Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Within many Arthurian texts one can see the influence of Celtic literature and folklore. Examples of Arthurian legends with these components are Marie de France’s Lanval, the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and in Perceval, The Story of the Grail. In his work “Celtic Elements in ‘Lavenal ‘and Graelent’,” Cross claims that Lanval is a medieval narrative called, “Brenton Lays” (Cross 5) otherwise known as works that claim descent from Celtic tradition (Cross 5). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is said to contain traditions from early Irish Lore, such as the Beheading test (Buchanan 316). In addition to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Lanval, Perceval, The Story of the Grail contains a combination of these two Celtic themes. While there are other tales whose Celtic elements can be examined, these three are most likely among the best examples.