This project looks at this manlike form of monster in two anonymous works of the medieval English Alliterative Revival. The figure of the giant has a long history in literature, from the Bible to classical epic poetry to the chanson de geste tradition of the Middle Ages. The analysis of the language of violence can both invoke the maintenance of broader chivalric norms and revise associations of genre-specific vocabulary. If a romance invokes the Passion of Christ in the wounds of secular battle, what is the nature of its chivalric protagonists? Can a romance be said to express “national” interests in its depiction of warfare? How does violence reaffirm and discuss the behaviour of chivalric “individuals”? My research looks specifically at how Arthurian romances such as the alliterative "Morte Arthure" and "Lancelot of the Laik" are shaped by the culture of chivalry and an awareness of the ways in which religious, historical and romance texts express pain and injuring. In particular, I study the borrowing of violent language between literatures, and its impact on the meaning and generic tone of the texts. This thesis explores the language of these representations in Middle English literature, from British chronicles to affective Passion narratives, in order to analyse the combat and warfare of Arthurian romances in their literary and social context. Understanding the representations of violence in Middle English romance is key to understanding the texts themselves the authors were aware of the cultural and spiritual resonances of violent language, and they often utilised their potential to direct their own meaning. It is also an unsurpassed glimpse of attitudes toward late-fourteenth century English court culture, as well as being a literary reflection of it. The poem, comprising (in modern editions) four distinct parts (or “fitts”) in 2,531 lines, contains all of the expected elements of the chivalric quest narrative-the grave challenge and intrepid response, the journey into the unknown and toward self-discovery, the pleasure of amorous pursuits, the combination of martial prowess and religious faith-while also calling into question many conventions and ideals of the romance tradition. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, while neither the first nor the last Arthurian romance of medieval England, is undoubtedly its most polished, accomplished, and courtly emanation. Although the genre came late to England, it quickly became as popular there as on the continent, spurring numerous imitations of French precursors, as well as some truly original works. These Arthurian romances came, in the Middle Ages and in endless variations down to the present day, to be the tales most closely associated with the world of knightly heroism, and Arthur, Lancelot, Guinevere, Camelot, and the Holy Grail have become forever linked with the chivalric quest. Although romances were written concerning early French heroes such as Charlemagne and Roland, and heroes of Antiquity such as Alexander the Great, the most popular and lasting form proved to be those associated with the “Matter of Britain,” or the world of King Arthur and the Round Table. It is somewhat ironic that many of the characters and settings most associated with French chivalric literature were British in origin. The tales and songs that were told about brave cavaliers and their deeds became popular first in France, and these tales in time made their way to England. The word chivalry entered Middle English in the fourteenth century as a borrowing of the Old French word chevalerie, which referred to knighthood or cavalry, and literally meant soldiers who rode on the back of a horse (Fr. The Chivalric Quest: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The chivalric quest is arguably the literary genre best associated with medieval literature, containing elements of feudal society, knightly combat, courtly love, noble sacrifice and religious introspection.
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