Perils+and+Adventures

Ryan, Aldo, Peter

=Perils and Adventures = I. Plot II. Literary Techniques III. Purpose of Texts IV. Discussion V. Work cited

I: __Sir Gawain and the Green Knight__ Sir Gawain, Kight Arthur's nephew, first faces a green knight during Christmas feast. After defeating him he promises to see him again by the same time next year. When the time comes he meets the green knight again, who proves that Gawain has his own faults. The Green Knight, however, is pleased that Gawain has realized and the story ends on good note. II: __Morte d'Arthur__ In this selection from Morte d'Arthur, the telling of King Arthur's death is given. King Arthur faces his illegitimate son Mordered, against his premonitions, and slays him, but is dealt a mortal wound to the head. Arthur has Sir Bedivere throw the Excalibur into a lake, who fails to do it twice but then succeeds. Arthur is taken to Canterbury, where he is buried. Sir Bedivere spends the rest of his life in the Canterbury Chapel. III: __The Nibelungenlied: How Siegfried Was Slain__ This is the 16th of 39 "Adventures" in the Germanic medevil poem, as translated by A.T. Hatto. In this selection Siegfried, despite his wife Kriemhild's warnings and evil premonitions, goes off hunting with his brother in law, King Gunther who secretly seeks revenge for having been impersonated in order to woo new wife into marriage with him, and his procession. During the hunt, Siegfried proves his prowess and power by out hunting any other man and by capturing a bear alive unarmed and unharmed. Proceeding the hunt Siegfried grows thirsty and Gunther and Hkgen lead him over to a stream where the king first takes his fill and is followed by Siegfreed who bends down to drink from the stream but is stabbed through his back and into the heart by his own spear at the hands of Hagen.

II. __Literary Techniques__ __Rhyme__: Used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, gives the story rhythm and stresses certain parts of story.

ex. With rage his face Flush red, And so did all beside, Then the king as bold man bred Towards the stranger took a stride.

__Alliteration__: Used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Ex. Bent his bristling brows,that were bright green Whose frame is so fair in far realms and wide

__Imagery__: Used in all three stories to give the readers a picture of what is happening.

ex. And by the way he beheld that noble sword, that the pommel and the haft was all precious stones.

__Personification__: Used in The Nibelungenlied: How Siegfried Was Slain

ex. "Siegfried was at grips with Death, yet not for long, since death's sword was ever too sharp."

III. __Purpose of Texts__ Both of the first texts intend to display the ideas of chivalry. They both do this by showing how the knights realize their weakness. In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" Gawain realizes that he is not perfect, he is humbled. In Morte d'Arthur, loyalty is stressed and Arthur falls due to his lack of reasoning. Thus, both texts display ideas of chivalry to the reader.

This same theme of weakness can be said to be seen in the selection of the Nibelungenlied as well, though chivalry seems to be lacking or else can be said that while it is present, it is only truely present in the man who would die becuase of his use of it.

IV. __Discussion__ 1. Is humility a necessary characteristic of a Knight? 2. Is Sir Gawain a hero? Why or why not. 3. What does Sir Bedivere's failure to toss the Excalibur in to the lake represent? 4. Why does Arthur die? 5. Why does Gunther lament Siegfried's death? 6. Which of the characters main characters (Gunthor, Hagen, and Siegfried) do you believe would be most closely simmilar, in reguards of opinion of chivalry, to people in our modern time?

V. Work Cited