The knights Galahad and Gawain Essay Example for Free

The knights Galahad and Gawain Essay These two came from rather different backgrounds, yet there are similarities in that they both spent considerable time in search of the holy grail – a vessel or plate used a the last supper. Nowadays if we say we are looking for the holy grail we mean the almost unobtainable , perfect solution, but these were looking for a real, in their eyes at least, object, that really could be found if one’s character was perfect. Galahad was the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine, and grew up in a nunnery. Merlin prophesied that Galahad would outdo his father’s deeds of bravery. In Malory’s   ‘Le Morte d’Arthur he is considered to be very pious and to this is imputed his success. He does not speak much to others, is totally chaste and must have seemed aloof, almost inhuman too good to be true. He eventually finds the grail, and because of his sinless life is   taken up to heaven. Gawain is a much more human character that we can better understand According to Welsh sources he was the son of king Lot and younger brother of Galahad, who has a rather different personality. He is portrayed as loyal and brave, helpful to others, but also rather brash. He is a ladies man, unlike the celibate Galahad. He is also said to have been a great healer and defender of the poor. For some reason his strength was said to vary considerably – perhaps this reflects the idea that his life wasn’t always pure. His character varies from a pure knight in the 12th century stories to an altogether more unpleasant version in later stories such as ‘Gawain and the Green knight’ from the second half of the 14th century, in which he is said to be a philanderer and one who doesn’t keep his word. Despite this he is associated in Welsh with the ancient Celtic sun god. Whether or not there really was an Arthur and his knights we cannot tell, but reading the stories we all know people like Gawain, complex characters, who vary in their personality from time to time. The saintly Galahad, man apparently without fault, is a much rarer find. Bibliography Drabble,M. editor, The Oxford Companion to English Literature, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996 Malory,T.   Le Morte d’Arthur first published   Caxton, 1485 Electronic Sources Arthur and Arthurian Legend http://membres.lycos.fr/pfv/ukversion.shtml Early British Kingdoms, found 2nd May 2007 at http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/bios/gwalchgn.html

Hrothgar spake, helmet-of-Scyldings :: Poetry Poems Essays

Hrothgar spake, helmet-of-Scyldings: "Ask not of pleasure! Pain is renewed to Danish folk. Dead is Aeschere, of Yrmenlaf the elder brother, my sage adviser and stay in council, shoulder-comrade in stress of fight when warriors clashed and we warded our heads, hewed the helm-boars; hero famed should be every earl as Aeschere was! But here in Heorot a hand hath slain him of wandering death-sprite. I wot not whither,[1] proud of the prey, her path she took, fain of her fill. The feud she avenged that yesternight, unyieldingly, Grendel in grimmest grasp thou killedst, -- seeing how long these liegemen mine he ruined and ravaged. Reft of life, in arms he fell. Now another comes, keen and cruel, her kin to avenge, faring far in feud of blood: so that many a thane shall think, who e'er sorrows in soul for that sharer of rings, this is hardest of heart-bales. The hand lies low that once was willing each wish to please. Land-dwellers here[2] and liegemen mine, who house by those parts, I have heard relate that such a pair they have sometimes seen, march-stalkers mighty the moorland haunting, wandering spirits: one of them seemed, so far as my folk could fairly judge, of womankind; and one, accursed, in man's guise trod the misery-track of exile, though huger than human bulk. Grendel in days long gone they named him, folk of the land; his father they knew not, nor any brood that was born to him of treacherous spirits. Untrod is their home; by wolf-cliffs haunt they and windy headlands, fenways fearful, where flows the stream from mountains gliding to gloom of the rocks, underground flood. Not far is it hence in measure of miles that the mere expands, and o'er it the frost-bound forest hanging, sturdily rooted, shadows the wave. By night is a wonder weird to see, fire on the waters. So wise lived none of the sons of men, to search those depths! Nay, though the heath-rover, harried by dogs, the horn-proud hart, this holt should seek, long distance driven, his dear life first on the brink he yields ere he brave the plunge to hide his head: 'tis no happy place! Thence the welter of waters washes up wan to welkin when winds bestir evil storms, and air grows dusk, and the heavens weep. Now is help once more with thee alone! The land thou knowst not, place of fear, where thou findest out that sin-flecked being. Seek if thou dare! I will reward thee, for waging this fight, with ancient treasure, as erst I did, with winding gold, if thou winnest back." [1] He surmises presently where she is. [2] The connection is not difficult. The words of mourning, of acute grief, are said; and according to Germanic sequence of thought, inexorable here, the

Paper vs Plastic

Compare plastic bags to other alternative packaging, they are actually more environmentally friendly. They are lightweight, waterproof, hygienic and totally recyclable. They can be reused and they are made from a by-product of refining oil into petrol, so there is no waste from raw material. The plastic bags produce no greenhouse gases and less energy needed in the production. Through a lifecycle energy analysis, plastic is the better bag. At current recycling rates two plastic bag use less energy and produce less solid, atmospheric, and waterborne waste than a single paper bag.It found paper bags to have a more severe environmental impact in 7 out of the 8 impact categories. Paper bags were found to be particularly harmful with respect to eutrophication of water bodies, water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and production of solid waste. Plastic bag VS Paper bag 1. The paper bag unit is about twice as energy intensive as a plastic bag unit. Paper 5 2. The weight of material us ed for paper bags is about 4 times greater than the weight of material used for plastic bags. 3.The paper bag is 6 times heavier than the plastic bag and occupies roughly 10 times more space than plastic bags. 4. Plastic one trip bags have a lower environmental impact than paper one trip bags. Paper bags generate 70% more airborne pollution and 30 times more waterborne pollution than plastic bags. 5. The use and reuse of the plastic carrier bags: The supermarket carrier bag to be the most popular plastic bag to reuse. It is good news for environment for it will help to reduce the amount of waste we throw away. . Paper bags are 85 times more energy needed for recycling compared with plastic bags. 7. Degradability versus sustainability: All degradability involves the total loss of the basic materials and the creation of both the land and airborne pollution. Plastic films help to stabilize landfill and will not produce the ground-water system or the atmosphere. Paper in today's landfil ls doesn’t degrade or break down at a substantially faster rate than plastic ones

Three Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by...

Three Important Symbols in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams In Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie, the narrator is used to reveal elements of Williams own life as a victim of the Depression in the 1930s. Williams does this through his eloquent use of symbolism. Three symbols seem to reveal Williams intent especially accurately; the unicorn, the picture of Mr. Wingfield, and Malvolios coffin trick. The unicorn is a symbolic representation of ways that Laura is unique or unusual. The first facet of the unicorn, its horn, refers to ways that Laura is an unusual person, such as in her may escape mechanisms. Lauras escape devices include her glass menagerie, listening to records on the†¦show more content†¦The Victrola is a reminder of Mr. Wingfield; Laura often plays records to avoid the present and thinks pleasantly about the times she had with her father. When Laura stopped going to Rubicams Business College, she would spend many of her days at the zoo or park. She was a nature lover and thought of these places as very peaceful and beautiful, a sharp contrast to her real life. The fragility of the unicorn, its second part, recalls Lauras delicate psychological condition. Lauras emotional problems caused many difficulties in her life. While in high school, Laura was very self-conscious about the brace she had to wear, as evidenced in the following passage: Laura: I had that brace on my leg -- it clumped so loud! Jim: I never heard any clumping. Laura: To me it sounded like -- thunder! Jim: Well, well, well, I never even noticed. Laura: And everybody was seated before I came in. I had to walk in front of all those people. My seat was in the back row. I had to go clumping all the way up the aisle with everyone watching! Jim: You shouldnt have been self-conscious. Laura: I know, but I was (93). Laura suffered all the way through high school. Unfortunately, she scored poorly on her final examinations and dropped out of school. 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