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A review by temegill
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl and Sir Orfeo by Unknown, Christopher Tolkien
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Technically a DNF as I could not finish either "Pearl" nor "Sir Orfeo".
I was not taken by either.
So the 3 stars only hold for my review of "Sir Gawain and The Green Knight".
These were my thoughts directly after reading "Sir Gawain and The Green Knight"
Poetry is hard to read, and out of the long poems i have read, eugene onegin i would still say is the superior. More enjoyable to acutally read.
However, I think I would have more to say about The Green Knight.
I read it as an attack on chivalry, and a modern readin would suggest a critique on (toxic) masculainty. Not holding up these regressive, show-boating, "chivalrous" ideals, that are in truth shallow and false. But instead holding self account, wearing your mistakes with honour, embracing yourself and all your faults, humility, truth. Forgiveness. Mercy.
Striving for self-improvement not for an accepted norm or ideology, but doing so for you. So you can be more confident, yet humble, and kinder, and smarter, and better.
It is interesting how The Green Knight (the character) not only acts as an outside perspective, and the Green Chapel as THE outisde, of Arturian Chivalry. But also acts as nature itself. We see that nature opposes societal expectations. Or not necessarily opposes, but is removed from and judges this 'chivalry' and causes change to not just Sir Gawain but the whole court seemingly.
Overall pretty good, found it tought. Probably won't return to read the others.
I was not taken by either.
So the 3 stars only hold for my review of "Sir Gawain and The Green Knight".
These were my thoughts directly after reading "Sir Gawain and The Green Knight"
Poetry is hard to read, and out of the long poems i have read, eugene onegin i would still say is the superior. More enjoyable to acutally read.
However, I think I would have more to say about The Green Knight.
I read it as an attack on chivalry, and a modern readin would suggest a critique on (toxic) masculainty. Not holding up these regressive, show-boating, "chivalrous" ideals, that are in truth shallow and false. But instead holding self account, wearing your mistakes with honour, embracing yourself and all your faults, humility, truth. Forgiveness. Mercy.
Striving for self-improvement not for an accepted norm or ideology, but doing so for you. So you can be more confident, yet humble, and kinder, and smarter, and better.
It is interesting how The Green Knight (the character) not only acts as an outside perspective, and the Green Chapel as THE outisde, of Arturian Chivalry. But also acts as nature itself. We see that nature opposes societal expectations. Or not necessarily opposes, but is removed from and judges this 'chivalry' and causes change to not just Sir Gawain but the whole court seemingly.
Overall pretty good, found it tought. Probably won't return to read the others.