Brian Stone's evocative translation is accompanied by an introduction that examines the Romance genre, and the poem's epic and pagan sources.
A New Year's feast at King Arthur's court is interrupted by the appearance of a gigantic Green Knight, resplendent on horseback. He challenges any one of Arthur's men to behead him, provided that if he survives he can return the blow a year later. Sir Gawain accepts the challenge and decapitates the knight - but the mysterious warrior cheats death and vanishes, bearing his head with him. The following winter Gawain sets out to find the Knight in the wild Northern lands and to keep his side of the bargain. One of the great masterpieces of Middle English poetry, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight magically combines elements of fairy tale and heroic sagas with the pageantry, chivalry and courtly love of medieval Romance.
By:
Burrows Edited by:
J. Burrow Imprint: Penguin Classics Country of Publication: United Kingdom Dimensions:
Height: 198mm,
Width: 129mm,
Spine: 10mm
Weight: 134g ISBN:9780140422955 ISBN 10: 0140422951 Pages: 176 Publication Date:29 July 1992 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
Bernard O'Donoghue is a Fellow in English at Wadham College and a noted Irish poet.
