Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Summary Lines 491 to 763

1.      The narrator says the game between Gawain and the Knight was Arthur's New Year’s present. After that day the seasons quickly changed and then it was summer.

2.      The summer changes to the harvesting season and then back to winter on the Feast of St. Michael.

3.       Everybody prepared for Gawain to leave to find the Green Knight, everybody was sadden by this but covered it with humor. After the feast Gawain tells Arthur that it was time for him to leave, he took council with many reputable knights they were secretly sadden to see him go, but Gawain put on a cheery face and said that it was time for him to meet his fate.   

4.      The next day he put on all of his armor and weapons which the narrator described in great detail.

5.      Dressed in his armor he attended mass and then went to Arthur and his court-companions in order to take his leave. Gawain then went to his horse, Gringolet, who was well groomed and wearing armor as well.

6.      Arthur gives Gawain a shield with a gold pentangle on one side and the virgin Mary on the other. Each of the five points of the pentangle, which is described as an “endless knot”, represents a set of Gawain’s virtues.

7.      Gawain’s virtues are comprised of his five senses, his five fingers, his fidelity founded on the five wounds of Christ, his force founded on the five joys of Mary, and the five knightly virtues. Gawain then said his good byes.

8.      After Gawain had left on his horse the people started to discuss their grief. They said how upsetting it was that a good man like Gawain had to die because of some silly Christmas game, then they cried for him.

9.      After Gawain set out he soon realized how difficult and lonely the journey was going to be. He went into the wilderness which the narrator describes as “Few there were loved by God or men of goodwill.” Every person he saw he would ask if they knew the whereabouts of the green knight or chapel, which all said no.

10.   Gawain climbed over rough slopes, crossed many rivers, and fought many foes. Worst of all was the weather, the hale was so bad he had to sleep in his armor in order to stay safe. It was so hard for him that he prayed to Mary to lead him to a warm place to stay.

11.   It was Christmas day and Gawain was riding through the woods, When he started to beg God and Mary to let him go to a holy place in order to attend mass. He then repented in hopes that god would grant him his wish.