Analysis Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

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.

 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most intriguing Middle English chivalric romances known today. The poem is a delicately written balancing act between two cultures, clashing in a time of unease between the religion of tradition, (paganism) and the new religion, (Christianity). The poem is also one of the best known Arthurian tales, with its plot combining two types of folklore patterns, the beheading game and the exchange of winnings. The Green Knight is interpreted by many as a representation of the Green Man of folklore and by others as an allusion to Christ. The story is told in stanzas of alliterative verse, ending in a bob and wheel. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an important poem in the Middle English romance genre, because it involves all the typical plot progression of a hero who goes on a quest to prove himself. Yet what sets Sir Gawain apart from heroes of lore is his inability to finish his quest. The aspect which makes Sir Gawain and the Green Knight different is Sir Gawain’s failure. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a perfect example of the struggle between enduring Paganism and newfound Christianity.

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is the classic tale of a knight of the round table who takes up the challenge of the mysterious Green Knight. The poem begins with the Green Knight’s sudden arrival and his declaration of his proposition: a knight may strike him, and then a year and one day from then he will return the blow. This tale is most well-known for dealing with the themes of a knight’s code of chivalry, loyalty, resisting temptation, and keeping one’s word. While the whole poem is full of great lines that beautifully deliver the message, one of the best passages come at the end of the poem after Sir Gawain has managed to survive his second encounter with the Green Knight. This passage perfectly encompasses the various themes of the poem, as it deals with all of the trials Gawain has faced up until that point and also explains how he deals with the shame he feels for surviving the game in the way he did.

accept Green Knight’s challenge, which can consider as a mark of his loyalty. And this is particularly significant for Sir Gawain because he is not the best knight to King Arthur, but he is closest to King Arthur. For a knight, the most

Gawain’s first portrayal of being a true knight comes when the Green Knight makes his appearance in Camelot. The Green Knight first speaks to King Arthur and proposes that they play a “game.” Arthur will strike the Green Knight with his axe, and in return the Green Knight will return the strike in a year and a day. King Arthur agrees to this game and its terms, but as he steps up to accept the challenge, Gawain comes forward and offers to participate in the “game” in place of King Arthur. Sir Gawain says to King Arthur, “I implore with prayer plain that this match should now be mine” (341-342). Gawain goes on to strike the Green Knight, cutting off his head. However, the strike does not kill the Green Knight; he picks up his head from the ground and repeats to Sir Gawain that he will return the blow in a year and a day. In this moment, Gawain’s bravery is clearly showcased. First, he takes a challenge in place of his king, which he did not have to do.

In the story, it is evident that Gawain thinks he is the least of King Arthur’s knights although he his is nephew along with one of Camelot’s most famous knights. This character trait of Gawain being modest is most revealed when the Green Knight shows up for the first time wanting King Arthur to behead him, and Gawain states, “I am the weakest of your warriors and the feeblest of wit; loss of my life would be at least lamented” (354-355). When Gawain finishes this speech in these lines, all of the rest of the knights agree that Gawain should do it in case something goes awry.

He also displays both courage and initiative when he says, “I am the weakest, I know, and of wit feeblest” (Kline stanza 16 line 12). When Gawain says this, he tells the Green Knight that he is weak because he wants him to think that he would be able to win, but in all reality Gawain would be able to fight back because he is actually very robust. He shows that he is courageous by protecting and remaining loyal towards King Arthur. Another example of Gawain’s courageousness is when he says, “and roughly he reached out, where the ranks stood,/ latched onto his lovely head, and lifted it so” (Kline stanza 19 line 16-17). During this scene, Gawain takes on the Green Knights request by taking a blow to his head, which shows his courage to take on this game the Green Knight had demanded. It also displays that he is courageous because in this game, he then in return had to take the same blow by the Green Knight a year and one day later. Overall, Gawain displays his great heroism and courageousness by protecting his King just as a true knight should.

o illustrate most periods in history, the era of knights evolved gradually. These guys have been knighted by the monarchy, but not as a part of an order of chivalry in particular the order of the chivalry the order of the British Empire. They can call himself “Sir”. In this case Gawain is the protagonist within the narrative poem “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” a pinnacle of humility, piety, integrity, loyalty and honesty. He defends more than his own reputation, he was one of the bravest. In continuation we are going to see more of this amazing character that in my opinion shows to us the importance of family and overcoming one's fears.

Acknowledges as one of the greatest achievements in English literature, the poem titled “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”, managed to so eloquently incorporate the romantic genre of the medieval times and parallel it to the image of chivalrous knights. Even though knights are often noted as imperfect leads, Sir Gaiwan is portrayed as the imperfect hero through the symbol reflected through the pentangle which is revealed throughout the entire poem. The fact that Sir Gaiwan is portrayed as the imperfect hero raises a sense of curiosity for the reader, especially when the symbolic meaning tracing the pentangle reflects such gallant value. However, what is evident throughout the poem is how there are countless literal and metaphorical contrasts that upon further examination reference the medieval period and the role of men and women. The pentangle represents several ideals and values with the sole purpose of comparing knightly ideals with the reality of Gaiwan’s quest and overall life.

The whole game starts when the Green Knight shows up at the King Arthur’s holiday feast and presents a challenge to the Knights of the Round Table. At first no one accepts the Green Knight’s challenge, but finally Gawain steps up although he is the “weakest of warriors and feeblest of wit” because he feels that “the loss of his life would be least lamented” (Gawain 354-355). Gawain also felt he was less

Generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry and piety; the five virtues all the knights of king Arthur's round table would pledge to uphold. Yet, even Sir. Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, succumbed to temptation and broke his pledge in Sir. Gawain and the Green Knight. After this transgression Gawain is heartbroken, but considering everything he has done in the course of the story, I believe that he is being too hard on himself.

In Part 1 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Arthur's court is governed the knights’ sense of duty, pride, and loyalty to their king. Celebrations of Camelot were considered to be the grandest and lavish feasts of the time. All of the wealthy knights and lords came to feast and enjoy the material pleasures at their disposal. Although they may seem rowdy and uncontrolled in their feasting, the knights remain bound to their codes of honor and chivalry. Even when a total stranger appears during the feast, Arthur greets him and welcomes him to the court of Camelot. The green knight then unveils his challenge to the knights, for one to cut off his head with the blow being returned in

Throughout the history of fictional writing, cultural values of certain time periods have been expressed and implemented through the depiction of the heroes’ experiences on their journeys and the knowledge they gain by the quest’s end. For example, in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a chivalric romance written in the Late Middle Ages, Gawain epitomizes a knight with the characteristics that knights from the Late Middle Ages were expected to possess according to the requirements outlined in the rules of chivalry, such as honor and valor. Likewise, Beowulf, the hero of the folk epic Beowulf, embodies the qualities of an exemplary hero as well as king. Therefore, in both stories, the reader encounters a heroic character that is presented with traits that Anglo-Saxons and the Middle English valued in their culture through their stories’ monomyths, a concept of similar and structural sequences that can be applied to many stories, created by Joseph Campbell. Some of these values are carried from the Early to Late Middle Ages and can be seen through the works of both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a poem that tells the story of one of King Arthur’s knights, Sir Gawain. He is one of the noblest and brave of all of Arthur's knights. The poet who is unknown depicts this magical tale of heroism and adventure. During the story, the main character, Sir Gawain undergoes a serious transformation of his character. Bertilak enters King Arthur’s court as the green knight, a mysterious and mythical character. Sir Gawain’s story of that change is put in motion. Change, and specifically transformation happens throughout the poem. Bertilak is almost Godlike, and Bertilak is who helps to create Sir Gawain’s transformation, through which he becomes more Christlike.

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