An Epic Hero in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a Poem Pearl Poet

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 addition to his unnatural size and presence, his magical nature is further hinted at as he appears “completely emerald green” (Sir Gawain l50) and later affirmed when he picks up his severed head and reminds Gawain of the rules of the agreement they made. This imagery of a seemingly omnipotent figure that a mortal man enters into an agreement is an allusion to the spiritual promise that individuals of the Christian faith enter with God. Ironically, the idea of the Green Knight acting as a metaphor for a supernatural power is part of a larger paganistic culture that stretches across the world and includes such figures as the Aztec “Corn King”, a “vegetation spirit representing fertility and involved in a sacrificial beheading (Benson 67). The supernatural is being appropriated to connect to the growing Christian culture of medieval Britain and make the narrative resonate with the general populace. Sir Gawain’s journey to fulfill his covenant with the Green Knight is fraught with supernatural perils, disorientation, and temptations but it eventually leads him to a chapel to fulfill his promise to the Green Knight: “See, Gawain, that you carry out your promise exactly,/ And search for me truly, sir, until I am found,/ As you have sworn in this hall in

A particular archetypal character in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight who plays a central role in creating the conflicts that help to develop Gawain’s character and the ultimate theme of this medieval romance , the Green Knight. The Green Knight deals with different archetypes, the evil figure… ultimately good, the trickster, and can also convey a type of mentor. In the story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, at the end once Sir Gawain finds the green chapel the green

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a very wonderful story that has many symbols that have an important meaning and lesson to it. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is written anonymously. This story is very unique in every way because some of the circumstances and games are very different compared to how some people see them today. There are many symbols that are embedded into this story. Items that seem simple and irrelevant in real life are important in the story and embrace special lessons. The green belt, nature and the color green are important symbols in the story.

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale that takes place in the medieval period. During this time period, knights were considered very common and were expected to follow one main code of law, chivalry. This code mainly stated that a knight must be loyal to his king, honest, modest, and brave. Chivalry is practiced in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the form of tests that are given to Gawain to reveal his true character, and what is valued most to him. Throughout these tests, Sir Gawain proves that he values his honor over his life and will not fall to temptations displayed to him.

Medieval romances are dramatic theatrical narratives that usually include heroes, adventures, and of course the excitement of love. These stories have been around since the 12th century, first appearing in France and then later seen in England. They were some of the most popular texts of the era. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of these stories introduced in the 13th century. In fact, it’s so old that nobody knows who even wrote the poem. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an exciting tale where Sir Gawain is tested as a knight by facing challenges and adventures. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shows us the all the main traits and characteristics of a medieval romance, such as supernatural elements, mistaken identity, larger than life characters, and lastly a hero facing and passing tests of loyalty.

The tale of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” focuses primarily on beliefs of honor, bravery, and chivalry. The main character, Sir Gawain, embodies these qualities. His character is meant to be a model of chivalry. He emanates honor when he offers to fight the Green Knight for King Arthur. Medieval people would admire this courageous act. In his struggles to keep his promise Gawain demonstrates chivalry and loyalty until his honor is assessed, in the end, by the Green Knight’s schemes. This tale also includes a larger-than-life character who commands respect, the Green Knight. This superhuman being defies all laws of nature when his head is chopped off, yet he still remains alive and alert. These characters and their extraordinary actions provide perspective for the values and interests of medieval people.

The story begins in King Arthur's court, where he and the Knights of the Round Table are celebrating New Year's. While they are enjoying their feast, a gigantic Green Knight rides in on a green horse with an immense axe in his hand to offer them a challenge. His offer is: "I shall bide the fist blow, as bare as I sit…….., but in twelve month and one day he shall have of me the same." (Norton Anthology,208)

"What makes a man a hero? Where lies the line which, when crossed, changes a mortal man into a legend? World leaders of our generation are mockeries of real men, more like Pilates than Thomas Mores." ( Gagne) In the poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the definition of a hero is clearly explained. Gawain is faced with trials and tribulations throughout the poem, but what clearly defines the crossover from man to hero?

    In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one can discover a variety of reasons why the Green Knight is indeed green.  Some can be found in open text while others one has to search for.  There is possibly another aspect involved in the holly leaf he carries in his first appearance.  The deeper aspect of the Green Knight is how he ties into the beliefs and culture of the Celts.

His greatest foe ultimately turns out to be not the Green Knight, but himself, as the major conflict is within: his own fear of death. He does triumph over that fear insofar as he seeks out the Green

The character of the Green Knight, Sir Bertilak, wholly opposes the Christian, honorable characterization of Gawain. When Gawain comes to meet the Green Knight, he exclaims: “‘Can this be the Chapel Green?/Alack!’ ...Here might/The devil himself be seen/Saying matins at black midnight” (2185-2188). The Green Knight is a fairy, who resides in a parody of a church. His pagan figure contrasts sharply with this characterization of Gawain, who is strongly connected with his Christian faith. Gawain is also a foil to the Green Knight in that Gawain epitomizes courtly manners, whereas the Green Knight lacks courtesy. He traipses into Camelot and acts as though he cannot tell Arthur is king (224-231), and later refers to the courtiers as “beardless children” (280), showing a great lack of manners. Later, as Sir Bertilak is hosting Gawain, it seems that the Green Knight does actually possess courtesy. However, boarding Gawain is revealed to be a part of a grand scheme to shame prideful knights of the Round Table (2456-2459). The illegitimacy of his courtesy toward Gawain shows that the Green Knight lacks the honesty attributed to truly courteous knights. The Green Knight, a pagan figure that shuns the manners of the court, is inverted by the character of Gawain, who epitomizes honorable knighthood in this

In the story of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, by Geoffrey Chaucer, there is a character inside the tale that plays a major part in the story. The story follows a knight named Sir Gawain that is sent onto a trial to finish his challenge with this ambiguous figure that’s named The Green Knight. The challenge was to be allowed to chop one another with an axe and to be able to finish the task of destroying one or another.

From when the Green Knight is beheaded and proceeds to pick up his head, give a wicked grin, and say essentially, "I'll see you in a year," (ll. 423-456) it is clear that magic will play in integral part in the narrative. The confirmation of enchantment by Morgan le Faye (ll. 2446-2462) finishes the plot as it began it: in a state of magical unreality. Such enchantment is typical of modern fantasy, particularly from writers of modern fairy tales. Indeed, Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling have essentially made their careers editing compilations of these tales, such as the popular Snow White, Blood Red and its several follow-ups. To increase the fairy-tale style feel of the story, the Green Knight is called an elf (ll. 680, 2461) and faery. (l. 240) There is clear indication that this can easily be called a fairy tale.