Poetry Review: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Passus I, Stanza 3, Lines 37 through 59

Passus I, Stanza 3, Lines 37 through 59:

Modern English:
This king lay at Camelot at Christmastide;
Many good knights and gay his guests were there,
Arrayed of the Round Table rightful brothers,
With feasting and fellowship and carefree mirth.
There true men contended in tournaments many,
Joined there in jousting these gentle knights,
Then came to the court for carol-dancing,
For the feast was in force full fifteen days,
With all the meat and the mirth that men could devise,
Such gaiety and glee, glorious to hear,
Brave din by day, dancing by night.
High were their hearts in halls and chambers,
These lords and these ladies, for life was sweet.
In peerless pleasures passed they their days,
The most noble knights known under Christ,
And the lovelies ladies that lived on earth ever,
And he the comeliest king, that that court holds,
For all this fair folk in their first age
were still.
Happiest of moral kind,
King noblest famed of will;
You would now go far to find
So hardy a host on hill.

Summary:
This “king lay at Camelot at Christmastide” (37) The word “lay” means the king lies in a recumbent posture at “Camelot at Christmastide,” Christmastime (37). Camelot is the capital of Arthur’s kingdom, located in southwest England or southern Wales. The gay knights and guests join King Arthur around the Round Table. According to legend, Merlin made the Round Table after a dispute broke out among Arthur’s knights about precedence. The Round Table seated one hundred knights. The table described in the poem is not round. The knights and guest were there for “feasting and fellowship and carefree mirth” (40). The term “carefree mirth” means free from care or anxiety to express pleasurable feeling, enjoyment, gratification, joy and happiness.

“True men contented in tournaments” (41). The term “true men” men who are steadfast in adherence to a commander or friend, to a principle or cause, to one's promises, faith, firm in allegiance, faithful, loyal, constant and trusty. The men joined in “jousting these gentle knights” (42). The word “jousting” means a combat in which two knights or men-at-arms on horseback encountered each other with lances, more specifically a combat of this kind for exercise or sport. The jousting tournament is a series of such encounters, as a spectacular display. The reference to “gentle knights” means knights well-born, belonging to a family of position, originally used synonymously with noble. A knight that has the rank or status of ‘gentleman’, the distinguishing mark of which is the right to bear arms. The jousting tournaments consisted of the “true men” against the “gentle knights.” After the jousting tournament, they “came to the court for carol-dancing” (43). The term “carol-dancing” means a ring-dance with accompaniment of song, a ring of men or women holding hands and moving round in dancing step.

The description of the “feast was in force full fifteen days” (44). The fifteen day feast includes all “the meat and the mirth” (45). The word “mirth” means pleasurable feeling enjoyment, gratification, joy, and happiness. The feast included “gaiety and glee” (46). The term “gaiety and glee” means the condition of being gay, cheerfulness with gratification and enjoyment, and entertainment, play and sport. The feast also included “dancing” (47). In the 14th Century, guests and knights would perform a ring-dance with accompaniment of song, a ring of men or women holding hands and moving round in dancing step. During these fifteen days of feasting, their hearts were high for “these lords and these ladies” (49). In “peerless pleasures,” in unequaled pleasures, they “passed … their days” (50). The guests were the “most-noble knights known under Christ” (51). The ladies were the “loveliest ladies that lived on earth” (52). The king was the “comeliest“ (53). The reference to the king as the “comeliest” is applied in courtesy to those of noble station, and refers to their pleasing or agreeable morality, to notions of propriety, or æsthetic taste, becoming, decent, proper, seemly and decorous disposition.

The guests were the “Happiest of mortal kind” (56). The word “mortal” means a person who is destined to die, a human being. The “King noblest famed of will” (57). The word “will” means the king was the noblest king and was famed or famous for achieving his desires, wishes, and longings. The reader “would … go far to find (58)/ “So hardy a host on hill” (59). The poet addresses the reader directly, and tells the reader that he or she will not find such a strong, enduring and tough host on a hill. In the 14th Century, kings and nobility often resided on a hill for protection. If an enemy advances towards the hill, those on the hill will see them in advance and be forewarned and prepared.