The Green Knight(2021) May 2026

Throughout his quest, Gawain repeatedly fails the traditional tests of knighthood. He is ungenerous to a scavenger, asks for a reward from the ghost of St. Winifred, and breaks the rules of hospitality at the castle of Lord Bertilak.

This paper examines David Lowery’s 2021 film The Green Knight , exploring its themes of chivalry, environmentalism, and the deconstruction of the traditional hero’s journey. The Green Knight(2021)

Abstract

David Lowery’s 2021 adaptation of the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight offers a radical departure from traditional Arthurian cinematic tropes. While the original Middle English text presents Gawain as a paragon of knightly virtue, Lowery’s film reimagines him as a callow, unproven youth. This shift transforms the narrative from a traditional chivalric romance into a meditative, dream-like exploration of mortality, human failure, and the inescapable power of nature. This paper examines David Lowery’s 2021 film The