Axe at root

Another student, Jesse Sumpter, summarized an article by one Kathryn Walls on the axe in Sir Gawain.  She connects the axe with the words of John the Baptist in Matthew 3: The axe is already laid at the foot of the trees.  That fits the setting of the Green Knight’s first appearance – during the Christmas season, when not only the coming of Jesus but the coming of John would be celebrated.

Walls also points to Augustine’s interpretation of Matthew 3 in the light of Jesus’ words about fruit in Matthew 12.  Not every tree is cut down immediately; the axe is announced, the threat proclaimed, and then Israel is given time to produce fruit and escape burning.  So too Gawain, who has a year for penitence before the axe of the Green Knight “nirks” his neck.