The Celtic origins of Gawain and the Green Knight

Abstract

The influence of other works of literature on posterior creation has always been a subject of study in the field of literature. The Arthurian cycle is no exception, this medieval compendium of knightly stories has its roots in the Celtic tradition which has historically influenced the posterior works of the fantasy genre throughout the medieval period up to our contemporary days. In order to showcase the influence of the Celtic origins of the Arthurian tales and their importance in relation to the works themselves, this paper aims to analyze one of the tales of the Arthurian cycle, focusing on the sources in relation to the general plot, characters and appearance of fantastic elements in the text. For the purposes of this project, the tale Gawain and the Green Knight will be the subject of analysis, from which a chronological line can be found originating in the Irish tradition, through the Welsh, to the Anglo-Saxon Gawain. The results of this analysis will show a different approach to the contents of this epic poem which can only be inferred after taking into account the origin of the elements which appear in the text, bringing a new meaning and message to that which is transmitted by the story.