These lines from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight refer to the nick on Gawain’s neck as a result of the Green Knight’s blow and to the green <em>girdle </em>that he wore as a reminder of his <em>shame.</em>
Explanation:
'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' is an English chivalric romance written anonymously. In this Arthurian tale, Sir Gawain accepts the challenge from a mystic Green Knight.
In the given excerpt, the words that completes the sentences are, "girdle" and "shame." Sir Gawain used to wear a <em>green girdle </em>as a reminder of his <em>shame. </em>The green girdle was given to Sir Gawain by Lady Bertilak as a love token. The green girdle was worn by Sir Gawain, initially as a symbol of survival, but after he lost the Green Knight's test the green girdle became a symbol of shame for Sir Gawain.
<h3>Realizing that the world is filled with strangers.</h3>
Explanation:
In the poem "Second Estrangement", the poet presents the image of an innocent child who realizes that the world is filled with strangers. She says that one does not realize how scary and estrange the world is until he/she is lost and all alone.
Through the lines "<em>only to see the face look strangely down, utterly foreign, utterly not the one who loves you</em>", <u>the poet presents the idea of seeing the reality of life. </u>Just like the child, everyone of us think we are in a safe place until we see the reality of life.
Then she ends the poem with the lines "<em>How far the world you knew, & tall, & filled, finally, with strangers." </em>to ironically bring the message of life's cruelty and reality.
