Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Important Quotations Explained
1. There
hurtles in at the hall-door an unknown rider,
One
the greatest on ground in growth of his frame:
From
broad neck to buttocks so bulky and thick,
And
his loins and his legs so long and so great,
Half
a giant on earth I hold him to be,
But believe
him no less than the largest of men,
And the
seemliest in his stature to see, as he rides,
For
in back and in breast though his body was grim,
His
waist in its width was worthily small,
And
formed with every feature in fair accord
was
he.
Great wonder grew in hall
At
his hue most strange to see,
For man and
gear and all
Were green as green could
be.
(136–150)
2. Gawain
was glad to begin those games in hall,
But
if the end be harsher, hold it no wonder,
For
though men are merry in mind after much drink,
A
year passes apace, and proves ever new:
First
things and final conform but seldom.
(495–499)
3. [T]here
hoved a great hall and fair:
Turrets rising
in tiers, with tines at their tops,
Spires
set beside them, splendidly long,
With finials
well-fashioned, as filigree fine.
Chalk-white
chimneys over chambers high
Gleamed in gay
array upon gables and roofs;
The pinnacles
in panoply, pointing in air,
So vied there
for his view that verily it seemed
A castle
cut of paper for a king’s feast.
The good
knight on Gringolet thought it great luck
If
he could but contrive to come there within
To
keep the Christmas feast in that castle fair
and
bright.
(794–806)
4. “Sir,
if you be Gawain, it seems a great wonder—
A
man so well-meaning, and mannerly disposed,
And
cannot act in company as courtesy bids,
And
if one takes the trouble to teach him, ‘tis all in vain.
That
lesson learned lately is lightly forgot,
Though
I painted it as plain as my poor wit allowed.”
“What
lesson, dear lady?” he asked all alarmed;
“I
have been much to blame, if your story be true.”
“Yet
my counsel was of kissing,” came her answer then,
“Where
favor has been found, freely to claim
As accords
with the conduct of courteous knights.”
(1481–1491)
5. But
if a dullard should dote, deem it no wonder,
And
through the wiles of a woman be wooed into sorrow,
For
so was Adam by one, when the world began,
And
Solomon by many more, and Samson the mighty—
Delilah
was his doom, and David thereafter
Was beguiled
by Bathsheba, and bore much distress;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For
these were proud princes, most prosperous of old,
Past
all lovers lucky, that languished under heaven,
bemused.
And
one and all fell prey
To women they had
used;
If I be led astry,
Methinks
I may be excused.
(2414–2419,
2422–2428)
Readers' Notes allow users to add their own analysis and insights to our SparkNotes—and to discuss those ideas with one another. Have a novel take or think we left something out? Add a Readers' Note!








