dying and resurrected god in the figure of Dionysus.
In a site by that name (s. link below), it is claimed that The Green Man makes his appearance in the Morris Dancers of England as Jack-In-The-Green. His is a disruptive character that attempts to distract the dancers from their dancing by playing the fool, as well as by breaking away from the dance troupe and accosting the onlookers. This description is evidence to the appearance of the Green Man, not only in Medieval England, but even in these days.
Conclusion
The main points connecting the Green Man with the Green Knight of the poem are, firstly, the widespread figure of the Green Man in England, enough to be familiar to the listeners of that medieval poem. Secondly, the character of the Green Man, which is evident in the figure of the Green Knight: he lives in the forest and takes part in uncivilized customs not known in King Arthur’s court; he takes part in a dismemberment, which does not kill him. He is definitely connected with the seasons of the year, making a point at his ritualistic dying taking part at Midwinter, with the death and rebirth of the sun. As the Lord of the Castle, he is obviously connected with the Nature goddess as a Bride, who can bring dying things back to life with the help of a “green belt”. Both heroes of the poem, who vie for the Lady’s love and for their right to live, represent the twin Sun gods in the manner of many known pagan gods and heroes of ancient days, and the story revealed behind the mask of a poem of test for chivalry, is the story of their birth, love, death and revival from ancient days, when that pagan religion ruled everywhere.
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