l”, “Patience”, and “Purity” were all with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the same manuscript. This is the reason the author is named as the Pearl poet, in addition to the Gawain poet. All four poems were uniquely named Cotton Nero A.X. This is due to the manuscript’s previous owner, Sir Robert Cotton. Cotton supposedly acquired the manuscript from Yorkshire bibliophile Henry Savile (1568-1617), but its whereabouts before then are unknown (Grolier). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was first edited and published in 1839 by Madden, whose entire name in uncertain. He called the untitled poem Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyyt. The poem did not receive much attention at all until the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1916, George Lyman Kittredge’s ongoing study of the poem contained extremely valuable research of the sources and analogues of the poem. Many other authors focused on the text, language, and possible authors of the work. In the 1930s and ‘40s there was a rise of mythic criticism of the poem, as many scholars sought to interpret Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with new knowledge of medieval folklore and mythical traditions. Moreover, it was not until the 1950s that criticism of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight became strictly literary. Unfortunately, even then the poem was read incorrectly as a straight-forward and very prototypical medieval romance. Finally, in the 1960s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reached a climax; and it welcomed an extraordinary flow of criticism. Since then, critics have steadily been writing about the poem, maintaining and proving the modern understanding that this intriguing poem is one of the best and most difficult of all medieval works (Galenet). John Champlin Gardner, Jr. was born in Batavia, New York. He was raised right outside of Batavia in Alexander, New York. He went to school through eleventh grade in Alexander but ended up graduating from Batavia High School in 1951. Gardner earned a Ph.D. at Iowa State University and began his influential teaching career. In addition to teaching, John Gardner wrote many scholarly works. He focused mainly on medieval translations and editions. He wrote a translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in 1965. This well respected translation is considered one of the finest and most accurate among the literary world. John Gardner was extremely talented and continuously wrote works of all different genres. He wrote plays, novels, poetry, criticism, and fiction, including Grendel in 1971. He won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1976. Unfortunately in 1982, the great and exciting John Gardner died in a motorcycle accident. He lived a thorough and wonderful life, influencing many people throughout it (Grolier). In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the author uses many specific characters to imply the several diverse themes. The first character, also the main character, is Sir Gawain. The unknown author proposes many themes through this one character alone. Sir Gawain is introduced as a Knight of the Round Table in King Authur’s court in Camelot during the fifteen day Christmas and New Year’s celebration. Gawain is the definition of a knight. With his every step, he continuously represents the pinnacle of loyalty, honor, integrity, and chivalry. Though these immortal themes are a part of Gawain, he remains a mortal man. Gawain’s character is as good as it can be, considering the circumstances. Sir Gawain is extremely courteous throughout the poem. He has only two flaws for which he should not be looked down upon. He flinches, knowing of the blow he must receive. He also falls into the temptation of saving his own life. He accepts the green sash but lies to Bercilak about it. He fails to give Bercilak the green sash and only gives him innocent kisses. These flaws only show that Gawain is human and

Some topics in this essay:
Green Knight, Sir Gawain, Lady Bercilak, King Authur’s, John Gardner, Green Chapel, green knight, Hamilton Green, Knight Gawain, Stations Cross, Lyman Kittredge’s, sir gawain, gawain green, gawain green knight, sir gawain green, lady bercilak, gawain poet, john gardner, green chapel, authur’s court, king authur’s court, king authur’s, green knight gawain, specific characters, authur’s court camelot,