The imagery is clearly Pagan, most likely referring to Samhain, the ancient harvest festival of the Celts. Samhain began at sunset on October thirty-first, and lasted till sunset on November first. The third and final harvest of the year was completed at this time, and the light half of the year faded into the dark half. It was also a time to honor the dead, especially anyone who had died in the past year, and it was believed that the veil between the realms of the living and the dead was thinnest on this night, allowing for souls of the deceased to visit living relatives.
The Green Knight, also known as the Green Man, is a Pagan symbol of nature, and the holly bush probably resembles the death of the light, as the Holly King will be slain by his brother, the Oak King, at Yule. The Oak King will reign over the dark part of the year until the Holly King returns to defeat him and reclaim the bright part.
@devilslittlesister You actually have that backward, the Holly King rules from midsummer (Litha, summer solstice) to Yule (winter solstice). The Holly King represents the waning part of the year. When the sun gets weaker and the days get shorter. The Oak King defeats him at Winter Solstice and rules the waxing half of the year. The sun gets stronger and the days grow longer.
@devilslittlesister You actually have that backward, the Holly King rules from midsummer (Litha, summer solstice) to Yule (winter solstice). The Holly King represents the waning part of the year. When the sun gets weaker and the days get shorter. The Oak King defeats him at Winter Solstice and rules the waxing half of the year. The sun gets stronger and the days grow longer.
The imagery is clearly Pagan, most likely referring to Samhain, the ancient harvest festival of the Celts. Samhain began at sunset on October thirty-first, and lasted till sunset on November first. The third and final harvest of the year was completed at this time, and the light half of the year faded into the dark half. It was also a time to honor the dead, especially anyone who had died in the past year, and it was believed that the veil between the realms of the living and the dead was thinnest on this night, allowing for souls of the deceased to visit living relatives.
The Green Knight, also known as the Green Man, is a Pagan symbol of nature, and the holly bush probably resembles the death of the light, as the Holly King will be slain by his brother, the Oak King, at Yule. The Oak King will reign over the dark part of the year until the Holly King returns to defeat him and reclaim the bright part.
@devilslittlesister You actually have that backward, the Holly King rules from midsummer (Litha, summer solstice) to Yule (winter solstice). The Holly King represents the waning part of the year. When the sun gets weaker and the days get shorter. The Oak King defeats him at Winter Solstice and rules the waxing half of the year. The sun gets stronger and the days grow longer.
@devilslittlesister You actually have that backward, the Holly King rules from midsummer (Litha, summer solstice) to Yule (winter solstice). The Holly King represents the waning part of the year. When the sun gets weaker and the days get shorter. The Oak King defeats him at Winter Solstice and rules the waxing half of the year. The sun gets stronger and the days grow longer.