Book Summary: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Gawain-poet, Chapter 14

Summary:
The rider explains "to fight is far from my thought" (279). After all, "on these benches" there is nothing more than "beardless children," immature youth. The rider claims that if he "were here in full arms on a haughty steed," a lofty and disdainful horse (281), "For measured against mine, their might is puny," junior (282). The rider responds arrogantly with another statement that to fight these "beardless children" would be absurd (280). However, the rider calls "in this court for a Christmas game" (283) "For 'tis Yule and New Year, and many young bloods about, for it is Christmas and New Year, and many young bloods about," inexperienced youths about (284). Since there is nothing but young blood about, a Christmas game will suffice.

The rider makes a dare, will " any" person "in this house" make "such hardihood claims," audacity to demand as one's own due or to seek or ask for on the ground of right (285). The rider dares the guest by asking if there is any person "so bold in his blood, his brain so wild," be so stout-hearted, courageous, daring and fearless in his blood, his brain so uncontrollable, without restraint, flighty, reckless and careless to accept his dare? (286). The rider explains the dare is to "stoutly to strike one stroke for another," bravely and vigorously to strike one stroke for another. The rider deems that if there is someone willing to accept his dare he "shall give him as [his] gift this gisarme noble," gift this distinguished by virtue of splendor and stateliness of appearance this gisarme, a battle-axe or halberd, having a long blade in line with the shaft, sharpened on both sides and ending in a point (288). A "halberd" is a military weapon, a combination of spear and battle-axe, consisting of a sharp-edged blade ending in appoint, and a spear-head, mounted on a handle five to seven feet long. The rider describes the gisarme as an "ax that is heavy enough to handle as he likes" (289).

The rider offers to "bide the first blow," wait for the first blow (290). The person who accepts the dare shall take the first blow, and the rider shall be "as bare" or naked "as [he] sits" (290). The horseman asks if "there be one so willful my words to assay," is there anyone willful enough to try, put my words to the test? (291). If there is such a person who will accept "let him leap hither," let him come forward, and "lay hold of this weapon" (292). The gisarme is the award for accepting his dare. As well, he offers to "quitclaim it forever," to formally relinquish any and all legal claim to the gisarme (293). The person who accepts the dare shall "keep [the gisarme] as his own" (293). The rider states that he "shall stand him a stroke," give the accepter of the dare the first stroke (294). The rider explains that he shall be "steady on this floor," firm in standing and movement, not tottering, rocking or shaking on this floor (294).

If a person shall accept this dare, they must "grant [the rider] the guerdon to give him another blow" grant the rider the reward and recompense to give the acceptor of the dare "another blow," the next strike with the ax (295). The acceptor of the dare shall give the rider the next strike with the as "sans blame," without blame (296). The rider shall be granted such a strike "In a twelvemonth and a day," in twelve month and one day (297). The rider "shall" be granted the "same," shall be granted the same strike of the ax against the acceptor (298). The rider states "Now be is seen straightway," now who is going to accept the dare immediately, without delay, at once? (299). The rider asks "Who dares take up the game?" (300)

Modern English Translation:

"Nay, to fight, in good faith, is far from my thought;

There are about on these benches but beardless children,

Were I here in full arms on a haughty steed,

For measured against mine, their might is puny.

And so I call in this court for a Christmas game,

For 'tis Yule and New Year, and many young bloods about;

If any in this house such hardihood claims,

Be so bold in his blood, his brain so wild,

As stoutly to strike one stroke for another,

I shall give him as my gift this gisarme noble,

This ax, that is heavy enough, to handle as he likes,

And I shall bide the first blow, as bare as I sit.

If there be one so willful my words to assay,

Let him leap hither lightly, lay hold of this weapon;

I quitclaim it forever, keep it as his own,

And I shall stand him a stroke, steady on this floor,

So you grant me the guerdon to give him another,

Sans blame.

In a twelvemonth and a day

He shall have of me the same;

Now be it seen straightway

Who dares take up the game."

Middle English Manuscript:
'Nay, frayst I no fy3t, in fayth I þe telle,
Hit arn aboute on þis bench bot berdlez chylder.
If I were hasped in armes on a he3e stede,
Here is no mon me to mach, for my3tez so wayke.
Forþy I craue in þis court a Crystemas gomen,
For hit is 3ol and Nwe 3er, and here ar 3ep mony:
If any so hardy in þis hous holdez hymseluen,
Be so bolde in his blod, brayn in hys hede,
Þat dar stifly strike a strok for an oþer,
I schal gif hym of my gyft þys giserne ryche,
Þis ax, þat is heué innogh, to hondele as hym lykes,
And I schal bide þe fyrst bur as bare as I sitte.
If any freke be so felle to fonde þat I telle,
Lepe ly3tly me to, and lach þis weppen,
I quit-clayme hit for euer, kepe hit as his auen,
And I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on þis flet,
Ellez þou wyl di3t me þe dom to dele hym an oþer
barlay,
And 3et gif hym respite,
A twelmonyth and a day;
Now hy3e, and let se tite
Dar any herinne o3t say.'

Work Cited:

Manuscript:
Pearl, Cleanness, Patience, and Sir Gawain reproduced in facsimile from MS. Cotton Nero A. x with Introduction by Sir I. Gollancz, E.E.T.S. 162, 1923.

Editions:
Syr Gawayne, ed. Sir F. Madden, Bannatyne Club, 1839.

Sir Gawayne and The Green Knight, ed. R. Morris, E.E.T.S. 4, 1864, revd. Sir I. Gollancz 1897 and 1912.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, ed. J. R. R. Tolkien and E. V. Gordon, Oxford, 1925.

The Poems of the Pearl Manuscript: Pearl, Cleanness, Patience, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Eds. Malcom Andrew, and Ronald Waldron. Exeter: U of Exeter, 1987.

"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, The Middle Ages. 8^th ed. Vol. A. Eds. Alfred David, and James Simpson. New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006. 160-213.

Oxford English Dictionary Online. 2nd ed. 1989. Lane Library, Ripon College, Ripon, WI.