.

He slowly

picked the bloody head up from the oor, put it under his arm, and turned
to go. But before he went out of the door, the head turned round and said,
Remember, Gawain . . . next year it is

my turn.

Winter passed, and Spring, and Summer. Gawain knew that he had to
keep his promise and journey to the Green Chapelmaybe to his death. On
All Hallows Day, with a heavy heart, he left Camelot to look for the Green
Chapel.

All were sorry to see him go, for they thought he would never

return. For weeks, Gawain travelled through Arthur's domain, then passed
into Wales. Everywhere he asked for news of the Green Knight, but no one
had seen such a strange man, nor had they heard of the Green Chapel. Many
thought he was mad.
Gawain passed into the wild land of Wirral, where few men lived, and
fewer good men could be found. On his travels he fought with wolves and
robbers. Eventually, on Christmas Eve, tired from his long travels and feeling
that his mission was hopeless, he prayed for help. Then, in an open space
in the middle of a forest of oaks, he found a strong and beautiful castle. He
was made welcome there, and given luxurious food, drink and fresh clothes.
When the knights and ladies of the castle heard he was from Camelot, they
were delighted, and begged him to stay for a while. The lord of the castle,
Bercilak, persuaded Gawain to stay until New Year's Eve.

He knew the

Green Chapel; it was near his castle, and he promised to take Gawain there
on New Year's Day so that he could meet the Green Knight.
For three days they celebrated Christmas in the great hall of the castle,
and Gawain became good friends with Bercilak and his wife. Then, Bercilak
told Gawain that the following day he would rise early to go hunting; Gawain
should sleep in and take breakfast with the ladies of the castle, then do as
he pleased. But there is one condition, said Bercilak, Whatever I catch
when hunting, I shall give to you, and whatever comes to you this day, you
shall likewise give to me. Gawain agreed, laughing.
Gawain woke late the next day to nd Bercilak's wife in his room. You
are either a very deep sleeper or a very careless to let someone sneak into
your room like this. I've half a mind to tie you up this lazy knight and make
him my prisoner, she said, smiling.
Gawain laughed. My lady, let me at least get up and get dressed, so we
may talk more comfortably, he replied.
No, you shall not rise until I command, said Lady Bercilak. I will talk
for a while with this knight I have captured. And so they talked of many
things until it was time for lunch. Then Lady Bercilak told Gawain he could
get up on one condition: he had to give her a kiss.

Gawain laughed and

kissed her on the cheek.

In the evening, Bercilak returned. The hunt was successful, and Bercilak
presented Gawain with the birds and animals he had killed.

And now,

he said jokingly, what about your side of the bargain? You must give me

whatever prize you won today! Gawain grinned and kissed Bercilak. The
lord looked at Gawain in surprise, then burst out laughing.

And tell me

now, where did you nd this pretty prize?

Ah, that was not in our bargain, replied Gawain, who had his wits about
him. They both laughed, and ate and drank till midnight, but Gawain was
worried.
The next day, Bercilak again had left the castle when Gawain woke up,
and again Bercilak's wife visited him in his room. He greeted her politely
but she pouted at him. Gawain, they say you are the most gentlemanly of
knights, so why are you so rude to me? she asked.
I do not understand, my lady, said Gawain.
Yesterday I taught you to kiss a lady. Have you forgotten your lesson
so soon?
Gawain blushed, and kissed her quickly.

Then again they talked until

mid-day, with the lady showing much interest in Gawain, and Gawain doing
his best to stay both polite and distant. Before she left, she kissed him again.
Bercilak returned from the hunt in the evening, and this time he presented
a huge wild boar to Gawain. When he asked Gawain what he had caught,
Gawain stepped up, put his arms around Bercilak's neck, and kissed him
twice. But still he would not say where he had found these kisses.
The next day was New Year's Eve, and Bercilak suggested that they
spend it in the same way.

Gawain wanted to leave for the Green Chapel

instead, but Bercilak promised him that if left early on New Year's day, he
would be there in time to meet the Green Knight. So the next morning, as
before, Bercilak left early to hunt.
Gawain woke up sweating after dreaming that the Green Knight was
about to chop his head o. Lady Bercilak was in his room again, and again
she kissed him. Again they talked. Lady Bercilak asked Gawain if he had a
lover, and he replied carefully that he did not, and did not think he would
for a long time. Sighing, she bent down and kissed him. Will you at least
accept a gift from me, then? she asked. She took a gold ring from her nger
and oered it to Gawain, but Gawain refused, saying that he had nothing to
give her in return. If you will not accept the ring, then perhaps I can give
you something of less value, the lady insisted. Then she took o the green
silk girdle that was around her waist and held it out to him.
Gawain still refused, saying that he would not accept any gift until he
had returned from his meeting with the Green Knightif he returned at all.
Think again before refusing my gift, said the lady. It may seem nothing to
you, but it carries a powerful magic. Whoever ties this girdle around them
will be safe from all weapons.

Gawain thought carefully. Accepting a gift from Lady Bercilakespecially

if it were a magical giftcould be a discourtesy to his host, who would have
good reason to be jealous, while refusing it might anger the lady.

More

important than these, though, was the fact that he could die the next day.
Reluctantly, he accepted the gift. She bound it around his waist, and told
him never to show it to anyone, nor to speak of it.

Then once more she

kissed him and left.

That day, the hunting was not good. Bercilak and his men rode all day,
but all they caught was a fox. When they got home, Bercilak gave the fox's
skin to Gawain. Gawain kissed him three times, but did not say anything
about the girdle.

Bercilak frowned slightly, but just apologised for only

giving Gawain a fox skin in exchange for three kisses, and wished him good
luck for his meeting with the Green Knight.
The next day Gawain rose at dawn. He put on his clothes and armour,
then wound the girdle around his waist. A servant was waiting to show him
the way to the Green Chapel, and together they went out into the snow.
When they came near to the place, the servant stopped and said I must go
now, and I wish you good luck. The lord of this place is an evil man, and
will kill anyone who passes through his domain. If I were you, I would escape
now and return to Camelot, for you will surely die if you go on. I would keep
your secret and not tell anyone that you were afraid to ght. But Gawain
was determined, and insisted on continuing, so the servant left him there.
Gawain went on into a space between two rocky hills, but he did not see
a chapel; instead there was a mound of earth with a tunnel leading into it,
like the tombs of ancient kings. This is as I expected, thought Gawain. A
man like the Green Knight would never be seen in a holy place. Perhaps he
is the Devil himself !

He tied his horse to a tree and walked towards the

place. Before he entered, he heard a sound from the hill above, like a blade
being sharpened on a stone, and realised that the Green Knight was waiting
for him.
Gawain called out, and from the hill above came the Green Knight,
carrying the axe he had just been sharpening.

He knew now that there

was no way out, and that he would die unless by some chance there really
was power in the lady's girdle to protect him. But he did not show his fear.
He knelt on the ground and bowed his head, pulling up his hair to expose
his neck just like the Green Knight had done a year earlier.
The Green Knight lifted his axe, but as it was about to fall, Gawain
inched.

The Green Knight laughed.

And they say you are the bravest

knight in Camelot! When you were about to strike me, did I inch? Gawain

blushed, but replied True, but you are forgetting one dierencewhen you
cut my head o, I will not be able to walk out carrying it! But strike once
more, and I promise I will not inch from your axe this time.
The Green Knight lifted his axe again and brought it down, and this time
Gawain did not inch but waited, still as a stone, for the blow to fall. But
this time, the Green Knight stopped just before the axe touched Gawain's
neck. He laughed again and said, Well, now you have shown that you are
not a coward.
Gawain was angry now and shouted Enough! No more gamesjust kill
me now and get it over with.
Very well, said the Green Knight, and lifted his axe again. This time
the axe cut Gawain's neck and a little blood ran out, but again the knight
stopped and don't cut his head o. Gawain jumped up and drew his sword.
I have kept my side of the bargain, he said. You have had three chances
to cut o my head. Now leave me in peace or ght me like a man!
The Green Knight laughed once more, and his face changed, so that
Gawain saw that he was Bercilak.

Bercilak explained: Whether you had

inched or not, I would not have killed you with the rst blow, for on the
rst day you played fair with me. I gave you the animals I had caught, and
you gave me the kiss you had taken from my wife. On the second day you
were honest too: she kissed you twice and you kissed me twice, so again I
stopped before the axe touched your neck. The last time, though, you told
the truth but not the whole truth: you gave me three kisses, but not the
girdle, and for that I cut your neck a little. But I know you took the girdle
because of love of life, not love of my wife, so I forgive you.
Now it was Gawain's turn to laugh, and his anger was gone, leaving only
curiosity. But what about the trick with the head? How did you manage
that? I am sure I cut your head o that day.
Bercilak explained: That was no trick, but powerful magic. I took that
form because the witch Morgan Le Fay enchanted me in order to trick Arthur,
but you took up the challenge instead. You may meet her if you wish, for
she is staying with my wife.
But Gawain did not want to stay longer. Saying goodbye to Bercilak and
thanking him for his mercy, he returned to Camelot. When he arrived there
he told his story, and showed Arthur and the knights the scar on his neck.
This is the mark I carry for my faults, for I was tempted by the lady and
afraid of dying. And he showed Arthur the girdle, that Bercilak had made
him keep and wear to remind him of his lesson. But Arthur smiled, and said:
No knight is as brave or honest as you, Gawain, and this girdle is a sign of
your courage, not your cowardice.

Vocabulary
huge

(hiuc) s. kocaman

bushy
holly

(bui) s. fra gibi (

bush = al)

(holi) i. obanpskl (ngiltere'de Ylba ss olarak kullanlr)

axe (U.S. ax)

challenge

(aks) i. balta

(alnc) f. meydan okumak; i. meydan okumak

expose

(ikspouz) f. tehir etmek, ak brakmak, gstermek

chapel

(apl) i. apel, kk kilise

rise / rose / risen

accept

(rayz / rouz / rizn) f. kalkmak

(ksept) f. kabul etmek

kneel / knelt / knelt

worth
vein

(nil / nelt / nelt) f. diz kmek

(w) i. deer

(veyn) i. damar

strike / struck / struck

chop

(strayk /strk /strk) f. vurmak

(op) f. kesmek, kymak

All Hallows Day / All Saints Day

Btn Azizler Gn: 1 Kasm'da kut-

lanan bayram. Cad Bayramnn ngilizcesi Halloween (All Hallows

Eve) ismi ondan geliyor.

domain

(dmeyn) i. etki yresi, bir kral veya lordun hkmettii topraklar

luxurious
likewise

(lugziuriys) s. lks

(laykwayz) z. ayn ekilde

I have half a mind to

bargain

aklma geldi (ama gerekletirmeyi dnmyorum)

(bagin) i. anlama

have his wits about him

pout

akl yerinde olmak, akll karar verebilmek

(paut) f. dudak bkmek

blush
boar

(bl) f. yz kzarmak; i. yz kzarmas

(bor) i. yaban domuzu

sweat
sigh

(swet) f. terlemek; i. ter

(say) f. i ekmek, ah ekmek; i. i ekme, ah ekme

insist
girdle

(insist) f. srar etmek

(gdl) eski zamanlarda kuak (artk korse demek)

discourtesy
reluctant
frown

(disktsi) i. kabalk (

(rilktnt) s. isteksiz

(fraun) f. ka atmak; i. ka atma

determined
mound

(ditmind) s. kararl, azimli

(maund) i. tmsek, hyk

tomb

(tum) i. mezar

blade

(bleyd) i. bak az

kneel / knelt /knelt

inch
mercy

courtesy = nezaket)

(nil /nelt /nelt) f. diz kmek

(in) f. reeks olarak ekinmek

(mis) i. merhamet

courage

i. (kric) cesaret

cowardice

i. (kauwdis) korkaklk

Comprehension Questions
Are the following sentences true or false?
1. New Year's Eve is the rst day of the year.
2. King Arthur was going to accept the Green Knight's challenge, but
Gawain stopped him.
3. Gawain cut o the Green Knight's head but failed to kill him.

4. The Green Knight wanted Gawain to meet him on New Year's Eve,
but Gawain left Camelot on All Hallows Day because he didn't know
where the Green Chapel was.
5. Gawain had to talk to Lady Bercilak all day because she tied him up.
6. Lady Bercilak acted like she was in love with Gawain, but this was
really a test.
7. On the rst day of hunting, Bercilak caught a boar.
8. Lady Bercilak kissed Gawain a total of ve times.
9. Gawain took the girdle because he didn't want to refuse Lady Bercilak.
10. All the events were the result of Morgan's magic.

Discussion Questions
1. The Green Man is a character in English folklore, and is a survival
of the old beliefs of the English people.

Most writers say that he

represents the power of Nature. The branch of holly is also a symbol

of the old religion, and the mound that the Green Knight lives in is like
the tombs of pre-Christian kings. Can you think of similar survivals of
ancient beliefs in Turkish folklore?
2. What do you think Morgan's motive was in enchanting Bercilak and
sending him to Camelot?

Do you think Bercilak agreed to the plan

freely?
3. What do you think about the dates and numbers in the story?
4. The dialogue between Gawain and Lady Bercilak is typical of a medieval tradition called courtly love, in which knights would fall in love
with ladies they could never hope to marry, often the wives of their
lords. What do you think the story is trying to tell us here?

Language Focus

Words for expressing feelings

Match the words below with the pictures. [Burada resimler olacak]

1. frown
2. pout
3. grin
4. blush
5. sigh
6. sweat

Virtues and vices

A virtue is a good characteristic of a person; a vice is the oppositea bad
characteristic or bad habit.

Which if the following words from the texts

describe virtues, which describe vices and which are neutral?

1. mercy
2. cowardice
3. honesty
4. challenge
5. courtesy
6. luxury
7. courage
8. reluctance
9. laziness
10. honour
Robin Turner 2011