• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
      Professor Phillip Levine Discusses “A Problem of Fit”
    • CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
      CS Department shifts CS 111 course structure
    • WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
      WAMI and WRJ host discussion on criminalization of abortion
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
      Why Art Basel is partially responsible for Miami’s gentrification
    • It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
      It’s time to put traditional grading to the test
    • What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
      What can the fall of Z-library teach us about textbook accessibility?
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • No image
      Pentimento’s Open Mic is Like an Old Patchwork Quilt–Worn, Yet Cozy
    • No image
      Kanye’s Antisemitism Steps on his Shoe Brand
    • Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
      Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Sports and Wellness
    • Student-Athlete of October
      Student-Athlete of October
    • Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
      Athletics Update Oct. 19, 2022
    • The Case for Body Neutrality
      The Case for Body Neutrality
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
      Top 10 Girlbosses who aren’t alumnae, but I would totally believe you if you told me they were
    • Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
      Wendy Wellesley’s Thanksgiving Menu
    • The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
      The Snooze Awards for the Best Tanners of 2022
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Hanna Nicole Fernan Arts, ReviewsOctober 2, 2021

Why The Green Knight Divides Rather than Conquers

Dev Patel in "The Green Knight" (courtesy of Eric Zachanowich/A24 Films)

Out of all the films that delayed their releases in 2020, I was most anticipated to see David Lowery’s “The Green Knight,” as it appeared to be a very mysterious, extravagant yet eerie fantasy film from its trailers. I was slightly familiar with the original Arthurian poem, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” but I wanted to go into this film partially blind to not get caught up with constantly comparing it to the original story. Fortunately, I was able to watch “The Green Knight” through a virtual one-night-only showing, and it did not disappoint. 

The Arthurian tale basically follows Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) who strives for honor on his quest to confront the large mystical Green Knight (Ralph Ineson) after having decapitated him a year earlier. This film follows Gawain’s physical journey in finding the Green Knight at the Green Chapel, in addition to Gawain’s personal journey towards becoming a real knight, as highlighted by the film’s different chapters. 

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by “The Green Knight” in how it subverted my expectations and how unique it was to the medieval genre. It had vivid fantastical imagery, great performances by all actors (specifically Patel) and more notably, a slow dream-like appearance. This, alongside the film’s cryptic discussion of honor and fulfillment makes this tale less action-packed and more focused on the underlying motivations of a knight’s actions. 

As much as I loved this film’s thought-provoking and deliberate pace, it is also the main reason audiences are divided. By taking its time and often relying on ambiguity, “The Green Knight” can sometimes feel overwhelming and difficult to connect to. Instead of mainly fighting in extravagant battles, Gawain interacts with different people, giants, animals and other beings – interactions that all vary in significance and sometimes appear confusing. Moreover, the ambiguity that Lowery includes also deviates from the clarity in the original tale, as identities of characters and actual events are clearer in the original.  

Personally, I thought this slower, more thoughtful style was effective in highlighting the obstacles in Gawain’s self journey. This technique of showing rather than clearly explaining larger themes can be found in Lowery’s previous film, “A Ghost Story” (2017), which dealt with death and the struggle of letting go. The slow minimalist pace of “A Ghost Story” allowed the audience to interpret the story for themselves, which is what “The Green Knight” does in its ambiguity of Gawain’s journey. Lowery focuses on Gawain’s individual decisions (without being too obvious with what’s actually happening), letting the audience grapple with the importance of acceptance and legacy, the many costs of honor and even the role of mortality in this tale on their own. Regardless of how polarizing it is, “The Green Knight” is undoubtedly a unique film and a bold example of how different, unexpected adaptations can bring new and memorable significance to long-standing stories.

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous article“Beautiful World, Where Are You” Finds Meaning in the Mundane
Next articleStar Trek vs Star Wars: Do They Make You A Geek?

You may also like

Pentimento’s Open Mic is Like an Old Patchwork Quilt–Worn, Yet Cozy

Kanye’s Antisemitism Steps on his Shoe Brand

Lousy Realities: Luca Guadagnino (2015)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2023 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top