Brave New World 10

CD Assignment

Introduction Paragraph
The songs listed on this CD tells of Gawain’s struggle with the Green Knight, and the adventure that takes place along the way. The songs listed are “In the End” by Linkin Park, “It’s my Life” by Bon Jovi, “All the Small Things” by Blink 182, “I’m a Believer” by the Monkees, and “The Game” by Disturbed. Each plays a part on his quest, ranging from the fear of the Green Knight’s axe, to the temptation of the Lady in which house he stayed. This CD will appeal to all audiences, as it is a clean collection of music with references to the epic poem written by the “Pearl Poet”.

“In the End” – Linkin Park
Sir Gawain, the nephew of King Arthur, takes up the challenge of the Green Knight, and fells a beheading blow to the knight’s neck. This starts the “winter game” the Green Knight proposed to King Arthur’s court. The blow shall be returned in “one year and one day” (160). Gawain begins counting down the days before he embarks on his trek to receive his blow from the Green Knight. Within the song “In the End”, the first verse tells of how time goes by so quickly, and how time itself is in direct accordance with life. “Time is a valuable thing, Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings,
watch it count down to the end of the day, The clock ticks life away, It’s so unreal” (7-10). The valiant knight Gawain fears his own death, and looks forward to the oncoming days forebodingly.

“It’s My Life” – Bon Jovi
The knight of King Arthur’s court reaches the Green Chapel, awaiting his returned blow. After conversing with the Green Knight, he kneels down, and exposes his neck, awaiting the final blow. The Green Knight swings once, and Gawain flinches. He swings a second time, testing Gawain’s courage. The chorus for “It’s My Life” gives a good example of what must have been running through Gawain’s mind as he sat there, awaiting the blow to befall him. “It's my life, It's now or never, I ain't gonna live forever, I just want to live...