Examples Of Courtesy In Sir Gawain

The Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur in Sir Gawain are known around the nearby country for being the bravest and most courageous knights in all of their lands, who also show courtesy. There are two types of courtesy: true courtesy, and false courtesy. True courtesy is courtesy directed toward others and, false courtesy is directed toward self. How does Sir Gawain articulate the true nature of courtesy? Sir Gawain shows courtesy in many occasions. One example of true courtesy is when Sir Gawain is stepping up to take King Arthur’s place while having to make him appear so he does not seem like a coward and, one example of false courtesy is when King Arthur takes up the Green Knight’s unwise Christmas game to avoid the shame of looking

bad in front of is Knights and his wife, the queen.
In Sir Gawain many forms of courtesy are shown but there are not too many forms of true courtesy.

One example of true courtesy was when the Green Knight walked into the hall and told King Arthur about the Christmas game. King Arthur was shammed into it because he did not want to look bad in front of his wife and, the Knights of the Round Table because during King Arthur’s time period it was very bad to be considered a coward. The narrator goes through the confrontation thoroughly “Sir, you are welcome in my house, for I am Arthur and I rule this court. Step from your horse and stay, let me pray you…No, not fighting down: believe me, prince. These benches are filled with beardless infants…Rise so boldly, so fierce, so wild, and give a blow and take a blow…he reared like a lord. And yelped, and laughed, and said: ‘hah! Is this Arthur’s house hailed across the world that fabled court... Arthur winced, his fair face flooded hot with shame and his cheeks flared as angry as wind, and all his people burned. And the bold king strode toward the green Knight...Gawain was seated near the queen; he leaned forward: “Hear me, my lord. Let this challenge be mine” (ln. 251-322, p.64-66). King Arthur is being shamed in many occasions during this confrontation two things that were to try and infuriate the king were the Green Knights calls King Arthur a prince and, when he calls the Knights beardless infants. True Courtesy is shown here when Sir Gawain takes up the challenge to protect his

kin. There are not several instances in Sir Gawain when true courtesy is shown but there are many cases where false courtesy is shown.
False courtesy is a reoccurring issue in Sir Gawain and there are many times false courtesy has been misinterpreted for true courtesy.

When Sir Gawain is with the lord of the castle’s wife, on the third day after trying to seduce him, she offers him some of her personal belongings but Sir Gawain refuses all but one. Sir Gawain accepts a magical belt to try and be polite to the wife by accepting her gift but inside he wants to use it so he is not killed by the Green Knights axe, as the narrator states: “She offered a red gold ring, richly worked, set with a dazzling stone that shone like the sun-a gift suitable for the ransom of kings. But Gawain refused it…’then be less in my debt, but take by belt, neither as costly nor as good’…’for any man bound with this belt, this green lace locked around him, can never be killed, here under God’s on heaven- no blow, no trick, nothing can hurt him ’Gawain hesitated, his heart reached for protection, like a thief for a gem: He could come to that chapel, take that struck, and with this glorious device walk off unharmed” (ln.1817-1859, p.112-113). Sir Gawain is about to do the right thing in this scene but he knows that he could go unharmed if this magic belt is really magic. Gawain should not have even had her in his room for five minutes, he should have told her that he would meet up with her during lunch but his heart could not avoid the temptation. True courtesy and false courtesy are very important but if you do not use prudence to

be courteous then you are not really being courteous.
Prudence is important in Sir Gawain because when the lord’s wife is sitting on the bed while Gawain is lying down on the bed, Gawain was trying to be polite and not have the wife leave while he got dressed but, his heart told him otherwise. While Gawain wanted to be prudent he was not because prudence says that he should have told her to leave for a little bit but he failed to do that. “And Gawain embarrassed, dropped his head and pretended to close his eyes, and the lady came nearer, and quietly lifted the curtain, and softly entered, and gently sat at the edge of the bed…’I’ll tie you to your bed- I will’...’my love captor, release me a moment, order me to rise and dress more properly, so I can leave this bed, as I’d like to do’. ’Good sir,’ said that lovely, ‘stay where you are. You’re not to rise: I’ve better plans…” (ln. 1189-1223, p.95). Sir Gawain tries to leave but the lord’s wife will not allow him to. Sir Gawain uses courtesy but he does not use Curtesy and Prudence together. Sir Gawain was unable to yell or get mad at the wife because that would have ruined his reputation.
In Sir Gawain many people showed false courtesy but only Sir Gawain showed false courtesy and true courtesy. Did Sir Gawain illustrate courtesy throughout the poem? Yes, he did Sir Gawain illustrated false courtesy and, true courtesy when Sir Gawain took on the life threatening challenge for his cousin and, he showed false courtesy when he accepted the wife’s