The document provides background information and discussion questions about the poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight". It includes definitions of key terms like quest and symbolism. It prompts the reader to analyze passages from the poem and answer multiple choice questions to build their understanding. The main topic is exploring the virtues of knighthood through the adventures of Sir Gawain as depicted in the poem.

2. Texts

“Was There a Real King Arthur?”
-Historical Analysis by Robert Stewart
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
“Holding Out for a Hero”
-Song Lyrics by Dean Pitchford

3. Key Terms

 Copy the following definitions onto your Key Terms for
English IV handout.
 Quest - A search or pursuit
 Symbolism - use of any object, person, place, or
experience that means more that it is
 Romance – a verse narrative that traces the adventures of
a brave knight or hero who overcomes danger for love or
another high ideal

4. Essential Question

What do Gawain's adventures reveal about knightly
virtues?

5. Building Background
Knowledge

Read the passage “Was There a Real King Arthur?” and
complete the shallow coding graphic organizer.
Code
N = new information
I = I know this
? = I don’t
understand
C = Connection
A= Agree
D = Disagree
 = I like this
 = I don’t like this
! = This is important
info.
Lines (one line for each section)

6. Building Background Knowledge, cont.

 Watch the following video clip about medieval
castles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_w4FGgOVsM&
feature=related
 Then discuss how the scene that we will begin
reading in the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight would have looked.

7. Building Background Knowledge, cont.

 Read the Background information on p. 158 of Elements of Literature and
answer the following question.
1. Which of the following statements is not true?
A. Sir Gawain agrees to give whatever he wins to the lord at the end of the
day.
B. Sir Gawain agrees with the Green Knight to exchange one strike for
another.
C. Sir Gawain agrees to meet the lady after the second battle with the
Green Knight.
D. Sir Gawain agrees to go to the Green Chapel and face the Green
Knight’s blow.

8. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

 Listen to the audio CD of Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight and follow along in the Elements of Literature,
pp. 159-165.
 Pause after each chunk of text to answer a multiple
choice question.

9. p. 159

2. Which of the following literary elements is
exemplified in lines 7, 13 &20?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Assonance
Kenning
Refrain
Alliteration

10. p. 160, Ln. 35-52

3. Which word most closely means the opposite of the
word fiendish as it is used in line 36?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Villainous
Malevolent
Holy
Legendary

11. p. 160, Ln. 53-79

4. What elements of romance are evident in the story so
far?
A. The hero is undertaking a dangerous quest for
honor’s sake.
B. The hero and heroine are being kept apart by
society’s conventions.
C. The hero has demonstrated superhuman strength.
D. The hero has bragged about his victories in battle.

12. p. 161, Ln. 82-55

5. What other famous work of British literature
contains a deadline of one year and a day?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Pardoner’s Tale
The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Beowulf
Lord Randall

13. p. 161, Ln. 100-124

6. The Green Knight taunts Sir Gawain because Sir
Gawain
A. does not return all of the lady’s kisses.
B. is tortured by the lady.
C. does not let the Green Knight strike another blow.
D. flinches at the sight of the descending ax.

14. p. 162, Ln. 125-140

7. Line 134 contains two examples of which literary
element?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Irony
Metaphor
Simile
Personification

15. p. 164, Ln. 175-181

8. Which of the following words means the same as
reproved as it is used in line 178.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Scolded
Praised
Approved
Corroborated

16. p. 165

9. Why does Sir Gawain feel ashamed after his final
confrontation with the Green Knight?
A. He is ashamed because by keeping the sash, he
violates the code of knighthood.
B. He is ashamed because he missed the second
meeting.
C. He is ashamed because he was afraid to be hit by the
Green Knight.
D. He is ashamed because the lady rejected him.

17. Holding Out for a Hero

Listen to the following song and read along with the
lyrics on p. 166, then answer question 10.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iovcnjuf2WU&fea
ture=related

18. p. 158 and p. 166

10. How is the hero described in the chorus of “Holding
Out for a Hero” like the hero of a romance?
A.
B.
C.
D.
He is superhuman or larger-than-life.
He fights to protect a lady’s honor.
He defeats an evil villain.
He arrives at night.

19. “Beyond the Line” Question

Is Sir Gawain a superhuman romantic hero or is he too
flawed to be a true hero? Support your response with
at least two pieces of evidence from the text.