The Green Knight 1 Print

The Green Knight is a character from the 14th Century Arthurian poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and is so called because his skin and clothes are green. The meaning of this greenness has puzzled scholars since the discovery of the poem. Some identify him as the Green Man, a vegetation being of medieval art, others as a figure from Celtic mythology, a pagan Christian symbol - the personified Devil. His major role in Arthurian literature is as a judge and tester of knights. Many Minsters and Cathedrals including Southwell Minster have Green Man carvings on their walls, often depicted as human faces surrounded by leaves and foliage. There have been many interpretations of the Green Man carvings, including a symbol of our reliance on nature and where the Green Man sprouts leaves and branches from its mouth, a reminder that death awaits everyone and new life sprouts from our remains. In modern day culture we have the Green Movement which reminds us of our responsibilities for the stewardship of our planet. Whatever their meaning, Green Characters have been with us all through time and this is one of my interpretations of the Green Knight of Arthurian Legend.