Medieval Romances

The word romance comes from the French roman, which is similar in meaning to the English word novel, or a long work of fiction. Originally, the word romance did not have any connection to love, except in a peripheral way – because pure, unrequited love is an important part of chivalry, and chivalry is the real core of the medieval romance. Because the Medieval Period was a time period filled with war and instability, medieval romances became popular because they provided guidelines for honorable behavior and reinforced the social and economic structure of feudalism. A medieval romance is a verse narrative characterized by one or more of the following:

• Adventure stories that feature kings, knights, and damsels in distress;
• Quests, battles, and/or doomed love;
• An evil enemy; and/or
• Themes of love and honor in a blend of realism and fantasy.

Arthurian Legend

You may have heard the names King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, and Excalibur, because the best-remembered medieval romances concern King Arthur and his knights. No one knows for sure whether King Arthur was real, but his name was first found in stories from the 6th century. By the 9th century, King Arthur was a true folk hero. During the 14th and 15th centuries, there was a revival of interest in Arthurian legends, mainly due to works like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Morte d’Arthur. Written by Sir Thomas Malory, Morte d’ Arthur was the first English prose version of King Arthur’s life.

Most Arthurian legends share a similar set of characters and events. In this interactivity, explore the basics of Arthurian legend and learn about the important characters. Click the NEXT and PREV buttons to navigate through the interactivity. Click the player button to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written during the late 14th century in Middle English. There is some mystery surrounding the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. To this day, historians and literary experts do not know the name of who wrote this medieval romance. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is part of a manuscript, Cotton Nero A.x., which also contains three religious poems called Pearl, Purity, and Patience. Because of this, the author of Cotton Nero A.x. is referred to as "The Pearl Poet."

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight begins during a Christmas feast being held by King Arthur. In addition to Queen Guinevere, all of the Knights of the Round Table have come together to celebrate the holiday. Sir Gawain is one of King Arthur's bravest and most noble knights. The first excerpt that you will read begins in the middle of the the first fytte, or section, of the poem. There are a total of four fyttes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

The residents of Camelot are shocked when the decapitated Green Knight stands up and gets back on his horse, speaks, and rides away. Sir Gawain is now faced with fulfilling his promise - that he will seek out the Green Knight in a week's time and receive his return blow. He travels to the Green Chapel to uphold his end of the bargain, but the trip is very dangerous. Sir Gawain ends up staying with a married couple in a castle along the way.

The lord of the castle suggests that they play a game. He will hunt each day, while Sir Gawain is welcome to enjoy his time at the castle. At the end of each day, they must exchange whatever "winnings" they receive that day. Sir Gawain is confused, but he agrees to the game. The next day, while the lord of the castle is hunting, the lady of the castle tries to seduce Sir Gawain. However, she only ends up getting him to kiss her. At the end of the day, Sir Gawain gives the woman's husband her kiss, while he gives Sir Gawain the venison he caught on his hunt. The next day, the lady ramps up her attempts to seduce Sir Gawain. She offers him many things, including a ring, but he ends up taking her green girdle, which she claims has magic properties which keep the owner safe from death.

On the last night of Sir Gawain's stay in the castle, the lord and lady throw a large party in his honor. The next morning, he prepares for battle by putting on his armor, and he ties the lady's girdle to his waist. Sir Gawain leaves to seek out the Green Knight, along with a guide from the castle. On the way to the Green Chapel, the guide tells Sir Gawain that the Green Knight is always victorious. The guide goes on to encourage Sir Gawain to flee, telling him that he will keep it a secret. Sir Gawain refuses to flee, and the guide leaves. Sir Gawain finds the Green Chapel, which is nothing more than a cave in a hillside. He hears the Green Knight inside sharpening his weapon and Sir Gawain lets him know that he is there to fulfill his end of the agreement.

 

Medieval Romances Review

Review your knowledge of medieval romances and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in this non-graded activity. Read each question and drag and drop the correct answer into the blank provided. Then, click SUBMIT to check your response. Click the player button to get started.