Masterpiece of Medieval Lit Comes to the Silver Screen

 The Green Knight

Starring Dev Patel, Directed by David Lowery 

Based on the Medieval Literary Masterpiece Featuring

King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table


Originally published in the 1300s Sir Gwain and the Green Knight has been translated and updated into modern English and produced several times into major motion pictures, the latest of which stars Dev Patel with David Lowry directing.  The story starts out with Sir Gwain who is the nephew of King Arthur.  We are in Camelot, it’s around Christmas time and there’s a big feast.  Dev Patel, who plays Sir Gwain, the main character is a young man who likes to chase girls and get drunk.  He's among the legends of the round table, and he's about to be challenged!

The Green Knight movie stars Dev Patel and was directed by David Lowrey.

The are two plot lines in the story, the first is what's was called a beheading game and the second is an the exchange winnings. These are both medieval literary plots that would have been well know to the affluent members of King Arthur’s court and his Knights of the Round Table.  It's very helpful to read the book before seeing the movie and read the Wikipedia page to get some context.  The book is only about 55 pages, written in alliterative verse.  I recommend reading the version translated from the olde English by Marie Rossoff in the 1960.  This is one of the greatest masterpieces every written in the English language, and it’s full of beautiful dialog and imagery, courtly manners, feasting, several smaller stories set within the main story.  There's a good deal of violence, adventure, a coming of age quest, hunting, bawdy double entendres, and deep insights into life in 1300s England.


This is the recommended edition of the book, which was translated from the olde English by Marie Borroff and published in the 1960.  At 55 pages it's an easy read.

The movie stays true to the book’s plot but does take some liberty (to good effect) by emphasizing the supernatural and sexual elements, and of course beautiful cinematic technique.  I highly recommend this book and movie combo.


Watch the No-Spoiler Video Review of The Green Knight on 

the Sea Stories and Science Fiction YouTube Channel



Link to Amazon - Sir Gwain and Green Knight Translated by Marie Borroff



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