Analysis Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

An abundance of the literary world’s best and most engaging poems or stories took place during the very fictional reign of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, who most famously, resided in Camelot. The poem, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, written during the medieval period, is without a doubt one of the best fictional stories to ever come from this era. I found it especially interesting that both Christianity and Paganism intertwine during this heroic story. This encourages whoever is reading it to have a contrasting mindset because the story has not only Christian elements, but many pagan themes as well; it makes you wonder what type of story this really is. Many people speculate, however, whether the Gawain author could

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, and Pearl” is a poem that uses symbolism to enhance multiple concepts of the natural world. Throughout the poem, the color green is used to describe both living and nonliving things such as the Green Knight and the green girdle. The poet uses various patterns and techniques to represent and introduce the color green as well as allow the reader to interpret how the color green is being used as a symbol. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Patience, and Pearl”, the Green Knight, green axe, holly bob, and green girdle are all used to symbolize various natural elements such as rejuvenation, violence, and remembrance throughout the poem.

Hollis, Stephanie J. “The Pentangle Knight: ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’”. The Chaucer Review, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Winter, 1981): 267-281. Accessed November 20, 2017. http://0-www.jstor.org.library.hillsdale.edu/stable/pdf/25093761.pdf

After reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain’s identity is left undecided. At the conclusion of the narrative, the Green Knight restores Gawain’s knightly virtues of the pentangle and continues to praise Gawain for his virtue. But Gawain returns home unsatisfied with his restoration only to find his court full of admiration for his return home and victory, even though he now wears the green lace (4.2489-505). The physical journey Gawain to the Green Knight demonstrates his outward courage and devotion, but what is truly going on in his heart? Gawain’s moral character is at stake because he must decide between his valued pentangle or his gifted green lace as his true identity. During his encounter with the Green Knight, Sir

When writing, never explain your symbols. The author of ``Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' dropped this unspoken rule when he picked up his pen. Why? The detailed description and exposition of the pentangle form the key to understanding this poem. By causing the reader to view Gawain's quest in terms of the pentangle, the narrator compares the knightly ideals with the reality of Gawain's life. The narrator uses the pentangle to promote the knightly ideals, but he also accentuates the primary need for truth in knightly conduct. Finally, the difference between Gawain's reaction to his failure and others' perception of his faults remind the reader that no one can reach the ideal, and

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, perhaps the most perfectly wrought of all medieval English romances, has called forth a wealth of scholarly commentary, in regard to its main symbol, the Pentangle” (Beauregard). Christianity is evident in this epic poem. “Some knights in the Medieval Era would carry a shield symbolizing bravery and battle; Sir Gawain is symbolized by the Pentangle that shows his morals” (Beauregard). The pentangle symbolizes the virtues to which Gawain aspires: to possess brotherly love, courtesy, piety, and chastity, “First he was deemed flawless in his five senses;/ secondly his five fingers that were never at fault;/ thirdly the five wounds Christ received on the cross/…The fifth set of five which I heard the knight followed / including friendship and fraternity/, purity and politeness that impressed at all times/, and pity which

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a chivalric romance from the fourteenth century Middle English. The poem was written by Gawain Poet and talks about the story about Sir Gawain and his encounter with the Green Knight. In this poem, the reader can see the journey of Sir Gawain and how he goes through stages of nobility to humility. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight consist of many themes throughout the poem. One of the major themes of this poem is Sir Gawain ability to show the reader his passage to maturity. He shows his passage to maturity by passing three major tests that are thrown in his way.

A close reading of the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight reveals a very antifeminist view. The poem, told in four parts, tells of common medieval folklore. The stories seem to be of different plotlines, but start to intersect in interesting ways – that is, the character of Morgan Le Fay begins to frame the stories together. The half-sister of King Arthur, she holds intense hatred for her half-brother and his court. It is her thirst for the downfall of Camelot that makes this character infamous, and, surprisingly, her success and the strength of her ability that give a bad name to women. Through the examination of Morgan Le Fay’s character, it is clear that a successful woman is always an illusion.

Throughout this year we have explored deep into the Golden Age of literature. Whether it was The Middle Ages and works like “The Dream of the Rood, The Elizabethan Age and “Speech to the Troops”, or tales from the 17th and 18th century such as “The Flea” I have learned a lot about classic literature and what makes it great. My favorite tale by far however came from The Middle Ages, and it was called “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” This story puts the main character, Gawain, into several situations that will define him as a knight and a person. This story is great for young readers because it put Gawain through many of the trials and tribulations that youth go through daily.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval poem by an unknown author, written in Middle English in the 14th century. This poem is uncanny to most poems about heroism and knightly quests as it doesn’t follow the complete circle seen in other heroism tales. This poem is different to all the rest as it shows human weaknesses as well as strengths which disturbs the myth of the perfect knight, or the faultless hero. The author uses symbolism as a literary device in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give the plot a deeper and more significant meaning. Symbolism is used to emphasise the difference of this heroism story against others and therefore symbolism is of great importance in this poem. The importance of the following symbols will be

At the start of the story Sir Gawain exists as a noble, loyal, and confident figure who accepts the challenge of the Green Knight to protect King Arthur who the speaker introduces to us as his uncle. While preparing for the trip that he has to take to find the Green Knight, the speaker introduces us to Gawain's symbolic shield. This shield represents the five virtues of knights, and also throws in the morals of christianity due to the religious decoration of Mary on the inside of his shield. All these attributes come together to form the basis of Gawain's heroic character. Gawain relies on the religious aspect of his character to guide him on his way to finding the Green Knight. At one point, Gawain has given up hope, prays to

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero Gawain is the model of chivalry and knightly graces. However, the poem is not the typical tale of a knight’s adventures and romance. Instead, the poem is a test of Gawain’s devotion to the ideals of chivalry and the values of the Pentagle. The code that Gawain strives to emulate upholds the values of generosity, fellowship, chastity, courtesy, and compassion. His world is full of the grandeur of Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. This “idealistic” existence shapes his actions and decisions as he strives to meet the unobtainable perfection his world demands. Gawain is not a perfect being and must learn to accept his imperfections and challenge himself to become better.

Kind, loyal, modest, and most importantly chivalrous, Sir Gawain represents the ideal of a Christian knight of the fourteenth century. This Arthurian hero’s moral compass never leads him astray, except on one occasion. Gawain lies near the end of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an uncharacteristic act for typically honest and just Gawain. In fact it is strange that this paragon of knighthood, after all he goes through, lies right at the end of his journey. Resulting from the conflicting perceptions of perfection in Christianity and the Code of Chivalry. However, in truth it serves as this epics message, conveying the notion that no matter how perfect one may appear, everyone is flawed and in order to better yourself, you must learn from your flaws and mistakes.

Symbolism is an artistic technique to convey morals, describe emotions or venture on an exciting journey. In the medieval story, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the protagonist and one of King Arthurs most admirable knights, Sir Gawain has taken it upon himself to go on a quest and complete the game that the Green Knight has asked for and ultimately become a knight of the round table. Written in the fourteenth century by an unknown author, makes it more difficult for the reader to understand the reasoning behind the vast use of symbolism in the story. Symbols in this novel portray context clues, ideas, and chivalry are intertwined with signs which help the reader understand the historic meanings in the story. In the story, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, knights encounter multiple symbols such as garments, colors, and numbers that impact the interpretation and the significance or dimension of the reading.

While reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it’s effortless for the layman to browse over important details and fail to extract meaning from them. When dealing with prose, this is no surprise, as often complete filler sentences are sewn in to stitch one part of the narrative to another. The blunder lies in applying this lackadaisical approach to other forms of literature, in this case epic poetry. In the hands of the master poet, the pen does not waste its precious ink. Each detail, stanza, and alliteration are added for a reason, whether that reason be to paint a dramatic atmosphere, or to symbolize something beyond the words themselves. Through the symbolism found in Sir Gawain’s shield, and the three animals King Bertilak hunts – deer, boar, and fox – the reader learns of both vice and virtue that knight Gawain grapples with in the Pearl Poet’s masterpiece.