Critical Reading

The passage reveals that the Green Knight is unusual in appearance. He is enormous and
very tall in height. The poet describes him as “a mountain of a man, immeasurably high”
(Barron, 1998). These words show that his physique does not compare to that of an ordinary
being. He has some out of the earth qualities, which explains why the poet refers to him as “a
half-giant” (Barron, 1998). These words are used to show the reader that the Green Knight’s
body was very big. He is compared to a mountain of a man to show that he is a massive
character. Additionally, he is a unique character, as can be seen when the poet writes, “no soul
had ever seen a knight of such a kind” (Barron, 1998). These unique features show that he is not
from the ordinary human world. He is also described as being of emerald green. The color green
here could mean vegetation, life, or even fertility.
The written description of the Green Knight matches his appearance in the trailer. He is
described as emerald green, and he appears as green in the movie. He appears as a fearful form
and has root-like projections from the face and parts of the head. He even chops off his head and
still remains functional. He is scary, as described in the poem, and does not appear ordinary. He
appears as a very tall man with an extra-ordinarily big physique. When he enters the room,
everyone is shocked. The expressions on their faces indicate that they had never seen such a
creature. He is also holding a massive axe, and this shows his massive power and strength.
The poet employs alliteration widely in the passage. For instance, “or a most massive
man, the mightiest of mortals” (Barron, 1998). The use of these alliterative sounds creates a
rhythm that makes the poem interesting to read. As I read the above line, I focus my attention on
the particular words used and what they say about the Green Knight; from the words “massive

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and mightiest “, it becomes evident that the character is not an everyday human being. He
possesses unique features related to the size that an ordinary man lacks.

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References

Barron, W. R. J. (Ed.). (1998). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Manchester University Press.