Similarities Between Sir Gawain And The Code Of Chivalry

Society creates rules that are meant to be broken. Despite the negative ideas connected with deviance, there are many benefits from these actions. Whether there are lessons to be learned or changes in society to be made, rule breaking shaped society and the future actions of its members, and continues to do so today. In the middle ages, knights had a system just like this called the Codes of Chivalry. Many pieces of literature were written to explore the rights and wrongs of this guide to a knight’s behavior. For example, Geoffrey Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales and the unknown author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight wrote stories of knights, who were required to follow the Codes of Chivalry, to explore this very topic of rule breaking and

its effects. Yet, there are distinct ways that the authors differentiated the actions the knights took and the lessons each knight learned. While the Knight in the Wife of Bath’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shared similarities when they made their mistakes, their motivations and actions that followed greatly contrasted.
    The largest piece of both stories’ plots is what drives the knights to their adventures, and this is the key similarity between the two as well. Both knights breach the Codes of Chivalry in some way. While the mistakes were different in manner and broke different rules, they share this similarity in a broad sense. When the Knight in The Wife of Bath’s Tale, hereinafter known as the Knight, was being characterized, he was riding along a river as Chaucer described:
He saw a maiden walking all forlorn
Ahead of him, alone as she was born.
And of that maiden, spite of all she said,
By very force he took her maidenhead. (Brozo lines 31-34)
As the author Mr. Donn said in his article “Middle Ages for Kids Chivalry,” the Knight made the mistake of not treating a woman with, “utmost graciousness” (Donn). Similarly, Sir Gawain made a violation of a deal he held with the Lord of the chapel. It was agreed upon by the two men that they would give each other what they would receive when the Lord returned from hunting. On the third day of hunting, the Lady of the Chapel gives Sir Gawain a magical green girdle to protect him (Brozo). The unknown author writes in a prologue paragraph, “Sir Gawain keeps his pledge for the first two days, but he fails to give the lord the magic green girdle that the lady gives him on the third day, because she gives it with the promise that it will protect him from harm” (Brozo 178). It is indicated by both the word “fails” and by later events in the book that Sir Gawain has made a breach of the codes by failing to uphold a rule Donn describes as, “loyalty to the church and lord” (Donn). It was clear that both knights share making a mistake in regards to the codes of chivalry.
    In addition to their ignorance of the codes of chivalry, the motivations behind the knight’s mistakes both involved selfishness. The Knight is described right before making his mistake as, “a knight who was a lusty liver” (Brozo 29). Chaucer’s description of the Knight in this fashion exhibited his sexual desire, which could typically be interpreted as desperate and soon proven by his crime thereafter. Comparatively, Sir Gawain makes his mistake because of selfishness when the unknown author says, “He is determined to accept his fate; however, he wears the magic green girdle that the lady has given him” (178). His actions are concerned only with self interest. He did not tell the Lord of the girdle as their deal called for because this girdle would protect his life. Even if it was Sir Gawain’s fate to die, it is human nature to try to survive if given the opportunity; therefore, Sir Gawain traded in his honor as a knight for a way to protect himself. When proposed with things that the knight desired or needed, they both acted selfishly and made their mistakes.
    In contrast to the knight’s motivations for their mistakes, the reasons they take on their requested are opposed. After the Knight commits a crime, he is being charged by his King (Brozo). His initial punishment is by death, but the Queen requests that the knight faces a challenge instead when she says:
“You stand, for such is the position still,
In no way certain of your life,” said she,
“Yet you shall live if you can answer me:
What is the thing that women most desire?
Beware the axe and say as I require.
“If you can’t answer on the moment, though,
I will concede you this: you are to go
A twelvemonth and a day to seek and learn
Sufficient answer, then you shall return.
I shall take gages from you to extort
Surrender of your body to the court.” (Lines 48-68)
The Knight began his journey with this in mind. He was mainly motivated by the fact that if he did not participate, then he would have been killed. Unlike the Knight, Sir Gawain is motivated by more knight-like reasons. The Green Knight enters King Arthur’s court with a challenge; however, despite King Arthur’s knight’s reputation, everyone is shocked and does not volunteer (Brozo). It is at this point that the Green Knight, in a way, taunts and demotes the court when he says:
“What, is this Arthur’s house,” said that horseman then,
“Whose fame is so fair in far realms and wide?
Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds,
Your valor and your victories and your vaunting words?
Now are the revel and renown of the Round Table
Overwhelmed with a word of one man’s speech,
For all cower and quake, and no cut felt!” (85-91)
King Arthur hands are tied and he initially took on the Green Knight’s challenge; however, Sir Gawain soon volunteers instead (Brozo).

The Green Knight’s speech shows this whole challenge is to test the reputation of King Arthur’s court, and Sir Gawain was motivated and willing to uphold this reputation no matter his skill. Once again, the Knight’s motivation is more so on his on survival, while Sir Gawain’s motivation is based on upholding King Arthur’s reputation.
    At the end of both stories, each knight learns a lesson and are forgiven, yet the reactions of the knight’s differed greatly. Compared with Sir Gawain, the Knight’s reaction when the King and Queen forgive him for his faults was not noble, but rather whiny and ungrateful. During his adventure to fulfill the Queen’s challenge to discover what women wanted the most, the Knight was helped by an old woman (Brozo). He made a promise with her to marry her if her answer was right; however, when he had to go through with his promise he

says:
“Put right?” he cried.

“That never can be now!
Nothing can ever be put right again!
You’re old, and so abominably plain,
So poor to start with, so low-bred to follow;
It’s little wonder if I twist and wallow!
God, that my heart would burst within my breast!” (Lines 244-249)
His life was just saved and he was forgiven, yet he was still upset about the circumstance that he was placed into. Different from the Knight, Sir Gawain is forgiven by the Green Knight for hiding the belt and Sir Gawain was very truthful, begging, and penitent when he revealed his fault. Sir Gawain confesses to the Green Knight when he states:
“Behold there my falsehood, ill hap betide it!
Your cut taught me cowardice, care for my life,
And coveting came after, contrary both To largesse and loyalty belonging to knights.
Now am I faulty and false, that fearful was ever
Of disloyalty and lies, bad luck to them both! and greed.
I confess, knight, in this place, Most dire is my misdeed;
Let me gain back your good

grace,
And thereafter I shall take heed.” (Lines 464-477)
The way he confesses, embraces the Green Knight afterwards, and returns to King Arthur’s court to tell his faults, it is shown Sir Gawain is grateful for his forgiveness (Brozo). With all of this in mind, it was apparent that the Knight and Sir Gawain did not act in the same manner when forgiven.
    The Codes of Chivalry were the form of rules that knights were to follow in the middle ages, and the tales of the Knight and Sir Gawain both featured its elements and rules within. Even though the Knight in the Wife of Bath’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight had differences in their motivations and actions after their mistakes, they had similarities when they made their mistakes. Overall, knights, such as the ones in these stories, are loyal men to their lords or nobles who act bravely and courteously to all, especially women (Donn). While both knights in these stories do not necessarily exhibit all of these traits at first, they did learn their lesson on what quality they lacked. In contemporary society today, these elements are still present. People today face daunting challenges in everyday life, and must have the courage, skill, and hope to conquer these tasks, just as knights would when facing a battle or challenge. Also, there are many elements that have worked their way into policies worldwide, such as a sense of justice, generosity, and faith or morales. These could affect the way courts rule, what society does to give back and help people, and what people are guided by in everydaylife. Once again, society creates many things that may have obvious interpretations as positive or negative, yet in some cases rule breaking has been one of those examples that could be either.