516 Matching Annotations
  1. Jun 2019
    1. Who was somewhat deaf, it is a pity.

      How is it a pity if she is just somewhat deaf? This does not make me feel too bad for her if she is just "somewhat deaf" I think the author may want to make us feel bad for her from the start

    2. cloisterer

      Cloisterer: one belonging to or living in a cloister : recluse. Cloister: a covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.

    3. His tippet was always stuffed with pocket-knives And pins, to give to young and pleasing wives. 235 And certainly he possesed a merry note: Well could he sing and play upon the rote. At ballad contests, he bore the prize away. His throat was white as the lily flower I say;

      Just realized that there is a lot of rhyming going on here. Flows very nicely

    4. And honoured everywhere for worthiness. At Alexandria, in the winning battle he was there; Often put in the place of honour, a chair. Above all nations’ knights in Prussia. In Latvia raided he, and Russia, 55 No christened man so oft of his degree. In far Granada at the siege was he Of Algeciras, and in Belmarie.

      So author is pretty much mentioning a couple of his famous battles in which he was in

    5. To describe to you the state of every one Of each of them, as it appeared to me, 40 And who they were, and what was their degree,

      This is very different to me. In the prologue he is introducing the story and within this section he keeps repeating what he will talk about. Just interesting a different from what I have read before

    1. The hurt was all whole that he had in his neck, and the bright belt he bore all thereabout, obliquely, as a baldric, bound at his side, tied under his left arm, the lace, with a knot, as token he was tainted with guilt of his fault. And so he comes to the court, all safe and sound.

      I don't know why but this entire section to me has a tone of regret

    2. For your girdle,’ quoth Gawain, ‘God reward you! That I will wear with good will, not for the white gold, nor the stuff, the silk, nor the slender pendants, its worth, nor richness, nor for the fine working; but as a sign of my sin I shall see it often when I ride in renown, remorseful, remembering the fault and the frailty of perverse flesh, how it tends to entice to the tarnish of sin.

      It is crazy to me that Gawain wants to constantly be reminded of his sin? doesn't he want to be move forward? or could this be a way of punishing himself?

    3. I hold it happily made whole, the harm that I had; You are confessed so clean, cleared of your faults,

      It is crazy that he is being forgiven so easily. I don't know why but I thought this was going to result in something violent but it is good to know that the King understands him and is acknowledging that he has come clean

    4. First I menaced you merrily with a single feint, and rent you with no riving cut, rightly offered for the pledge that we made on the very first night; for you truthfully kept troth and dealt with me true, all the gain you gave me, as good men should.

      It seems like Gawain didn't go as hard as he could have with him. It is almost like he spared him, but why?

    5. The sharp edge sank in the flesh through the fair fat, so that bright blood over his shoulders shot to the earth. And when the knight saw his blood blotting the snow, he spurted up, feet first, more than a spear-length, seized swiftly his helm and on his head cast it, shrugged with his shoulders his fine shield under, broke out his bright sword, and bravely he spoke – never since he was a babe born of his mother had he ever in this world a heart half so blithe – ‘Back man, with your blade, and brandish no more! I have received a stroke in this place without strife, and if you offer another I’ll readily requite you and yield it you swiftly again – of that be you sure – as foe.

      Sir Gawain is truly quite the man. He really is a very strong a courageous fighter and is not at all once to be fearful.

    6. ‘Gawain,’ quoth the green man, ‘God may you guard! Indeed you are welcome, knight, to my place, and you have timed your travel as true man should. And you know the covenant pledged between us:

      It seems that the Green Knight is very proud of Gawain

    7. r he is strong and stern and loves to strike, and more man he is than any upon middle-earth, and his body bigger than the best four that are in Arthur’s house, Hector, or others. He makes it so to chance at the Green Chapel, that none passes by that place so proud in arms that he but does him to death by dint of his hand;

      This description makes him seem like a very strong character.

    8. upon velvet, with virtuous stones embellished and bound about it, embroidered seams, and fair lined within with fine furs –

      Great description and use of imagery. It is also sweet that Gawain still has the girdle. Does this mean that he may also love her?

    9. clouds cast cold keenly down to the earth, with wind enough from the north, to flail the flesh. The snow sleeted down sharp, and nipped the wild; the whistling wind wailed from the heights and drove each dale full of drifts full great.

      The description of this weather could mean something. Perhaps foreshadowing a great challenge coming up

    10. edges embroidered, with finger-stitching;

      Here we go again with the embroidery. My point of embroidered things being very high class and lavish keeps getting proven. This is just like the Sir Orfeo story where they had also mentioned about the same thing

    11.  ‘Nay, knight of high honours,’ quoth that love-some lady fine, ‘though I shall have naught of yours, yet shall you have of mine.’

      She is confessing her love knowing that he doesn't feel the same way but she states this fact herself saying that she knows that he doesn't feel the same way but he is still welcome to have her when he wants

    12. And fox frisked before them; they found him soon, and when they had him in sight pursued him fast, marking him clearly with wrathful noise; and he twists and turns through many a tangled grove, doubles back and hearkens by hedges full often. At the last by a little ditch he leaps over a thicket,

      great description.

    13. The lady bends her adown and sweetly she kisses his face; much speech they there expound of love, its grief and grace.

      It seems that they have patched up pretty quick. But why was this paragraph important for the story, it seems quite irrelevant

    14. ‘Sir, if you be Gawain, it’s a wonder methinks, why one so well disposed always to good, knows not how to manage his manners in company, and if any teach you to know them, you cast them from mind.

      It seems that she isn't too happy with the way that he has greeted her. Perhaps she was anticipating more of a warmer and loving greeting

    15. Then they slit the slot, and seized the first stomach, shaved it with sharp knives, and knotted the sheared. Then lopped off the four limbs and rent off the hide, next broke they the belly, the bowels out-taking, deftly, lest they undid and destroyed the knot. They gripped the gullet, and swiftly severed the weasand from the windpipe and whipped out the guts. Then sheared out the shoulders with their sharp knives, hauled them through a little hole, left the sides whole. Then they slit up the breast and broke it in twain.

      great imagery and detailed makes it graphic but this also does give a sense of it being gruesome

    16. She made him thus sweet cheer, who was so fair of face; the knight with speeches clear answered her every case.

      She is actually, it seems, trying to entice him. So my assumptions about her earlier were correct. But Gawain it seems is not trying to entertain her

    1. You shall linger in your room and lie there at ease tomorrow till Mass, and then to meat wend when you will, with my wife, that with you shall sit and comfort you with company, till I come to court: time spend,

      This is a very nice gesture from the king

    2. There was established by statute a pact us between both to meet at that mark, if I should live; and of that same New Year but little is wanting, and I would look on that lord, if God would let me, more gladly, by God’s Son, than any goods gain. So, indeed, by your leave, it behoves me to go. Now to work this business I’ve barely three days, and it’s fitter I fall dead than fail of my errand.’

      This proves that he is a man of his words and not cowardly. This raises the respect I have for him

    3. for if the one was fresh, the other was withered:

      He is pretty much saying that men looked at women, even if they were married, they still checked out other young women because they were more "fresh" in other words very youthful

    4. of curtains of clear silk with clean gold hems, and coverlets full curious with comely panels, of bright ermine above embroidered sides,

      Once again we see this disruption of cloth being embroidered. I am starting to think that this was very luxuries and lavish back in the day as it is now too.

    5. Knights and their squires came down then for to bring this bold man blithely to hall, When he lifted his helmet, they hastened forward to heft it from his hand, the guest to serve; his blade and his blazon both they took.

      They treated him very kindly with great respect

    6. for war worried him not so much but winter was worse,

      This remind of when George Washington took his men on a boat and most of them ended up dying because of the weather rather than the other challenges along the way. Winter can be HARSH!

    7. embroidered and bound with the best gems on broad silken border,

      This reminds me of the other story we read on Sir Orfeo where their outfits were also described as being embroidered and bejeweled. It seems that this may have been very elegant back in the day.

    8. Ywain and Eric and others full many, Sir Dodinal le Sauvage, the Duke of Clarence, Lancelot and Lionel and Lucan the Good, Sir Bors and Sir Bedivere, big men both, and many other men, with Mador de la Porte.

      Is there a reason why all of these names were mentioned? are they really that relevant to this story?

    9. And thus wears the year into yesterdays many, and winter walks again, as the world’s way is, I gauge, till Michaelmas moon threatens a wintry age.

      Im confused. Theres a lot of description of the season so far, I'm wondering if this is a metaphor for something or is there a reason for this heavy in depth description?

    10. Where now your superiority and your conquests, your grinding down and your anger, your great words? Now is the revel and the renown of the Round Table overthrown with the word of a wanderer’s speech, for all duck down in dread without dint of a blow!’

      wow, he is really calling out Arthur and his men and pretty much calling them cowards. It seems that he is trying to rile them up

    11. I shall give him as gift this weapon so rich, this blade, that is heavy enough to handle as he likes, and I will bear the first blow, as bare as I sit.

      Pretty interesting gift, but it makes sense why this gift was given and it also is described to be a very powerful kind of gift

    12. a magnificent mantle above, masked within with pelts pared pertly, the garment agleam with blithe ermine full bright, and his hood both, that was left from his locks and laid on his shoulders; neat, well-hauled hose of that same green that clung to his calves and sharp spurs under of bright gold, on silk stockings rich-barred, and no shoes under sole where the same rides. And all his vesture verily was bright verdure, both the bars of his belt and other bright stones, that were richly rayed in his bright array about himself and his saddle, on silk work, it were tortuous to tell of these trifles the half, embroidered above with birds and butterflies, with gay gaudy of green, the gold ever inmost. The pendants of his harness, the proud crupper, his bridle and all the metal enamelled was then; the stirrups he stood on stained with the same, and his saddle bows after, and saddle skirts, ever glimmered and glinted all with green stones. The horse he rode on was also of that hue,

      All of this is a great use of imagery. Love the way that everything in this entire paragraph was described so beautifully

    13. embroidered, bright with the best gems that might be price-proved with pennies any a day.

      Great form on imagery. The description of their outfits sounds very lavish and high class. I know that embroidery, especially hand embroidery can be very expensive because it takes alot of time

    1. In the hope of freeing Launfal from his bonds, I have obeyed thy summons. Let now thy barons look boldly upon my face, and deal justly in this quarrel between the Queen and me.”

      This is very nice of her to do. This makes me respect her and it changes the way that I felt about her in the beginning of this story

    2. there came riding to the palace the flower of all the ladies of the world. She came mounted upon a palfrey, white as snow, which carried her softly, as though she loved her burthen. Beneath the sky was no goodlier steed, nor one more gentle to the hand. The harness of the palfrey was so rich, that no king on earth might hope to buy trappings so precious, unless he sold or set his realm in pledge

      Great form of imagery. She is being described beautifully

    3. Every day they came to his chamber, to know of his meat and drink, for much they feared that presently he would become mad.

      So they want to taunt him and yet they are scared that he is going to go mad? yeah well of course he might

    4. She lay sick upon her bed, from which, she said, she would never rise, till the King had done her justice, and righted this bitter wrong.

      Is she still giving him a chance to stop? Will she still be with him even after all of what he did and said?

    5. e, is so rich in state, that the very meanest of her maidens, excels you, Lady Queen, as much in clerkly skill and goodness, as in sweetness of body and face, and in every virtue.”

      Wow, this words can be very hurtful to hear. I can only imagine how she is feeling and the fact that the is openly able to say this about his mistress is just unreal.

    6. I lay this charge upon you, and pray you urgently, that you tell not to any man the secret of our love.

      First of all, its crazy that they went on and already did the do but then now their asked to keep their love a secrete by the lady. I don't like to judge people but the lady seems a bit on the wild side to me.

    7. This lord, who was forgotten and misliked of the King, was named Launfal. He was beloved by many of the Court, because of his beauty and prowess, for he was a worthy knight, open of heart and heavy of hand

      hmm. I wonder why a king described like that was so unliked and forgotten.

  2. earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com earlybritishlit.pressbooks.com
    1. In poverty to try thy door, To test thy faith and loyalty,

      Sir Orfeo was truly a loving man that would do anything for his queen. His love was tested but he did not give up and left everything behind. His faith kept him going in hopes that he would once get his queen back, which he finally did. This was a sweet love story

    2. ” Lo, see the man ! his hair is sprent Like moss about his shaggy head;   ” His beard is fallen to his feet Like weathered ivy tumbling down ! ”

      Great imagery. Makes the king really look and sad. Also ironic that he is in his own castle looking like a beggar