Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong cover image

The Green Knight: History, Myth, and Modern Shame -- A Historian's View

Historiansplaining: A historian tells you why everything you know is wrong

CHAPTER

The Green Knight and the Green Knight's Challenge

When the green knight lays down his challenge and none of the knights initially are willing to take it up, this shows a real weakness at the foundation of camelot's ruling power. So gawayne wants to finish the job once and for all. And he does so in the sense that he does successfully behead the green knight. But he doesn't know that the green knight is apparently unkillable. He cannot lose face and lose honor by chickening out and failing to accept his side of the bargain. This will undermine the honor, the prestige, the authority of camelot. With a position at the top of society, a position of honor, there comes constant pressure to maintain and

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