The knowledge of Arthurian literature affected Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which contains the qualities Arthur displayed to the people of his time. The word essential refers to something absolutely necessary, a need. Essential elements contain crucial and references to the poem and to its history. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an example of Arthurian literature, two essential elements are chivalry and faith.
The influence of surrounding cultures in Arthurian literature includes a variety of writing forms and material about other societies (“Arthur of the English” xiv). In the preface of The Arthurian Legend in Medieval English Life and Literature, the phrase “wider world” is used often to enlighten his readers about exchanges
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with people all over the world. In the Middle Ages, Arthurian literature was a predominantly read, reassuring Englishmen of their culture and allowed them to grip their own sense of values and backgrounds (“Arthur of the English” xiv). In essence, people of this time period saw Arthur as an ideal leader and citizen who others should imitate. Arthurian literature was seen as one of Arthur’s legacies -- something he left for people to gain knowledge from (“Arthur of the English” ix). TS Throughout the poem, Gawain demonstrates chivalry through his commitment and choices.
Ex1 For instance, Sir Gawain acts as King Arthur’s “right-hand-man” (“Chivalry”) by fighting the Green Knight (“Chivalry”). Gawain demonstrates honor, which is one of the ideal duties of a warrior, by fighting in place of his king. Elab The Green Knight challenges Gawain and makes it clear that Gawain shall not bow out of the battle (Sir Gawain 278). Ultimately, Lord Bertilak tests Gawain’s loyalty by making this point. Ex2 Later, Gawain is approaching his time of battle with the Green Knight and has a symbolic pentangle for protection. Elab2 The pentangle exemplifies the knightly virtues of an “endless knot” with his king (Sir Gawain 630). Essentially, armor represents a mode of protection for a knight going against evil. Lady Bertilak tests Gawain’s loyalty when presenting him with the green girdle (another piece of armor), which can keep him safe when he goes against the Green Knight (“Chivilary”). CONCL Overall, warrior chivalry is shown through Sir Gawain’s faithfulness to King Arthur and the use of armor such as a …show more content…
pentangle. TS Furthermore, in the poem, an important connection between faith and the pentangle develops.
Ex1 The pentangle represents the five knightly virtues and illustrates the bond between a knight and his king. Elab1 These virtues symbolized in the pentangle are the standards Gawain is expected to live by as a “noble” knight and faith is one of the virtues (Bauregard 147). Since faith is one of the virtues symbolized in the pentangle, Gawain is expected to demonstrate this virtue. Ex2 Gawain exhibits traits of a perfect knight in the beginning of the poem, but as obstacles are put in his way, his faith is being tested. Elab2 Gawain realizes that perfect and imperfect virtues are interconnected and, that he alone cannot be the ideal knight; faith is vital in his condition (Bauregard 146). CONCL The elements of religion and character served with high importance were moral examples to the authors
audience. Essentially, many pieces of literature would not have come about if not for Arthur’s legacy found in Arthurian literature. The audience of the poem became conscious of the element of chivalry and its qualities including faith. Gawain had to have faith to gain the title perfect knight. This also affected the audience because they strived to be honorable and loyal people. Arthurian literature enlightened its readers to the “wider world” and the was carried on into the poem that showed chivalry and faith as its most vital elements.
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.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. Keith Harrison. Medieval English Literature. Ed. J.B. Trapp, Douglas Gray, and Julia Boffey. New York: Oxford UP, 2002: 356-416.
The perfect, archetypal knight, one who seamlessly, simultaneously embodies all of the qualities so harmoniously unified on Gawain 's shield, cannot exist, as the five points of Gawain 's pentangle cannot fully be kept
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – A Test of Chivalry Essay with Outline: Loyalty, courage, honor, purity, and courtesy are all attributes of a knight that displays chivalry. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is truly a story of the test of these attributes. In order to have a true test of these attributes, there must first be a knight worthy of being tested, meaning that the knight must possess chivalric attributes to begin with. Sir Gawain is admittedly not the best knight around. He says "I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; / and the loss of my life [will] be the least of any" (Sir Gawain, l. 354-355).
Sir Gawain is presented as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. He is the perfect knight; he is so recognised by the various characters in the story and, for all his modesty, implicitly in his view of himself. To the others his greatest qualities are his knightly courtesy and his success in battle. To Gawain these are important, but he seems to set an even higher value on his courage and integrity, the two central pillars of his manhood.
From the power of persuasion to the value of honor and beyond, one can witness many facets of human nature played out among the pages of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. No theme of which can be seen more impeccably than the showcase of virtue verses sin. As Gawain is launched into tests of courtesy it is clear that much more is being examined than just his execution of courteous behavior, it is the nature of those around him that is also being taken into account. It is interesting how an author uses the combination of a negatively imbued foe and a positively inspired hero to highlight the traits most desirable for the mere mortals reading such a tale. In “Sir Gawain” the author uses some of the seven deadly sins to poetically draw their reader numerous and highly elaborate verbal pictures. For instance, in the opening passages of “Sir Gawain” the reader is told of rich and sumptuous clothing, decadent banquets hosted by Arthur and the lavish finery in his court. The reader might find that Arthur’s court is gluttonous in these displays of wealth while reading this section. Opulence, however, is laced thoroughly as reoccurring theme through many of the court and hall scenes in this particular romance. Another specific instance of the seven deadly being used is when the reader is shown that courtesy is a “big deal” for Arthur and his court. On display here is pride, chief of the seven deadly sins, which obviously reigns supreme when it comes to the reputation of courtesy in Arthur’s court. It comes into question here if these traits are entirely good or if they have a darker, more sinful nature attached to them. Thus as Gawain was tested for his diligence to courteous behavior, here and thence five of the seven deadly sins that a...
Sir Gawain is, undoubtably, the most varied of the Arthurian characters: from his first minor appearance as Gwalchmei in the Welsh tales to his usually side-line participation in the modern retelling of the tales, no other character has gone from such exalted heights (being regarded as a paragon of virtue) to such dismal depths (being reduced to a borderline rapist, murderer, and uncouth bore), as he. This degree of metamorphosis in character, however, has allowed for a staggering number of different approaches and studies in Gawain.
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.
“Culture does not make people. People make culture” said Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian writer and educator, in a presentation on feminism in a TedTalk. The culture in which Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written was misogynistic and it shows in the writing of the poem. Medieval cultural misogyny manifests itself in multiple ways in SGGK. This paper will examine the negative relationships between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and gender by discussing: the representation of female characters, gendered violence, and Christianity in the Middle Ages.
The first symbol in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that I will discuss is Sir Gawain’s knightly shield. On Gawain’s shield is a pentangle, the five points on this pentangle represent the five virtues of the perfect knight; piety, friendship, generosity, chastity and courtesy. Each of the five virtues is tested on Gawain throughout the poem creating an emphasised importance on the shield’s representation and meaning. “Now alle þese fyue syþez, for soþe, were fetled on þis knyȝt, And vchone halched in oþer, þat non ende hade, And fyched vpon fyue poyntez, þat fayld neuer” (SGGK, 656-8). This quote tells of the pentangle’s design, how each line of the pentangles composition is endlessly linked to one another, suggesting that each virtue depends on th...
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance about the adventure of Sir Gawain, King Arthur's Knight of the Round Table. This great verse is praised not only for its complex plot and rich language, but also for its sophisticated use of symbolism. Symbolism is a technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give a significance to the plot. The Green Knight, the Green Sash, and Sir Gawain's Shield are three of the most prominent symbols given to us in this verse.
In a passage of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Part2, 640-712), the main character sits upon his steed, Gringolet, in front of King Arthurfs court, adorned in golden armor. He is about to depart in order to look for the Green Knight and the Green Chapel since he is the only knight brave enough to take up the Green Knightfs challenge, in which a volunteer is to strike the Green Knightfs head off with an axe, but in return, he has to present himself in the following year to receive a return blow. By reading this passage closely, readers can see the qualities necessary for being an honorable knight in King Arthurfs court. These attributes are to be devoted to the truth, to risk his life, and to confront the most difficult challenges.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight fit in with the concept of a romance; it has all the elements that would make one consider the text as so. The tale holds adventure, magic, a quest and an unexpected reality check that even those who are considered “perfect” are also just humans. The author used this story as a way of revealing faults in some of the aspects of knighthood through the use of intertwining chivalric duty with natural human acts; thus showing to be perfectly chivalrous would be inhuman.
The narrative artistry of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight can be attributed to the fundamental elements of chivalric life and the exploration of classic mythological elements that allows the narrative to bridge the gap between Christianity and Paganism, and allow its readers to find their own spiritual interpretation with in the text.