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Religious aspects in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Significance of Christianity in sir gawain
Analyze the character in the epic beowulf
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On first glance, Beowulf and Sir Gawain seem quite different, however upon closer examination many similarities will appear. Beowulf is a warrior who defeats demons and dragons to protect other tribes, while, Sir Gawain is a knight who is challenged by the Green Knight who faces external and internal conflicts from his challenge. While these two seems vastly different they share several similarities. Most notably, Beowulf and Sir Gawain both have supernatural antagonists, both are considered heroes, and they both follow customs and traditions of their cultures. However, while they are similar they are still different especially in their religious views.
The first similarity between Beowulf and Sir Gawain is that their antagonists are supernatural
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According to,” Encyclopedia Britannica” a hero is someone who “…transcend ordinary men in skill, strength, and courage”(“Hero”). In “Beowulf”, his strength is proven when he is about to fight Grendel’s mother and he chooses “not [to] bear a sword/ or weapon…” (Beowulf 2518-2519). In addition to Beowulf’s strength he is also skilled in wrestling, this is revealed when Beowulf is wrestling Grendel, a demon who “was eager to escape to the darkness, / seek out a host of devils-his habit there/ was nothing like he had ever meet before” (755-757). Lastly, Beowulf has “…survived/ many battles in my youth, I will yet, / an old folk-guardian, seek out a feud/ and do a glorious deed…” (2511-2514). Beowulf proves how courageous he is when he accepts his last challenge even at old age. Similarly, in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Sir Gawain also shares elements of being a hero. In “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”, Sir Gawain’s strength is proven when he “…slashed through the man’s spine/ and cut through the white, flesh, serving it in two” (“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” 424-425). In this quote Sir Gawain shows his strength by bringing a blade down so intensely on the Green Knight’s neck that, his head is completely severed from his body. In addition to Sir Gawain’s strength his is also very skilled, specifically in manners. It is shown in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, that Sir Gawain has “fine …show more content…
To begin, they both have supernatural antagonists, are both considered heroes, and they follow their cultures customs and traditions of interaction. However, just like any other two people they have differences as well specifically for them is their views on religion. Again, in “Beowulf”, Beowulf fights not only demons, but also a dragon; similarly, Sir Gawain is challenged by the Green Knight, and has to fight dragons and ogres. In addition, they are both heroes due to their strength, skill, and courage. Lastly, they are similar in that they follow their cultures customs and traditions. In “Beowulf”, boasting is big deal in his culture, so they can prove their qualifications. Similarly, in Sir Gawain’s culture there is importance on the use of manners when interacting with others as a code of honor. However, they do differ in their religious views. In “Beowulf”, it is unclear if they follow the Christian religion, but there is mention of God, especially when they are successful they give credit to God’s plan. In addition, there are also parallels between Grendel, the demon and the biblical story of Cain and Abel. In contrast, in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, it is clear that they follow the Christian religion through the specific mention of Christian figures, the celebration of Christmas, and the use of Christian holidays as a
...e the quarrels, the hatreds, the feuds,/ That will bring us battles, force us into war/ With the Swedes, as soon as they’ve learned how our lord/ Is dead” (Beowulf 2999-3002). That quote shows that Beowulf lived in a war-torn country and therefore his strength and ability to protect his people made him a revered hero. Sir Gawain, on the other hand, lived in a time when inner qualities were valued. The valuing of inner qualities along with Sir Gawain’s exceptional traits made him a hero. That being said, although Beowulf and Sir Gawain differ in some aspects, they both fit the hero archetype of being better than the ordinary man, proving oneself many times, and having a tragic flaw.
The three heroes discussed here, Beowulf, Sir Gawain and King Arthur, are heroes for different reasons. Beowulf, our earliest hero, is brave but his motivation is different than then other two. To Sir Gawain personal honor and valor is what is important. King Arthur, Sir Gawain's uncle, is naturally the quintessential king of the medieval period. Though all men to a certain extent share the same qualities, some are more pronounced than in the others. It is important to see how these qualities are central to their respective stories and how it helps (or hinders) them in their journeys.
The significance of religious beliefs in the tales of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, portrayed diverse roles in each story. Although it was clear that God was highly-favored and worshipped in each of these tales, the abundance of praising Him was greatly differed. Both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the green knight are written to be believers of God and his mighty works and miracles. In this passage, the significance of religious beliefs in these tales are explained by presenting how Beowulf and the characters of his time praised the Lord for all of his works, even those that pertained to evil doings, Sir Gawain praised the Lord for blessings and strength instead of his unfortunate times, and how each character was destined to become more like Christ, living their lives being heroes and God-like.
Heroes come in many forms. The construction of "the heroic" has taken many forms, yet traits such as: courage, honor, and loyalty, reappear as themes throughout the "hero" personality. The characters of Beowulf and Sir Gawain each represent a version of a hero, yet each comes across quite differently in their story. A hero can be said to truly win if he remains constant to his noble values when put in any situation that crosses his way. When measured by that criterion, Sir Gawain stands out above Beowulf as a true hero, due to his command of both personal and spiritual power through the use of thought, as well as valiant deeds.
Then the Danes decide to go back to Herot and while they are sleeping, Grendel’s mother
To begin, we can examine the physical appearances of the two heroes. From the get go, we see Beowulf as a very powerful man. We see emphasise of this through the drawings of the novel. We see how muscular he is and the overall aura. He is relaxed and in control every step of the way.
Both of these poems tell about two different stories and many different people in those stories, but that does not make the characters any different. Beowulf and Sir Gawain proved their courage by either clashing with a monster or choosing a deadly game. They both also showed their desire to help and save the people they care about by battling the supernatural. Despite the different journeys that Beowulf and Sir Gawain went on and the people they meet both characters share courage, the desire to save the people they love, and conquering the supernatural which are the qualities that make them an epic hero.
Throughout British Literature, there are many instances of heroism. To be considered a hero by others in the time period of 449 to 1625, you must be, “noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose: especially, one who has risked or sacrificed his life” (Morris 618). Four characters in British Literature that portray heroic traits are Beowulf, Sir Gawain, Macbeth, and the Knight of The Canterbury Tales. Beowulf shows himself worthy of the title of being a hero when he leaves his country to help a neighboring country, Denmark and rid them of the long lasting fear of a malicious monster known as Grendel. Sir Gawain is considered a hero by many because of his loyalty to King Arthur. He even risks his life so that King Arthur would live and participates in the Green Knights challenge. Although Macbeth has got a few more faults than other heroes have in British Literature, his name is still synonymous with “hero”. Aristotle says “the tragic hero has to fall from grace … after being on top” (Chui 1). Before the three witches tell Macbeth the false prophecies, Macbeth is in held is high accord, yet afterwards, his ambition tears him down and he does anything it takes gain the role of King. The Knight, from The Canterbury Tales, excels beyond all others when it comes to being a hero. He is the most loyal and is admired by the other characters for his courage, bravery in battle and his exploits in war. He is on a religious pilgrimage not to make money or any other avaricious deed that the other characters are on the pilgrimage for, he is on the pilgrimage to worship God, which is also honored by his peers as being heroic. All four characters mentioned have heroic traits and they all are considered heroes. Although they might gain their title in different ways and for the wrong reasons, they are truly heroes. In British Literature, many stories have been influenced by the heroic traditions of their time period. The characters, although in different stories, all portray the heroic tradition in British Literature.
Although Gawain and Beowulf share many similarities, their characters are almost complete opposites. Both aim for some sort of fame, one more than the other; differing in the way they attempt to achieve this success. Gawain remains true and looks to humility to guide him, whereas Beowulf is very prideful and selfish, loving nothing more than boasting about his virtues. Regardless, both go through tremendous changes throughout their quests, dealing with repercussions, and many challenging obstacles along the way.
The Green Knight takes a blow from an ax at the hand of Sir Gawain, and in one year and one day, the Green Knight is to reciprocate the action to Sir Gawain. While Sir Gawain was heroic in his deed, Beowulf shows a certain selflessness in his bouts makes him a better hero than Sir Gawain. 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.
Beowulf and Gawain are shown as great leaders. Sir Gawain is liked by most people he has met. Beowulf has many loyal followers by his side. Beowulf and Sir Gawain are both brave and loyal. They attempt to honor their kings and kingdoms. Those are all qualities of a hero.
In the stories of Beowulf and A Knight's Tale, there are many different themes. One of the major themes is the religion that runs through both of them, yet both stories have a very different view of religion. In Beowulf, it seems as if God has chosen where our life will end and where it will begin, everything happens by the will of God in a fair and just way. In The Knight's Tale, we see Greek gods playing with the characters and when they "play" with them, there is no real pattern to how they choose things. Each vies is different and this affects the stories in different ways.
The title characters in both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight were both considered paragons of excellence by their peoples. Yet, upon close inspection of the specific actions of these characters, stark differences emerge. While Gawain is virtuous and exemplifies selflessness, Beowulf's heroism is marred by his pursuit of fame and wealth, which seems to dominate his every action. The discrepancy can be explained by a contextual analysis of both heroes. Gawain's code of chivalry emphasizes perfection and thus he is flawless.
The story of Beowulf, there is Christain traits and pagan traits. In each battle, Beowulf would always make sure to say that God is the reason why he can get through them. He would always spread the word of being selfless and kind, The pagan traits are because Beowulf has supernatural strengths yet he is still human. This causes him to be confident and arrogant which also gets him through the battles. He also believes in Fate: "Fate will unwind as it must". This means he doesn’t have too much faith in God because fate will guide him. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight also have Christian traits to the story. Bertilak’s wife resembles Eve in her appearance and seduction. Temptation shows Gawain’s faith in God that he will not do anything with her. Christian traits show up when Bertilak confronts Gawain about hiding the girdle and Gawain wants forgiveness for his sins. The Green Knight himself is used as a part of the paganism traits. He is all green which represents nature. The Green Knight is Gawain’s main battle. These religious aspects play a major role in both stories. It affects the protagonist's mindset and the way of
A hero is someone that helps others no matter what the situation. There are many qualities that a hero must posses such as bravery, courage, strength, intelligence and honor. These qualities alone are not enough to make a hero. They must also be pure at heart, fight for the good of mankind and only fight when it is to protect the people and not out of revenge. Beowulf is everything a hero should be, but contains a few qualities that a hero should not posses. When Beowulf sailed with his men to Herot he had one goal, to rid the hall of Grendal. Beowulf was under no obligation to destroy Grendal and never asked for anything in return for his services. A true hero would never ask for money or anything of value. He put his life at risk to save the people of Herot, who he didn’t even know, out of his own good nature Great strength has been a trait that has been identified with heroes in many stories and legends. Than he saw hanging on the wall, a heavy Sword, hammered by giants, strong And blessed with their magic, the best of all weapons But so massive that no ordinary man could lift... (II. 1557-1560) Beowulf possessed great strength that separated him from other men. Being able to use a sword that no ordinary man was able to carry gives the feeling that Beowulf is something more than a human being. It makes him special and causes him to stand out from all other men. Fame is something that makes a hero more noted. Beowulfs popularity had spread all over the world. He never let this go to his head and he never thought that he was better than everyone else because of it. “Your fame is everywhere, my friend,/Reaches to the ends of the earth, and you hold it in your heart wisely...” (II.1704-1706). A hero should not be foolish or full of himself. Unferth said: You’re Beowulf, are you- the same Boastful fool who fought a swimming Match with Brecca, both of you daring and young and proud,exploring the deepest Seas, risking your lives for no reason But the danger? (II. 506-511) A hero should not have to prove to himself or to anyone else that he is brave, fearless or courageous. If he is pure a heart and his intentions are good then he can be considered a true hero.