Jessie Laidlay Weston était une érudite indépendante et une folkloriste, principalement axée sur les textes médiévaux arthurien. Son œuvre plonge dans les profondeurs des légendes et des mythes, explorant les thèmes du sacrifice et du déni à travers une analyse méticuleuse d'œuvres médiévales. L'approche de Weston était ancrée dans une étude dévouée, visant à découvrir les significations cachées et les résonances culturelles de ces récits anciens. Son dévouement tout au long de sa vie éclaire l'attrait durable du folklore arthurien et son importance dans le patrimoine littéraire et folklorique.
This collection features a curated selection of timeless classics, ranging from ancient texts to modern masterpieces. It honors the pioneers and legends of literature, showcasing their significant contributions to the literary landscape. Readers can explore a diverse array of works that celebrate the richness and depth of storytelling across different eras.
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. A green horse great and tall; A steed full stiff to guide, In broidered bridle all He worthily bestrides Dating from around 1400 and composed by an anonymous writer, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was first translated and published almost 200 years ago. Its epic nature has not been dimmed by time: the classic story of a knight on a green steed challenging Sir Gawain to a monumental wager, it is a strange tale full of decapitations, seduction and magic. Soon to be brought to the big screen, Sir Gawain is one of the earliest great stories of English literature.
A study of the Grail legend explores the saga's Gnostic roots and its relationship to ancient nature cults that associated the physical condition of the king with the productivity of the land.
While the knights of King Arthur's Round Table are toasting the new year, a colossal stranger clad in green armor bursts in to deliver a formidable challenge: Any of them may strike off the intruder's head as long as he is prepared to receive a similar blow from the Green Knight in one year. Of all the gallant knights in the assembly, only Sir Gawain—brave, gallant, and true to his word—is willing to answer the dare. So begins this gem of medieval English literature, which traces Gawain's adventures as he endeavors to fulfill his pledge. Dating from the late fourteenth century or earlier, the story blends paganistic elements with Christian ethics to celebrate the virtue of forgiveness, thus forming a classic example of the chivalric tradition. This edition presents the legend in two forms: in prose and in verse, both translated by the distinguished scholar Jessie Weston.
This collection of Arthurian tales, not found in Malory's famous book, includes the story of Sir Gawain and his quest for the Grail Castle. Weston's lyrical translations capture the magic and mystery of the Arthurian world, making this book a must-read for fans of medieval literature.