I have now published a page for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight at my Stupor Mundi website.
Here’s my synopsis of the poem:
“The poem starts at Christmas at the court of King Arthur. A visitor comes to the hall, the Green Knight, and offers to let anyone strike him who will suffer a return blow a year and a day later. Sir Gawain accepts the challenge, beheads the Green Knight. However, the knight picks up his own head and reminds Gawain to come to his castle in a year and a day. The poem’s narrative then follows the journey of Gawain to the Green Knight’s castle and the events at the castle. The Green Knight shows Gawain great hospitality, and his wife, Lady Bertilak, offers her own form of hospitality as well. Gawain is torn between showing proper courtly responses to the lady’s come-ons and not offending his host. Eventually the day comes when Gawain must receive the return blow from the Green Knight.”
