Friday, February 7, 2020

Storybook Plan!

I'm planning on using one source for all of my stories, Jessie Weston's translation. It's easily accesible and most importantly, it's the easiest version that I've come across in terms of understanding. Middle English is absolutely challenging! This version is excellent in terms of language adaptation, however, so I'm going to stick with it. I'm probably going to tell this with a third person narrator.

The story that I want to tell here is different here in terms of how the story is structured. A lot of his character is hinged greatly on valor and honor, it's part of the five points of his pentagram on his shield to be courteous and basically excellent at all times. I believe that I would like to start at the end of his journey, or at least have an introduction that alludes to the fact that he failed his thing with Lord Bertilak. Beginning with him withered and disappointed will help emphasize the difference between the man at the beginning that is lively and stronger, I guess for lack of a better word. There's not really any feasible way for me to retell the entire story, but I've broken it into a few key points.

The first story I would like to do is going to be the regular beginning of the story. It's Christmas and the Green Knight shows up, challenging anyone to a battle. Gawain takes the offer, beheads him in the fight, the knight picks up his head, tells him to look for him in a year, and departs. I would like to do this as short as I possibly could, skipping then to a year later. Remembering his promise, he leaves the court and goes to the castle.

The second story is probably going to be the one with Lady Bertilak trying to seduce Gawain. He rejects her advances, but agrees to the one kiss because chivalry. Gawain gives Lord Bertilak the kiss he received as part of their promise to exchange winnings. I might reference the other two kisses received, but I'm not set on making it a scene. He accepts the girdle and keeps it a secret. I'll have to mention the two days of hunting here as well.

I can't decide if I want to do three of four stories, but I think three will be fine. The Green Knight shows up and they have their little fight thing. He explains the reason that Gawain only received a scratch on his neck. He thinks highly of Gawain, though because he did fail to disclose the girdle, Gawain considers this a failure. I... I don't know if I want to mention the part about Morgan le Fay. Arthur considers the girdle/sash whatever as a token of his bravery and pride as a knight. No one knows that Gawain is deeply ashamed by all of this and having to see a reminder of his failure for the rest of his time alive is deeply shameful and haunting. Who could he tell about this? It would absolutely ruin his reputation as a knight. He keeps it a secret.


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Reading Notes: Household Stories of the Brother's Grimm B

Source: The Three Spinsters  from  Household Stories of the Brother's Grimm  translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane ...