--- title: Opening, part 9 — Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-Englis… · full text with trees description: Opening, part 9, «Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern Prose» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Sir Gawain makes confession of his fault --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66084/9/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Mid…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66084/) / Opening, part 9 # Opening, part 9 Opening, part 9 of «Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern Prose» by Jessie L. Weston: the whole text, 95 sentences and 1603 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. Sir Gawain makes confession of his fault[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") “Lo, lady,” he quoth, and handled the lace, “this is the bond of the blame that I bear in my neck, this is the harm and the loss I have suffered, the cowardice and covetousness in which I was caught, the token of my covenant in which I was taken.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") And I must needs wear it so long as I live, for none may hide his harm, but undone it may not be, for if it hath clung to thee once, it may never be severed.”[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") The knights wear the lace in honour of Gawain[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the king comforted the knight, and the court laughed loudly at the tale, and all made accord that the lords and the ladies who belonged to the Round Table, each hero among them, should wear bound about him a baldric of bright green\[11\] for the sake of Sir Gawain.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") And to this was agreed all the honour of the Round Table, and he who ware it was honoured the more thereafter, as it is testified in the best book of romance.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") The end of the tale[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") That in Arthur’s days this adventure befell, the book of Brutus bears witness.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") For since that bold knight came hither first, and the siege and the assault were ceased at Troy, I wis[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Many a venture herebefore Hath fallen such as this: May He that bare the crown of thorn Bring us unto His bliss.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Amen\_[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Notes[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") \[0\].[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 2.—\_Carol.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ Dance accompanied by song.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Often mentioned in old romances.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") \[1\].[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 4.—\_Agravain\_, “\_à la dure main\_.”[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") This characterisation of Gawain’s brother seems to indicate that there was a French source at the root of this story.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") The author distinctly tells us more than once that the tale, as he tells it, was written \_in a book\_.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") M. Gaston Paris thinks that the direct source was an Anglo-Norman poem, now lost.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") \[2\].[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 10.—\_If any in this hall holds himself so hardy.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This, the main incident of the tale, is apparently of very early date.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The oldest version we possess is that found in the Irish tale of the \_Fled Bricrend\_ (Bricriu’s feast), where the hero of the tale is the Irish champion, Cuchulinn.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Two mediæval romances, the \_Mule sans Frein\_ (French) and \_Diu Krône\_ (German), again attribute it to Gawain; while the continuator of Chrétien de Troye’s \_Conte del Graal\_ gives as hero a certain Carados, whom he represents as Arthur’s nephew; and the prose \_Perceval\_ has Lancelot.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") So far as the mediæval versions are concerned, the original hero is undoubtedly Gawain; and our poem gives the fullest and most complete form of the story we possess.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") In the Irish version the magician is a \_giant\_, and the abnormal size and stature of the Green Knight is, in all probability, the survival of a primitive feature.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") His curious \_colour\_ is a trait found nowhere else.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") In \_Diu Krône\_ we are told that the challenger changes shapes in a terrifying manner, but no details are given.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") \[3\].[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 19.—\_For Yule was over-past.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This passage, descriptive of the flight of the year, should be especially noticed.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Combined with other passages—the description of Gawain’s journey, the early morning hunts, the dawning of New Year’s Day, and the ride to the Green Chapel—they indicate a knowledge of Nature, and an observant eye for her moods, uncommon among mediæval poets.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") It is usual enough to find graceful and charming descriptions of spring and early summer—an appreciation of \_May\_ in especial, when the summer courts were held, is part of the stock-in-trade of mediæval romancers—but a sympathy with the year in all its changes is far rarer, and certainly deserves to be specially reckoned to the credit of this nameless writer.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") \[4\].[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 22.—\_First a rich carpet was stretched on the floor.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ The description of the arming of Gawain is rather more detailed in the original, but some of the minor points are not easy to understand, the identification of sundry of the pieces of armour being doubtful.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") \[5\].[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 24.—\_The pentangle painted thereupon in gleaming gold.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ I do not remember that the pentangle is elsewhere attributed to Gawain.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") He often bears a red shield; but the blazon varies.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Indeed, the heraldic devices borne by Arthur’s knights are distractingly chaotic—their legends are older than the science of heraldry, and no one has done for them the good office that the compiler of the Thidrek Saga has rendered to his Teutonic heroes.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") \[6\].[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 26.—\_The Wilderness of Wirral.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This is in Cheshire.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Sir F.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Madden suggests that the forest which forms the final stage of Gawain’s journey is that of Inglewood, in Cumberland.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The geography here is far clearer than is often the case in such descriptions.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") \[7\].[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 29.—\_’Twas the fairest castle that ever a knight owned.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ Here, again, I have omitted some of the details of the original, the architectural terms lacking identification.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") \[8\].[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 43.—\_With blast of the bugle fared forth to the field.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ The account of each day’s hunting contains a number of obsolete terms and details of woodcraft, not given in full.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") The meaning of some has been lost, and the minute description of skinning and dismembering the game would be distinctly repulsive to the general reader.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") They are valuable for a student of the history of the English sport, but interfere with the progress of the story.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") The fact that the author devotes so much space to them seems to indicate that he lived in the country and was keenly interested in field sports.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") (Gottfried von Stressbourg’s \_Tristan\_ contains a similar and almost more detailed description.)[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") \[9\].[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 65.—\_I will give thee my girdle.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ This magic girdle, which confers invulnerability on its owner, is a noticeable feature of our story.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") It is found nowhere else in this connection, yet in other romances we find that Gawain possesses a girdle with similar powers (cf., my \_Legend of Sir Gawain\_, Chap.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") IX.).[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") Such a talisman was also owned by Cuchulinn, the Irish hero, who has many points of contact with Gawain.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") It seems not improbable that this was also an old feature of the story.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") I have commented, in the Introduction, on the lady’s persistent wooing of Gawain, and need not repeat the remarks here.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") The Celtic \_Lay of the Great Fool\_ (\_Amadan Mor\_) presents some curious points of contact with our story, which may, however, well be noted here.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") In the \_Lay\_ the hero is mysteriously deprived of his legs, through the draught from a cup proffered by a \_Gruagach\_ or magician.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") He comes to a castle, the lord of which goes out hunting, leaving his wife in the care of the Great Fool, who is to allow no man to enter.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") He falls asleep, and a young knight arrives and kisses the host’s wife.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") The Great Fool, awaking, refuses to allow the intruder to depart; and, in spite of threats and blandishments, insists on detaining him till the husband returns.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") Finally, the stranger reveals himself as the host in another shape; he is also the \_Gruagach\_, who deprived the hero of his limbs, and the Great Fool’s brother.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") He has only intended to test the \_Amadan Mor’s\_ fidelity.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") A curious point in connection with this story is that it possesses a prose opening which shows a marked affinity with the “Perceval” \_enfances\_.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") That the Perceval and Gawain stories early became connected is certain, but what is the precise connection between them and the Celtic \_Lay\_ is not clear.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") \_In its present form\_ the latter is certainly posterior to the Grail romances, but it is quite possible that the matter with which it deals represents a tradition older than the Arthurian story.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") \[10\].[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 88.—\_Morgain le Fay, who dwelleth in my house.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") \_ The enmity between Morgain le Fay and Guinevere, which is here stated to have been the \_motif\_ of the enchantment, is no invention of the author, but is found in the \_Merlin\_, probably the earliest of the Arthurian \_prose\_ romances.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") In a later version of our story, a poem, written in ballad form, and contained in the “Percy” MS., Morgain does not appear; her place is taken by an old witch, mother to the lady, but the enchantment is still due to her spells.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") In this later form the knight bears the curious name of \_Sir Bredbeddle\_.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") That given in our romance, \_Bernlak de Hautdesert\_, seems to point to the original French source of the story.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") (It is curious that Morgain should here be represented as extremely old, while Arthur is still in his first youth.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") There is evidently a discrepancy or misunderstanding of the source here.)[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") \[11\].[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") Page 90.—\_A baldric of bright green, for sake of Sir Gawain.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") \_—The later version connects this \_lace\_ with that worn by the knights of the Bath; but this latter was \_white\_, not \_green\_.[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") The knights wore it on the left shoulder till they had done some gallant deed, or till some noble lady took it off for them.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson \_&\_ Co. London & Edinburgh[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") Transcriber’s Notes[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") —Silently corrected a few typos.[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") —Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.[93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") —In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by \_underscores\_.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") —Created a Table of Contents based on the sidenotes.[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Opening, part 8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66084/8/) - ↑ back to [Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Middle-English Arthurian Romance Retold in Modern Prose](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66084/)