Sir Gawain and the loathly damsel

by Joanna Troughton

In order to obtain the answer to a riddle that will save King Arthur's life, Sir Gawain must marry the ugliest maiden in the world.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Marquise · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first Sir Gawain picture book and whilst I've said that this legend in particular cemented him as my favourite knight, this retelling by Joanna Troughton is the worst I've read.

And I don't say that only because of the ugly artwork, which is in the end subjective and you can tell by the rating average and other reviews that it has its fans, but because the text is altered in a way that completely defeats the purpose and point of this tale. Do you remember that the story is about Arthur having to give the answer to the question of what is it that women most desire? Well, the answer here is completely changed. Instead of answering like the legend states, Troughton says that the answer is:

"... what women most desire in all the world is to rule over men!"

Seriously! This was supposed to be about choice, about being able to decide for oneself and have those decisions respected, and Troughton made it about women lording over men. This is profoundly troubling, it gives reason to those who mock and dismiss women's desire for autonomy and equality and warps it as us simply wanting to be superior to men, to steal their places in the pecking ladder instead of having the ability to climb it on equal terms. This shouldn't have been written like that, and that it was is disrespectful to the legend and its message. Given that it comes from a time of greater inequality than our days, it's all the more unfortunate that the wording changed it into what it never was.

I don't particularly care for the artwork either, it's garish, it caricaturises the Loathly Lady to grotesque levels, and the stained-glass style of drawing isn't aesthetically pleasing to me either.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork by Joanna Troughton is what encouraged me to seek out this edition. It has both a 70s and stained-glass aesthetic that suits the subject and format extremely well. I really loved the look of the book. However, I was not very pleased with Ms. Troughton’s interpretation of the text. Specifically her retelling of the answer to the riddle. She changed its meaning in a way that I felt centered more on power and dominance over the other gender - - rather than an individual wanting sovereignty regardless of their gender. (Sorry to not be specific on the actual text but I am trying to keep this commentary “spoiler free” as best I can). Perhaps Ms. Troughton’s chosen verbiage on the answer to the riddle is a trifle to most people, but to me I felt that her interpretation did not lift the female sex into an exalted status that I generally associate with tales of chivalry, but in fact it did the opposite in implying the stereotype of the dissatisfied, power-hungry female. Other than this disappointment, I enjoyed the book and found the artwork absolutely delightful. So far to date, my favorite picture book edition of this particular tale has to remain the version by Selina Shirley Hastings. Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully rich colors - the illustration style sometimes veers between imitation medieval and comic book. When it's good, it's very very good. I wish the text were presented more artistically, in a less mundane typeface, with better use of the page.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale is an adaptation of a fifteenth-century poem, "The Wedding of Sir Gawen and Dame Ragnell." The illustrations are high contrast, richly colored and decorative, with repeating patterns. They have a three-dimensional quality. My wife, who is an artist, says they remind her of stained glass. Five stars for the artwork; four stars for the story.

[Michael McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several variations on this story, including Chaucer's "Wife of Bath" tale. I think you can find one of those most charming renditions for a young audience in Barbara Leonie Picard's "Stories of King Arthur and his Knights."

This particular rendition is very much the skeleton of the story that still retains the charm of the original with some added colorful illustrations that make it worth the trip. The loathly lady almost jumps right out at you in one of the illustrations and brings the story to life. I can see some children getting a bit startled from this part alone.

Still, I think the book accomplishes its aims at introducing very young readers to one of the lesser known Arthurian stories centered around the noble Gawain, the one we love from the Green Knight adventure. I would of course recommend Picard's retelling over this one. Without ruining the story for first time readers, I think the answer that is given to the riddle in the story can be given an update and I hope to share my own rendering of the tale with an answer to the riddle that is as timeless and universal in appeal as this story, no matter what version we read.