Books with title Sir Gawain and Green Knight 011090

Brave, chivalrous, loyally faithful to his plighted word, scrupulously heedful of his own and others' honour, Gawain stands before us in this poem. We take up Malory or Tennyson, and in spite of their charm of style, in spite of the halo of religious mysticism in which they have striven to enwrap their characters, we lay them down with a feeling of dissatisfaction.

The world's greatest classics retold for children. A horrific apparition interrupts the Christmas festivities at King Arthur's Camelot. A green giant throws down a deadly challenge: one of the gathering must cut off his head, after which he will return the favour in a year's time! King Arthur must accept this challenge or appear a coward, but it's left to young Sir Gawain to act. Gawain chops off the giant's head and, horror of horrors, the giant strides over to pick up his head, which then begins to speak. He holds Sir Gawain to his promise and rides off into the wintry night. A year passes and Gawain sets off with terrible dread to find the Green Knight and keep to his side of the bargain. Can he avoid his certain doom?