Fashion and Attire: Examine the importance of clothing and armor

Fashion and Attire: Examine the importance of clothing and armor

Paper 1 Assignment: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Assignment: You will write a 4 to 5 page essay for which you will analyze one or more key elements of Simon Armitage’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Your paper should have an introduction that orients your reader in regard to the work and the topic, a thesis that makes a specific claim you intend to prove and develop, topic sentences that articulate claims in the form of sub-points related to your overall thesis, evidence from the text (cited directly) to support each of your claims along with sufficient analysis, and a conclusion.  You will need to cite passages from the work using MLA style.

Research: You are not required to conduct research or use outside sources for this essay.  Rely solely on the work itself.  If you do use outside sources, you must give them credit.  Cite them properly in-text and type up an entry for them on a works cited page.  Failure to do so will be considered plagiarism.  If you have any questions about how to properly credit sources come and talk to me before you hand in your assignment.

Pick only one of the topics listed below: (Narrow the focus of your chosen topic and always favor depth over breadth when it comes to your analysis.  Cite the text directly to develop your points and offer insightful close-readings.)

Chivalry: Sir Gawain is an example of a chivalric romance. Offer an analysis of some of the main ways in which it fits this genre.  (Refer to the lecture notes on Blackboard.  Keep in mind that this is a very broad topic.  Do not try and cover everything.  Narrow your focus to no more than three elements.)

Fashion and Attire: Examine the importance of clothing and armor, etc.  How are the men and women of nobility dressed?  What is significant about the way they present themselves?  How does it relate to genre and/or theme, etc.?

The Natural World: How is the landscape depicted in this poem?  What is Sir Gawain’s relationship to the land?  How does it feature in his overall quest?

The Hunt in the Forest: Offer a close-reading of the three hunts that take place in the poem.  What is significant about each?  How do they relate to the rest of the tale?

The Hunt in the Bedchamber: Offer a close-reading analysis of Lady Bertilak’s three pursuits of Sir Gawain. How does her seduction evolve?  How does Gawain cope with such a pursuit?  How is this significant to the rest of the tale?

Christian vs. Pagan: Offer a comparison between the Christian elements in the poem and the Otherworldly elements. What is significant about them?  How do they relate to each other?

Not Your Typical Damsel in Distress: Women play important and unique roles in this chivalric romance. Bertilak’s wife is compelled to play the role of seductress, and Morgana is the powerful sorceress behind the plot who appears as the lady’s attendant.  How then are women depicted in the poem?  Offer an analysis of their function and characterization.

 

Solution preview

Among the medieval pieces of literature “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” stands out. The story is not only written in a light tone, but it also participates in some of the critical traditions in writing in which the audience can partake. The light tone that is adopted by the writer makes the story much more interesting, considering that it is fiction. Additionally, there are some elements of mystery………………..

APA

1287 words