"...was there not some Middle English poem about a Green Knight? He now thought he recalled reading a translation of it when he was at Cambridge. What was the story? Arthur’s knights are at the Round Table when a huge entirely green knight appears and challenges one of them to cut off his head, after promising to visit the knight for a return match in his own realm on the same day next year. Gawain takes up the challenge and cuts off the knight’s head. The knight picks up his head and holds it up in his hand and reminds Gawain of his promise. Next year Gawain sets out gloomily to meet his adversary, but loses his way and is entertained at a castle by a Lady whose husband is out hunting. The Lady tempts Gawain but he resists her charms. At last he gives in as far as to accept the significant gift of her green girdle. He leaves the castle and finds the meeting-place, the Green Knight appears with his axe. Gawain, expecting instant death, kneels down, the axe descends – but makes only a small superficial wound upon his extended neck. The knight, who is of course the Lady’s husband, congratulates Gawain on his courage, but chides him for his moral failure in accepting the girdle, for which he has mercifully received only a mild punishment. Gawain declares he will wear the girdle forever after as a token of his sin, in giving way to temptation and staining his perfect chastity."
five named chapters, ?161 subsections
characters 1,054,541
words 193,679
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| Anax, based on Conradi's Cloudy |
 |
| Polish Rider |
Joan Blacket, bad girl, middle-aged widow, lives in Paris 3 yrs, haggard beauty, tall redhead, abandoned by husband 13yrs before after 6yrs
Louise Anderson, good girl, middle-aged widow, brunette
Edward ‘Teddy’ Anderson, Louise's late husband
Anax, a gray collie given up by Bellamy
Bellamy James, aka 'the chaplain'
Alethea 'Aleph' Anderson, beautiful
Sophia 'Sefton' Anderson, short jagged red-brown hair and green-brown hazel eyes
Moira 'Moy' Anderson
Harvey Blacket, 18yo son of Joan
Clement 'Harlequin' Graffe, brother of Lucas, eternally youthful
Lucas Graffe, killed a man a few months back
Tessa Millen
Clive and Emil
Peter Mir
Rosemary Adwarden
Chapter 1 - Ideal Children [October, Kensington Gardens]
Y11: 'Once upon a time
"une vie de bâton de chaise" = a life of debauchery and pleasure, chaotic and without order.
Y12: '"I feel your arms
'Well then, I dare you
The human fish experience
Bellamy was saying
'You start, Moy
A little later
My dear son
My dear Father Damien
[Browning] [Galatians]
? Bellamy put down
'Now I see why
An hour later Clement
Harvey was sitting
Harvey had left the 'refuge'
'"And the many many times
The trouble with Clement
Chapter 2 - Justice
Bellamy's hand had
'It looked terrible
Harvey was reclining
Harvey had gone
? Clement had scarcely
He rang the bell
It is necessary
When he woke
'Why was it meant
My dear son
My dear Father Damien
Bellamy put down
'Perhaps he won't
Lucas was sitting on
In the evening
[Glastonbury Romance]
Moy, upstairs
Below in Aleph's
My dear son
My dear Father Damien
Bellamy usually
'You lost us
Clement had let
Peter Mir had departed
Harvey was sitting
Harvey summoned
'I have something
The kitchen was
Back in her bedroom
Upstairs in her room
Sefton, lying
Clement was pacing
Bellamy was reading
? Bellamy was pleased
? My dear son
? Bellamy was deeply
'Well, he's late
'Wait, please
The Saturday after
'Why, Moy, whatever
On the previous evening
? Why didn't you come
Anax had
Meanwhile Clement and Moy
'So you all play
'How interesting about
Passing Clement
Moy was sitting
'Whatever possessed you
The sound of dancing
'Everything deep
'It's still terribly
Clement, realising
My dear son
My dear Father
My dear son
'So he wouldn't
Y2: Breakfast at Clifton
Latin: virtuti paret robur = strength obeys virtue
Y2: 'Hello Harvey
'So he's kicking
Clement, not at home
Harvey's taxi
He parted from
'Come,' said Lucas
After the sound
Harvey had found
'Well, you're the only
Moy, well aware
Sefton, lying
? 'What did you dream
My dear Father
My dear Bellamy
? When he received
So it's fixed
When Bellamy had gone
It was Thursday
Once outside
'We are too early
Bellamy was sitting
'Are you hurt
'And turn right here
Bellamy, never allowed
Clement was not cross
? Clement drove the Rolls
The morning came
Clement woke
Chapter 3 - Mercy
Bellamy was standing
Not many minutes later
Bellamy had, at Clifton
'Well, what
Y3: 'Look at this
ama et fac quod vis = love and do what you will [Augustine misquote]
? Clement read
Harvey was sitting
Y#: The next hour
übersichtliche Darstellung = surveyable representation [Wittgenstein]
Y3: It was fifteen
'Pull him up
When Clement returned
'Maman, please
? Harvey relied on
Yes, 'everyone'
Y3: Peter's house
experto crede = Trust in one experienced
Y3: 'Come on in
Chapter 4 - Eros
Bellamy was standing
Clement mounted
'You're sure
'So you agree
Two more days
? Moy spent the two hours
'You've just
Y4: Sefton lay
Sophocles: 'Never to have been born is best.
Everyone knows that, and a close second,
once you have appeared in this life, is a quick
return, as soon as you can, to where you came from'
Y4: Moy came in
Soon after Moy
'What did you
'I do hope
Sefton, at home
? Louise, coming
'Where's Cora
On the next day
? My dear Mrs Anderson
? Clement said to the girls
? Dearest dearest Louie
? Sefton closed her eyes
Harvey and Sefton
'Moy, I've brought
? Louise longed
Clement had visited
Now Sefton
On the next morning
'So you've got used
Later, dressed
Walking back
Dearest Louie
Dearest Aleph
'Well,' said Louise
'What's all this
Meanwhile at Clifton
'But how did you
Chapter 5 - They Reach the Sea
Bellamy had intended
It was the morning
At this very moment
? Moy had secretly
Bellamy was sitting
You are deeply stained
As Bellamy put down
Moy picked up
When Bellamy
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