Of particular interest is the “Introduction on translating SGGK.” Chilcott’s translation is occasionally awkward, but frequently evocative of the original. Worth-while site!

Jessie Weston’s Translation of SGGK

The translation is now outdated, but the two prefaces of Ms. Weston are must-readings for those interested in a mythical approach to the poem

The English Programme: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Online resource with full recorded script, background information, character and key theme analyses in addition to a resource list

B. Essays on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The web is filled with mediocre to bad essays on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight—most focusing on the “symbolism of the hunting scenes”! Be very careful which sites you visit. Those below are worth your consideration. See also the booknotes on the Medieval Imagination Homepage

Heroes of the Middle Ages

One of the best and most plagiarized essays on the Web! Beowulf, Roland, Gawain are compared and contrasted. If you read only one essay on SGGK, let this be the one!

Gawain's Departure from the Peregrinatio

Scholarly article on Gawain’s “pilgrimage”

Bertilak Reads Brut: History and the Complications of Sexuality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Scholarly article focusing on Gawain’s host

Sir Gawain and the Otherworld Journey

A pagan reading of Sir Gawain

Dramatic Tensions and Contrasts in SGGK

Critical insights in an over-long essay

Names, Reputation, and History in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Intriguing essay by the noted medievalist Roy M. Liuzza

A Re-Hearing of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Essay by Elizabeth Hoffman arguing that “The color structuring [of SGGK] exerts a perceptible influence on the reader or listener”

John Gardner’s Introduction to The Complete Works of the Gawain-Poet

A superb analysis of dramatic tension in SGGK (but, strangely, presented as a work to be used by English comp. students to practice parenthetical documentation!)

The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Argues that the women in SGGK are the “poet's primary instruments in [a] critique and reinforcement of Feudalism”

C. Miscellaneous Resources:

Green Man, Morgan Le Fey, Virgin Mary, Pentagram,

Alliteration, Gawain Legend, Images

The Mystery of the Green Man

Prime Resource for the mysterious figure

The Green Man: Variations on a Theme

The Spiral Path: The Green Man

Tip: highlight the almost unreadable pages or print them

Return of the Green Man

Green Man in East Anglia

Excellent photos and background information

Who is the Green Man?

Morgan le Fey

Click on « M » and find the article on Morgan le Fey

Morgan le Fey and Morrigan

Morgan

Her legendary and literary history

Mary in Middle English Lyrics

The importance of the Virgin Mary in the age of the Gawain Poet

Pentagram

History of the symbol

The Pentagram

A comprehensive essay on the symbol

The Pentagram

Masonic history and interpretation of the symbol: worth reading

The Story of Sir Gawain

Gawain in his many incarnations as Walwen, Gwalchmai, Gauvin. Scroll to the bottom of the page to click to continue the story

The Alliterative Revival

Clear explanation of this literary movement. Part of the Study Guide on SGGK

Alliterative Revival in the North-west Midlands

Attempts to place the Gawain-Poet in a social milieu

Linking Letters: A Poet’s Guide to Alliterative Verse

Clear explanation of the poetics of alliterative verse and includes valuable resources on SGGK

SGGK Images

Gawain as he was seen in the Middle Ages.

Gawain

Click on “G” to find more information about Gawain’s appearances in early literature. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the link to the essay on “Sir Gawain: English Folk Hero vs. Malory's Villain”

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