Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a Romance PAPER
You will write a FIVE PARAGRAPH PAPER, proving that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Burton Raffel, is decisively a romance. You will have an introduction, three body paragraphs using three points of the romance, and a conclusion.
In each body paragraph, you must fully set up and explain your example(s) that proves Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a romance.
You are allowed to use this sheet with the definition of a romance on it as well as your book and study guide.
Elements of a Romance:
A romance is a fictional narrative that is set in the past and that deals with the adventures of a hero. It deals with people, events, and places that are unreal, out of the ordinary or idealized. It emphasizes adventure, surprising incidents, and improbable situations. A romance:
a. embodies the ideals of chivalry
(keeps oath; shows courage; sense of honor; mannerly; humility and honesty; loyalty to God, master, lady; demonstrates piety; quest; respects women/courtly love; follows rules of warfare)
b. set in a remote time and place
c. emphasized rank and social distinction
d. conveys a sense of the supernatural/fantastic/unreal
e. presents a hero engaged in pure adventure
f. includes love as a major plot element
g. features spontaneous, unmotivated fighting
h. events and characters come in sets of three.
i. women are often represented as maidens, mothers, temptresses, or crones.
j. has a loose structure lacking unity
k. involves a quest.
Outline
I. Introduction
Remember to go from general to specific. Start with a hook (1-2 sentences) before telling me the title and author of the piece (1 sentence). Provide a synopsis (1-2 sentences) and briefly explain romance (1 sentence). See the sample thesis:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by Burton Raffel, is decisively a romance because it demonstrates chivalry, it is set in a remote time and place, and it involves a quest.
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Thesis: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Body Par. ONE-Topic Sentence 1: Example-First, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight proves to be a romance for many characters demonstrate chivalrous behavior.
Topic Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Example/Explication 2___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________Concluding Sentence/Transition: Example-The romantic poem abounds with chivalrous acts.
Closing sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Body Par. TWO
Topic Sentence:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example/Explication1__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example/Explication 2___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Closing Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Body Par. THREE
Topic Sentence:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example/Explication1__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example/Explication 2___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Closing Sentence: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion: You need two to three sentences. Restate the thesis in a different way. Answer the “So what?” question.
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