Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Chivalry Essay

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem written by The Gawain Poet about medieval times. During medieval times poems often idealized and glorified knights, which people expected to obey a code of chivalry. In the poem the protagonist, Sir Gawain receives a challenge from the Green Knight. Sir Gawain cuts off the Green Knight’s head, they meet at the Green Chapel for the exchange of winning, and finally part their own ways. In a passage from the poem, the poet’s use of literary devices, such as imagery and diction, make Sir Gawain seem very honorable and modest, as well as to display an overall theme of chivalry.
Sir Gawain in search of the Green Chapel stays at a castle nearby for three days. During the course of his stay, the lady of the chapel tries to bribe Sir Gawain with gifts such as “ a ring of the yellowest gold and… a stone like a star from which flew splendid beams like the light of the sun” (190-193). Sir Gawain instead of accepting the gift, shows his honor by kindly refusing her offer. The hyperbole used to describe the ring and as well as the simile to describe the gem of the ring, exaggerates its importance and makes it seem more luxurious. The exaggeration of the importance of the ring dramatizes the tone of the passage and will also effect on the image of Sir Gawain

later on.
After the poet has glorified the ring offer to Sir Gawain and he now has to accept or decline the gift.

Sir Gawain kindly refuses the lady’s gift by saying he has “nothing to give” therefore it would be “ wrong to take gifts in turn’’(194). The poet uses hyperbole by saying that Sir Gawain himself doesn't have anything to give in return. This displays that Sir Gawain uphold his chivalry and follows the code of knights by kindly refusing her gift. Sir Gawain most likely can someone repay the lady for her gift, but he’s modest and states that he can’t offer her anything. The exaggeration of the ring as seen before makes Sir Gawain’s act of refusing the gift seem more

heroic.
Sir Gawain’s behavior in this excepted passage is a reflection of the ideal knight in medieval times. The lady gives Sir Gawain a green sash, instead of the ring as a gift. Sir Gawain says “...and my debt’s by no means slight…to be your humble knight” (215,217). The end rhyme used at the end of this excerpt adds a more playful and dramatic tone to the passage. Sir Gawain throughout the poem but especially in this passage help us uncover the theme of the poem, which is chivalry and honor. He states that he’s thankful for the gift and that he will humbly serve her. The theme of chivalry is perfectly displayed in this quote, as it supports the proposition of an ideal knight. It displays the courtesy, modesty, and loyalty.
In the excepted passage the use of diction displays an ideal knight in the medieval times. Sir Gawain is the ideal knight in the poem and appears as very modest and honorable. Also, the actions of Sir Gawain show the theme of chivalry and emphasize how important chivalry was for the people of medieval times. Often poets use diction to make poems more enjoyable and create a deeper meaning in each story they narrate.