The narrative structure of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'

An analysis with Vladimir Propp's structure scheme for fairy tales

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book The narrative structure of 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' by Helga Mebus, GRIN Verlag
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Helga Mebus ISBN: 9783638065597
Publisher: GRIN Verlag Publication: June 19, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag Language: English
Author: Helga Mebus
ISBN: 9783638065597
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Publication: June 19, 2008
Imprint: GRIN Verlag
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Cologne, 12 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem by an unknown poet. That is an interesting case. The question might arise that the poem is only as popular as it is because of having an unknown writer. That is obviously not the reason. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a brilliant narrative put into a complex structure. Its structure gives and gave reason to look at for many researchers. This paper provides a further viewpoint on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight's structure. Considering the textual structure, it is a question of either having a 'striking balance of [...] structure' (Randall 1957: 161) or an 'extraordinary coincidence' (Hieatt 1968: 346) when talking of the five times five pentangle-one of the two important symbols in the poem-in line 2525. Four divisions with irregular length, no regular length of stanzas, no clear rhythm, but a bob and wheel at the end of each stanza make the structural analysis very complicated. That is probably the reason why studies of the textual structure of the poem are contradictory. Michael Robertson, for example, departs the 101 stanzas of the poem into nine sections in the following way: 22-1-11-11-11-11-11-1-22 (compare 1982: 780). Unlike A. Kent Hieatt, who divides them into sections of 21-6-6-6-6-11-11-11-1-21-1 (compare 1968: 356-367). While studying the narrative structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in contrast, I was reminded of a research paper I wrote two years ago on the structure of fairy tales with the use of a method by a Russian formalist named Vladimir Propp. The narrative structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight seems to be very similar to that of a fairy tale such as Propp defines it, and Clinton Machann has already done a brief analysis of the poem's actions in Propp's way (compare 1982: 629-637). If the poem fits into Propp's scheme this will prove that its narrative structure is similar to the one of the Russian fairy tales used by Propp and would be helpful in comparing its structure to other narratives. A deeper analysis of the structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight considering Propp's scheme is the result. In the following, a brief description of Propp's method is given (which is similar to that of my research paper for the Englisches Seminar der Universität zu Köln in 2004). Afterwards, the results of studying Sir Gawain and the Green Knight according to Propp's method are explained and presented.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Cologne, 12 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem by an unknown poet. That is an interesting case. The question might arise that the poem is only as popular as it is because of having an unknown writer. That is obviously not the reason. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a brilliant narrative put into a complex structure. Its structure gives and gave reason to look at for many researchers. This paper provides a further viewpoint on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight's structure. Considering the textual structure, it is a question of either having a 'striking balance of [...] structure' (Randall 1957: 161) or an 'extraordinary coincidence' (Hieatt 1968: 346) when talking of the five times five pentangle-one of the two important symbols in the poem-in line 2525. Four divisions with irregular length, no regular length of stanzas, no clear rhythm, but a bob and wheel at the end of each stanza make the structural analysis very complicated. That is probably the reason why studies of the textual structure of the poem are contradictory. Michael Robertson, for example, departs the 101 stanzas of the poem into nine sections in the following way: 22-1-11-11-11-11-11-1-22 (compare 1982: 780). Unlike A. Kent Hieatt, who divides them into sections of 21-6-6-6-6-11-11-11-1-21-1 (compare 1968: 356-367). While studying the narrative structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in contrast, I was reminded of a research paper I wrote two years ago on the structure of fairy tales with the use of a method by a Russian formalist named Vladimir Propp. The narrative structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight seems to be very similar to that of a fairy tale such as Propp defines it, and Clinton Machann has already done a brief analysis of the poem's actions in Propp's way (compare 1982: 629-637). If the poem fits into Propp's scheme this will prove that its narrative structure is similar to the one of the Russian fairy tales used by Propp and would be helpful in comparing its structure to other narratives. A deeper analysis of the structure of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight considering Propp's scheme is the result. In the following, a brief description of Propp's method is given (which is similar to that of my research paper for the Englisches Seminar der Universität zu Köln in 2004). Afterwards, the results of studying Sir Gawain and the Green Knight according to Propp's method are explained and presented.

More books from GRIN Verlag

Cover of the book Protest Cultures in the United States. Roots, Ideations and Impact of the Anti-Vietnam-War Movement by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Die Synthese von Prozess- und Produktorientierung in Dietrich Pukas Aufsatz `Argumentierendes Schreiben Lineare Problemerörterung´ von 1999 by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Säkularisierung und bürgerliche Tugenden in Schulbüchern des späten 18. Jahrhunderts by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Grunderwerbsteuerliche Probleme bei der Übertragung von Unternehmensanteilen by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Giorgio Vasaris Schilderung der Bauten Leon Battista Albertis für Sigismondo Malatesta in Rimini und für die Familie Rucellai in Florenz by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Die Folgen von postpartalen Depressionen auf Kinder und Hilfsmöglichkeiten by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Einführung in die Entscheidungstheorie by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Aggression bei Kindern by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Neue Wege der Mediation by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Adolph Freiherr von Knigges Empfehlungen 'Über den Umgang mit Frauenzimmern' und Ovids 'Ars Amatoria' - ein Vergleich by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Die mehrfach ergänzte Gapanalyse als Instrument zielorientierter Unternehmensführung by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Der Holländische Katechismus von 1966: Entstehung und Inhalt eines revolutionäres Glaubensbuchs und der innerkirchlichen Konflikte by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Durex - Brand Analysis by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Der 'Philhellene' auf Roms Thron: Das Panhellenische Programm und die Rolle Athens in Hadrians Griechenland-Politik by Helga Mebus
Cover of the book Das deutsche duale Ausbildungssystem als internationales Vorbild für die Berufsausbildung? by Helga Mebus
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy