NOTE: This episode contains MAJOR spoilers. If you haven’t seen the film yet, you might want to hit pause and come back when you’re ready.

David Lowery’s The Green Knight offers a fresh and intricate retelling of a classic myth, weaving unfamiliar consequences into the narrative fabric. This episode explores the story through the lens of post-structuralist theory, presenting Gawain’s journey not merely as a straightforward triumph of courage but as a complex exploration of performance, fear, and the elusive construction of meaning. Through distorted symbols, fragmented timelines, and a world crafted from poetry and peril, The Green Knight compellingly reminds us that stories do not provide definitive answers—only a series of pivotal choices that shape our understanding and destiny.

Recommended Reading:

“The Postmodern Beowulf” (ed. E. L. Risden)

Includes essays examining how mythic texts are reinterpreted in contemporary culture and media, including comparisons between Beowulf and The Green Knight.