What genre is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an Arthurian legend in
the genre of English Medieval romances. It is written in alliterative verse in which the
first hemstitch has two alliterated letters followed by a caesura and one alliteration
in the second hemstitch in the word immediately following the caesura: two alliterated
words in the first half of the poetic line, which precede a caesura pause that is
followed by a third alliterated word in the second half of the line. The 2,503 line poem
arranged structurally into 101 stanzas combines symbolism from Celtic and Christian
theology and culture, as does Beowulf. The Medieval romance genre reflected adventure
and moral tests as is reflected in the tale of Sir Gawain, who is King Arthur's youngest
knight, as his vows of chastity and his courage and honor are tested by Morgan le Fay
and the Green Knight. The author, known as the Pearl Poet, who is said to be a
contemporary of Chaucer, wrote in a difficult northwest Midlands dialect, hence the tale
is usually read in translation now.