#You think being dead for 700 years will free you from literary criticism? THINK AGAIN BITCH YOU'RE NEVER FREE

[theotherwesley]

Here's the problem with The Green Knight, like as a literary figure: Across every medium and every age, we all agree, he should have antlers. We see this guy, we think, that's a guy with some antlers. And he doesn't! There's nothing in the poem about antlers. We just know in our collective hearts he should have them. Maybe not even on his head! He should have a horned helmet, or be riding an elk, or have Cernunnos embossed on his shield. But he doesn't have a helmet or shield; he's just a big green dude with a big green horse and a big axe. WHO SHOULD HAVE ANTLERS. WE ALL AGREE. Anyway this is a piece historical revisionism I support because it is correct and an obvious oversight by the Pearl Poet, who should have known about the antlers honestly.