Throughout the semester, we had read many stories and poems written many hundred years ago. Some stories focused on war, magic, religion, and nobility, while others focused on love, power, kings and knights. Such stories are Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell.

Beowulf is known to be the oldest long poem written in English. Many believe it was written more than twelve hundred years ago, or even as old as the late tenth century.The poem focuses on many religious symbols, both Christian and pagan. It makes many references to the Old Testament and focuses on fate . In the poem, we read about Beowulf's many encounters with monsters and dragons and his heroic way of life.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is thought to be written around 1375-1400. This story focuses on romance, nobility and the supernatural. In this story, we see how noble and couragous the knights of King Arthur's Round Table are, more specifically Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain is tested through the temptation of a beautiful lady and his bravery and honesty are tested as well.

In the romantic story of The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell, we again see the nobility of Sir Gawain to his king. King Arthur life is in danger and in order for his to be spared he must find the answer to the question, "What do women most desire?" His only choice is to marry off Sir Gawain to a loathly, old lady(who knows the answer and propositions King Arthur...the answer for Sir Gawain's hand in marriage). Sir Gawain, because of his strong nobility to his king, agrees to marry a hideous, old woman to save King Arthur.

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