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Sir gawain and the green knight literary
Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
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An Exegesis of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Summary: Relates the plot of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" to the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Examines the power of the Roman Catholic Church during Medieval Times. In medieval times, the Catholic Church asserts the most power and knowledge of any other body in England. Under these circumstances, the clergy require that all legitimate and mass-produced writings be filled with religious reference. The exegesis frequented these writings. An exegesis relates content to the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the late Middle Ages emerged(even though literature had a broader vista of writers), religious elements in writings remained common. For example, the legend …show more content…
of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" tells the story of one of King Arthur's knights and his struggle to uphold his honor and the sacred code of chivalry. Near "the Yuletide Season" Arthur and his knights feast in the king's court when a mysterious knight aglow in green comes in and asks for a boon. The stranger proposes to have one knight come forward and deal a blow to him with his poleaxe. In return the blow dealer must accept a counter to his strike from the green knight within a year and a day. After just one fell swoop, he decapitates the immortal Green Knight. The knight then takes his leave with his severed head, leaving Gawain to set out on a journey to find him and seal his own fate within the allotted time. From the beginning to the end of his journey, several parallels occur between this tale and the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many scenes from the legend contain images and symbols that relate to Christ's beginning. The color green serves as the most prevalent symbol of birth. The knight illuminated in green comes in at the beginning of the story, calling forth Gawain. When he valiantly steps forward to champion his king, he is born into a journey that will ultimately lead him to an emergence as a wiser, more mature character. Also, Gawain receives a green girdle on his quest. Although the girdle is only a ruse to trick Gawain, the color holds resemblance to that of the Green Knight Later in the story, the green garter becomes a symbol for King Arthur's knights: one of integrity, new resolve, and new beginning. Gawain's journey comes full circle at the green "chapel where the knight dwells and undergoes a moral rebirth.
The audience finds another parallel to the life of Christ upon seeing that the story begins at Christmas, the birthday of Jesus. Gawain's actions themselves hold relation to Jesus's birth. He is the only person who comes forth to save his king, and resembles the way Jesus had the role of the sole person sent to save people of their sins. Gawain's epic and Jesus's legacy on Earth both had a stage of death, too. The color red holds significance to death, just as green does to birth. The Green Knight bleeds profusely after decapitation, which heralds immediate death for any mortal body. When Gawain has his second meeting with the Green Knight, the latter nicks the prior's neck with his poleaxe. The crimson blood that seeps from the wound reminds Gawain of the permanent death that would have befallen him, had he tainted himself by giving into the temptations offered to him at the White Castle. int the White Castle, the seductive lady of the castle attempts to entice him. His actions there ultimately determine whether he will receive death, or be able to return triumphantly to Camelot. Although Gawain makes his return to Arthur and the knights, he has shame on his head. Because he is not completely honest to the Green Knight
during his trials at the White Castle, he suffers a moral defeat, or death. The stage of resurrection separates the legend of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and the life and death of Jesus Christ from the traditional birth to death process. The color gold most closely relates to this concept. The Green Knight's garb has gold trim embroidered on its' edges, suggesting he will be responsible for the birth of Gawain's quest as well as his eventual rebirth. Also, this rebirth comes to pass in Gawain's darkest hour. Just as the people of Jesus's day thought their savior had left them, Gawain thought his fate was sealed; however, the Green Knight redeems him. Due to the knight's mercy, he returns to Camelot. Upon his return, he tells his tale to the other knights and he emerges as a newborn hero. Gawain remains immortalized for his truth, integrity, and virtues. The noble Sir Gawain lives by many virtues and does his best to walk in the path of Jesus. In conclusion, Gawain's call to adventure, final lesson, and return to Camelot resemble the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
8[8] Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Marie Borroff. Norton Anthology of British Literature Vol. 1, New York: WW Norton, 1993.
While Gawain fails to accept the truth about his immoral identity, he also fails to maintain a sincere and truthful relationship with God. Camelot believes that Gawain is a perfectly chivalrous and Catholic knight, when in actuality he is an actor with an impure thought. Gawain is driven by selfish motives; he only considers what is best for him and as a result, uses God as a vehicle to get what he wants. Gawain acknowledges God when he desires comfort and “crosses himself, and cries on Christ in his great need,” of a castle (761-761). Likewise, Gawain prays when he wants protecting; his shield, decorated with the highly symbolic Pentangle and Virgin Mary, is the ultimate Holy accessory for his battle. Gawain only regards God when he is either wishing for comfort or for safety. Furthermore, Gawain strays from Catholicism completely by expecting the green sash to save him in the fight. Believing that the magical Pagan article will truly redeem him, demonstrates fear and proves Gawain lacks faith in God. Gawain lacks morals when abandoning Catholicism for a Pagan artifact, and when he does pray to God his spiritual motives are impure and
To begin with, the Green Knight, similar to God, bestows a trial to Sir Gawain in order to test his faith and loyalty to his promise. The beheading agreement made between these characters is organized to assess the truth to Sir Gawain’s knightly
In his struggles to uphold his chivalric duties, Sir Gawain faithfully demonstrates the qualities of chivalry and fidelity until his honor is called into question by an unknown green knight that rides into the castle. Sir Gawain is King Arthur’s nephew and one of his most faithful knights. Although Gawain modestly refutes it, he has a reputation of being an honorable knight and courtly man. He prides himself on his adherence of the five parts of chivalry and is a pinnacle display of humility, piety, integrity, loyalty, and honesty that all other knights strive for. Though Gawain sits at the high table during the New Year’s celebration at Arthur’s court, he defines himself as the least of King Arthur’s knights in terms of both physical ability and mental aptitude.
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.
Barron, W.R.J., trans. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.. New York: Manchester University Press, 1974.
Stephen Manning, “A Psychological Interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” in Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, eds. Donald R. Howard and Christian Zacher (Notre Dame: Notre Dame UP, 1968), 279.
Symbolism is used throughout literature to give deeper meaning to a variety of literary works. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight symbolism is seen through the actions of Sir Gawain against the trials he faces. The poem is first set during Christmas time at Camelot, showing that they were Christian for they were celebrating Christmas. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shows the struggle between a good Christian man against the temptations of this world. Symbolically, one can see Sir Gawain holding true to Christian values: first, by standing up for what he believes in; second, by staying true to a future mate; and thirdly by repenting from sins due to a broken promise.
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.
Sir Gawain was heroic in seeking out the Green Knight to finish the challenge that was brought to King Arthur’s men. “Said Gawain, ‘Strike once more; /I shall neither flinch nor flee; /But if my head falls to the floor /There is no mending me!’” (lns. 2280-2283) There was no physical power that forced Sir Gawain to keep true to his word. Gawain sought out the Green Knight, just as he had promised, and was now about to receive the blow that would send him to his death. This quote shows that Sir Gawain was ready to be dealt his fate, and that he knew there was no way for him to survive as the Green Knight had done earlier in the poem. This shows a very human side to Sir Gawain as he appears somewhat afraid of death, but ready to face it nonetheless. It is this willingness and readiness to accept death at the hand of the Green Knight that makes Sir Gawain a...
In Gordon M. Shedd’s “Knight in Tarnished Armour: The Meaning of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, he argues that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is truly about the strength and weaknesses of human nature. One particularly interesting part of his argument asserts that Gawain’s humanity broke medieval romance tradition.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Brian Stone. The Middle Ages, Volume 1A. Eds. Christopher Baswell and Anne Howland Schotter. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Fourth ed. Gen.eds David Damrosch, and Kevin J. H. Dettmar. New York: Pearson-Longman, 2010. 222-77. Print.
Gawain stands firm in his faith in the holy Mary, which is inside his shield, but he has weakness like every men. According to Mulburin, the book Isaiah 40.30: " Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall" ( ) Therefore, Gawain is a handsome young who sought after by another man 's wife. He endured the temptation by lady Bertilak to stay strong his faith, but becomes weary as time was coming near to face the Green Knight. Gawain becomes weaken in his faith when he starter to value his life, which goes against the Knightly Code. He put aside his faith in the Holy Mary when Lady Bertilak handed him green belt, she told him" through went on to beg him not to whisper a word of this gift to her husband, and Gawain agreed" ( Gawain 1862-1863). Gawain 's sins ,when he kept the green belt from Bertilak. He was told whatever I win in the forest it is yours and whatever my wife gives while I 'm gone, it will be returned back to me. (Gawain 1106-1107). Gawain failed to keep his bond as knight should, which goes against his virtues as
Sir Gawain's inner values and character are tested to the fullest and are clearly defined in the text of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The unknown author describes Gawain and the other knights as "Many good knights" (Norton 159), and he is referred to as one of the "most noble knights" (Norton 159) in King Arthur's land. This claim by the author is solidified by a challenge presented by the evil Green Knight, who enters the court of King Arthur and asks him to partake in a Christmas game. Sir Gawain, after hearing this challenge, asks the king if he may take his place. This represents that Gawain is very loyal to his king. Sir Gawain is also an honest knight in the text because in a year's time he ventures out in search of the Green Knight to endure a blow with the ax as the rules of the game were stated. He very easily could have not have carried out his end of the bargain by not traveling to the Green Chapel to meet the evil being, but Gawain is an honest knight who is true to his word.
Sir Gawain and The Green Knight has prompted scholars to examine and diversely interpret the medieval narrative. One of the underlying questions that has been proposed embodies the analysis of the relationship between Christian and Pagan ideals and how knightly chivalry is influenced by religion during the Arthurian Romance period. It is no mistake that the two varied religious ideals are intertwined throughout the poem due to the nature of classical antiquity. Amidst the overlap between superstitious rituals and Orthodox- Christian beliefs it is clear that Sir Gawain has a sense of personal integrity guided by a moral compass.