The ancient Arthurian legends are infused with mythical elements and woven together with deft skill. The origins of Arthur and his knights flourished in Britain, although their existence is uncertain and unconfirmed. Different authors have written their own versions of Arthur and his knights' exploits, many of which contain similarities to each other. However, looking at these stories, a question lurks. What is more important, the elements of the myth or the elements of the story? Readers from all over the world have read these stories for many reasons, and have drawn different points and ideals from them. What influences them the most, the myths behind the stories? Or is it artistic history itself that supports this statement? Tales such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contain both of these elements. However, one usually makes more of an impact on the reader. By looking at both the mythical elements and the structure of the story, as well as what has the greatest effect on the reader, it becomes clear which is more important. The story itself and the details within it are what grab the reader's attention. The myths, while significant, are not the most important element. Without the elements of story, a poem like Sir Gawain would not capture people's attention and therefore would not be a good story. Sir Gawain contains many mythical elements, as well as story elements. The myths are thought to have originated from the Celtic world. Pieces of the poem have clear links to some of the mythological stories that derive from Celtic traditions. One of the first connections arises from the setting of the poem's introduction, when Arthur and the knights of the round table celebrate the new year. In Celtic mythology, this New Year celebration could be seen as Samhain, the tim... the center of the card... for the reader. Readers can't connect to it if it isn't well written, well structured, or has an interesting and exciting plot. These mythical elements help support the story and make it better. But unfortunately they can't sustain the impact on readers that has lasted for years. The story itself managed to achieve this. Works CitedSparkNotes Editors. "SparkNotes on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web. October 31, 2011.Nichols, Mike. “Samhain: October 31st.” Michigan State University, September 28, 1988.Web. November 19, 2011. .Hanson, Gina. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Chaffey Writing Competition '04.” The Breeze. Chaffey College, April 24, 2004. Web. November 19. 2011. .