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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 7 page paper which examines the beheading motifs in each and discusses why beheading was the means of execution in each work. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Page Count:
7 pages (~225 words per page)
File: TG15_TGgawleg.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
The tales that employ Gothic motifs seem to retain their appeal because they captivate readers attentions and stimulate their imaginations, as well as fuel their desire to understand the
meaning behind them. Such imagery is not haphazardly created by the author, for often, the success or failure of the story rests upon the believability of the theme(s) it
symbolizes. The Medieval poem, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" was composed by an anonymous author sometime during the twelfth century, when gallant knights were either engaged in jousting
competitions or rescuing damsels in distress. Central to its understanding is the contest, or "Beheading Game," which occurs early in the poem. Many years later, American author Washington
Irvings short story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" featured a Headless Horseman that was reminiscent of the decapitated Green Knight in "Sir Gawain." Though written in very different time
periods, these works both innovatively emphasize the beheading motif to convey surprisingly similar messages. In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," the beheading occurs during a game of challenge or
competition between two knights that was common during the Medieval era and was appears frequently in Celtic folktales. Sir Gawain is the nephew of King Arthur, a brave young
man who is eager to demonstrate his physical prowess. His antagonist is a mysterious stranger who is known only as the Green Knight. To usher in the New
Year, these combatants eagerly engaged in the "Beheading Game," in which after the first blow was delivered, a second and equal joust must be offered by the opponent "In a
twelvemonth and a day" (1372 297), that is, of course, unless the knight was beheaded by the sword. After the contestants had taken their places, "Gawain grips to
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