The Pentangle in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

3293 Words7 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Sir gawain and the green knight green symbolism

The Pentangle in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight When writing, never explain your symbols. The author of ``Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' dropped this unspoken rule when he picked up his pen. Why? The detailed description and exposition of the pentangle form the key to understanding this poem. By causing the reader to view Gawain's quest in terms of the pentangle, the narrator compares the knightly ideals with the reality of Gawain's life. The narrator uses the pentangle to promote the knightly ideals, but he also accentuates the primary need for truth in knightly conduct. Finally, the difference between Gawain's reaction to his failure and others' perception of his faults remind the reader that no one can reach the ideal, and rather than getting bitter, we should learn from our mistakes. According to Elspeth Kennedy, medieval knights were the primary audience for Arthurian romances like {em Sir Gawain/}. Many of these romances were intended to inspire knights towards the goals of honor and chivalry; in fact, as Kennedy points out in ``The Knight as Reader of Arthurian Romance'', later knights who codified chivalric practice often quoted Arthurian romances as a source. (Culture, 70). Lays like The Song of Roland encouraged fervor for the deeds and honor of knighthood and indirectly teach the benefits of courtly conduct. However, {em Sir Gawain/} is inique; it directly addresses the ideals of knighthood by including the symbol of the pentangle. This symbol first appears before Gawain leaves to find the Green Knight, when the others from Arthur's court ``showed forth the shield, that shone all red / With the pentangle portrayed in purest gold'' (28. 619-20). Gawain wears this star ``formed of five points'' on `... ... middle of paper ... ... May He that was crowned with thorn Bring all men to his bliss! Amen. Works Cited Green, Richard Hamilton. ``Gawain's Shield and the Quest for Perfection.'' Sir Gawain and Pearl: Critical Essays. Ed. Robert J. Blanch. London: Indiana University Press. 1966. 176-94. Kennedy, Elspeth. ``The Knight as Reader of Arthurian Romance.'' Culture and the King Ed. Martin B. Shichtman and James P. Carley. Albany: State University of New York Press. 1994. ``Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.'' Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, Pearl: Verse Translations. Tr. Marie Borroff. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. 2001. 15-74. Strickland, Matthew. War and Chivalry. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1996. ``The Song of Roland.'' Trans. Jogn O'Hagan. The Harvard Classics: Epic and Saga Vol. 49. Ed. Charles W. Eliot. New York: P. F. Collier & SonCompany. 1910. 97-2008.

Show More
Related

  • Fabric And Jewelery In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gawain, Arthur’s knight who takes the Green Knight’s challenge, is portrayed in different lights as the story progresses. Descriptions of fabric and clothing are integral to this portrayal. When he is departing Camelot to find the Green Knight, Gawain is depicted as a virtuous, chivalrous knight bravely facing his fate. His clothing, therefore, is red, symbolizing courage, and bears a gold pentangle, a symbol of virtue. This is described in lines 636-639, “On shield and coat in view/ He bore that emblem bright/ As to his word most true/ And in speech most courteous knight.

    Read More

  • Misogyny in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    1808 Words  | 4 Pages

    Barron, W.R.J., trans. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.. New York: Manchester University Press, 1974.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – A Test of Chivalry

    2442 Words  | 5 Pages

    To continue on testing a knight that does not seem worthy certainly will not result in much of a story, or in establishing a theme. Through the use of symbols, the author of Sir Gawain is able to show that Gawain possesses the necessary attributes to make him worthy of being tested. He also uses symbols throughout the tests of each individual attribute, and in revealing where Gawain’s fault lies. The effective use of these symbols enables the author to integrate the test of each individual attribute into a central theme, or rather one overall test, the test of chivalry. To establish the knight as worthy, the author first shows Gawain’s loyalty to his king.

    Read More

  • The Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    1449 Words  | 3 Pages

    9. The poet may be telling the Knights of the Garter to remember that Sir Gawain survived because he lived by the codes of honor and respect that were so important for the knights to live by. As each knight at the Round Table is asked to wear the green garter, they are asked to remember the Sir Gawain’s courage and honorable behavior.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essays: Triumph or Failure?

    510 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sir Gawain is presented as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. He is the perfect knight; he is so recognised by the various characters in the story and, for all his modesty, implicitly in his view of himself. To the others his greatest qualities are his knightly courtesy and his success in battle. To Gawain these are important, but he seems to set an even higher value on his courage and integrity, the two central pillars of his manhood.

    Read More

  • Growth and Maturation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Iwein

    2348 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Arthurian legends of Iwein and Gawain and the Green Knight are two examples of the medieval initiation story: a tale in which a character, usually in puberty or young adulthood, leaves home to seek adventures and, in the process, maturity. Through the course of their adventures, including a meeting with the man of the wilderness, temptations at the hands of women, and a permanent physical or mental wounding, the character grows from adolescent awkwardness and foolishness to the full potential knightly honor. While both Arthurian legends fit this format, the depth of character development, specifically in terms of relationships, is vastly different. Whereas Gawain and the Green Knight does little more with relationships than demonstrate the evils of female temptations, Iwein effectively explores the formation, destruction, and resurrection of numerous male and female relationships.

    Read More

  • Beowulf: The Selfless Hero

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    Web. 30 Sept. 2009. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume A. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first symbol in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that I will discuss is Sir Gawain’s knightly shield. On Gawain’s shield is a pentangle, the five points on this pentangle represent the five virtues of the perfect knight; piety, friendship, generosity, chastity and courtesy. Each of the five virtues is tested on Gawain throughout the poem creating an emphasised importance on the shield’s representation and meaning. “Now alle þese fyue syþez, for soþe, were fetled on þis knyȝt, And vchone halched in oþer, þat non ende hade, And fyched vpon fyue poyntez, þat fayld neuer” (SGGK, 656-8). This quote tells of the pentangle’s design, how each line of the pentangles composition is endlessly linked to one another, suggesting that each virtue depends on th...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Capital Punishment

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    There are over sixty offenses in the United States of America that can be punishable by receiving the death penalty (What is..., 1). However, many individuals believe that the death penalty is an inadequate source of punishment for any crime no matter how severe it is. The fact remains, however, that the death penalty is one of the most ideal forms of punishment. There are other individuals who agree with the idea that capital punishment is the best form of punishment. In fact, some of these individuals believe that this should be the only form of punishment.

    Read More

  • Just Kill 'Em?

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Death Penalty in America: A Cultural and Historical Analysis.” Supreme Court Debates (2004): pp. 259-288.

    Read More

  • Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by an anonymous author in approximately 1390, is one of the most well-known poems from the Arthurian cycle. The questions of honor and chivalry are among the main themes that this poem thoroughly explores. Near the end of the poem, the protagonist, the knight of the Round Table called Gawain, violates his chivalric obligations when, in order to save his life, he breaks his oath given to a hospitable lord of a castle, so, after being justly punished by the Green Knight, Gawain appropriately – though in an extreme manner – starts feeling remorse and self-disgust.

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

    1606 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume One. General Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1993.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; A Romance?

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    Closely associated to the romance tradition are two idealized standards of behavior, especially for knights: courage and chivalry. The protagonist within many medieval romances proved their worth by going on quests, as many a knights went in those times, thus returning with great tales of their travels and deeds. Many modern people think of chivalry as referring to a man's gallant treatment of women, and although that sense is derived from the medieval chivalric ideal, chivalry could be seen as more than that. Knights were expected to be brave, loyal, and honorable-sent to protect the weak, be noble to...

    Read More

  • Odysseus the Hero

    738 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus’ story has been re-told, passed on, and admired for generations on end. This story not only shows a story of doing what you think is right, but it also show the story of one of the worlds most known hero. Odysseus is a strong hero, showing strength, courage, and weakness, which are all traits of many other heroes. Not only does he have these traits, but he is able to understand what is right for the whole group. He makes sacrifices that may be saddening and cause a loss, but help in the long run. But most memorable is the amount of cunning and wit he showed throughout the story, a reminder of all the epic things he did.

    Read More

  • Death Penalty Position Paper

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Proponents of the death penalty are right to argue that capital punishment does provide a sense of “closure” to those who are faced with the tragedy of losing a loved one due to homicide, but they exaggerate when they claim that this is the only means by which murderers receive just punishment for their crimes. Advocates of the death penalty fail to recognize that there are alternative methods – such as psychotherapy – that are able to replace the barbaric method of the death penalty.

    Read More

More about The Pentangle in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

Open Document