Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Imagery Essay

Color Imagery in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

I believe that the color imagery in Sir Gawain And The Green Knight represents nature, as a force that man has little control over. This is evident during the journey of Sir Gawain, and later, his shame in front of King Arthur's court. Nature does as it will in ways that can not be controlled by man. The best they can do is to acknowledge the fact that it is happening. They had no control whatsoever, and therefore, were subject to it's, at times, ferocity. This is similar to the ferocity displayed by the Green Knight. The Green Knight worked under his own set of rules, and like a growing tree, man had, and still has, no control over when the tree would

All the knights and ladies gather to exchange gifts, and to eat and be merry. Everyone is laughing and having a good time, while Arthur amuses them with stories of courageous knights. The first course is served, and the guests are about to eat, when a knight, dressed totally in green, rides into the dining hall. The knight is very large, well-dressed, and imposing. It seems that he has come in peace, due to the absence of his armor and shield. The Green Knight's connection to nature is emphasized when he is presented holding a "holly bob...That is goodliest in green when groves are bare"(206-7). His closeness to nature is also apparent when the color of the knight is described as "green as the grass"(235). The Green Knight has a challenge, and he demands to speak to the head of the court. King Arthur, being the head of the court, answers the call of the Green Knight. The Green Knight proceeds to tell Arthur that it is his court who are the best and most noble knights in the land, and he has come here with a challenge. He begins to taunt Arthur's knights, and King Arthur becomes outraged and accepts the strangers challenge. The Green Knight will allow someone to strike him with an ax, as long as they agree to find him in one year to accept the return blow. Before King Arthur can chop the Green Knight's head off, Sir Gawain stands up, and asks if he can replace the King instead. The court agrees to let

It is interesting how the Lord is always absent at choice times in the poem. The wife once again goes down to Gawain's chambers and attempts to subtly seduce him. They wind up kissing three more times. The Knight feels torn between the rudeness of refusing her, and the unforgivable sin of accepting her. Before she leaves his chambers, the wife asks Gawain to giver her a token of his love. The Knight on account of having nothing to give her, says that he will accept a gift from her instead. She offers him a ring, which he promptly refuses, saying that he will not accept any gifts from her. But in an act of hypocrisy, he accepts a gift of less value, but a gift nonetheless. She offers him a green girdle, which at first he refuses, then accepts when she tells him that it is a magic girdle which will prevent him from ever being killed. She also manages to kiss Gawain three more times. So far, throughout the poem, Gawain has succeeded to some extent in resisting the ladies advances to him, but with the acceptance of the girdle, he has basically sealed his fate. It turns out, obviously, that the Lord has been going on his hunting trips on purpose. He has also been exchanging winnings with Gawain, such as when returning from killing the boar, he would present it to Gawain, whereas Gawain would give something to the Lord that he had accumulated that day. On the third day, when the Lord asks Gawain to trade