"The Green Knight" 2021

Watched "The Green Knight" today afternoon. Leena and Noah took care of the kids so we sneaked out. Haven't watched a movie in the theater for so long, mostly due to the pandemic. 

Loved this one. Didn't fall asleep although I only slept 3, 4 hours last night after drinking and chatting with S and C in our house. 

Right after the movie, Raj was like: "oh man, I have absolutely no clue what's this movie about." I was like: "oh wait bae, let me come back from the restroom and tell you everything about it." Raj is hilarious...

It's all about symbolism, that kind of arty movie I like. As of this moment, I have never heard about the poems and folktales, neither checked anything online. Just want to write something down about the movie, the movie itself. 

Always love to write about movies, my little analysis. Planned to make a serial of reviews on the feminist Hindi/Bollywood movies that I love, never got the time, maybe in the next few years. 

I was like: "First of all, the kingship, knightship and royals must have used this folktale to set up moral standards among themselves, an old tale to teach how to be kings and knights and all that. Never lived in this culture before, never was in a knight family, I might be wrong, but ya, gut feeling.

Secondly, to be qualified as a true knight, there are many levels of moral tests. Each story symbolizes certain qualifications for the knight. And in this movie, it's like a video game, as the game progresses, the level of difficulty increases.

Level one - can show little kindness, bravery, the ability to persist and not giving up

Level two - can stand up for justice, know what's right from wrong, can make the right and just choices

In between level two and three - little experience with death. From my understanding, the movement of those giant people symbolizes the path to death, those giants are just slowly walking to depart, after ending the sufferings in life. All of us are unavoidably on this path, in the same direction as the giants, and you can't take a ride on their shoulders, only trailing behind. Could be completely wrong about this part, but ya, everyone has her/his own understanding. 

Level three - able to resist lust and seduction

The blindfolded old woman actually only exists in his own mind, represents his own consciousness. Blindfolded because most of us are actually blind when we are trying to find the truth, looking for and facing the truth is exactly like walking in the dark, it's never an easy path. The old woman is a contrast to the young and seductive lady because the truth is usually ugly and difficult to face. Even though you think you are able to more or less do the right things, sitting right in front of your eyes or at the corner of your eye, there will be the consciousness that is inserted there, like a blindfolded old woman. 

Level four - the highest level of qualification to be a knight/king, the ability to put your head on the ground. What stops the most people is the blue belt, which symbolizes the honor, and the reward and comfort that honor could bring to you, it symbolizes the material attachment. Why did you choose this path? For the honor? Wrong answer. If you are not ready to let go of your life and the pleasure that comes with life, you are not ready to be a true knight. 

Because you see, when you chose to take this path, which was taking up the challenge from the green knight. From day one, you had no way back, only to make the right choices and push forward. Not ready to let go of your life and glory is a sign of weakness. With such fundamental weakness resides in you, you are a runaway, a runaway from hardship, a runaway who can't escape the fate of taking easy paths. What could happen? Wrong choices lead to wrong choices, greed and lust might one day eat you alive, you will be left heirless and abandoned, without respect and legacy, your kingdom will eventually fall. From dust to dust, everything will be just a dream, because you are not a true knight.

Why the mom is the one who gave him the belt? Because oftentimes such cling to glory, the proto-emotion to the cling to power, is instilled by the closest to you: father, mother, wife, lover, in the name of honor and glory, disguised under the emotional connections to "home". And they might be the ones who stand by you when you are making all the wrong decisions. 

What does the fox symbolize? Disguised under a "loyal" companion, a long-time partner, the fox is someone selfish, cunning and dishonest. At the most crucial moment, you might be misled by it, purposefully. Do you have someone like this in life? 

And are these qualification tests for knightship is only for the knights and kings? No. It's relevant to each of us cause each one's life is filled with hardship and there are difficult choices to make at each step. Can you be the true knight of your life? Can you make the right choice when you are in fear and trembling? Can you take the real path that is filled with thorns and thistles but not be a runaway? Are you able to 'put your head on the ground'?"

Raj was like:"wow.... we both sat there together the whole time? How come the outcome is so different?"

Raj is hilarious...