Creative Writing: Sir Perceval

Sir Gawain is known for his knightly integrity, but by failing to uphold his agreement with Lord Bertilak, he is demonstrating that human perfection is impossible to maintain. By failing to give the girdle to Lord Bertilak-when he returns from his hunting trip, Sir Gawain is not abiding by

8. What bargain does the Green Knight strike with Gawain? That Gawain will have to report to him in a years’ time to be murdered.

Throughout the Arthurian legends, Sir Gawain seems to be the epitome of a noble knight. He is always putting his king before himself, repeatedly sacrificing his own life in some way for King Arthur. He is an honorable knight that lives up to his word. This is evident in both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell." In these stories, Gawain lives up to the expectations of a knight belonging to the legendary Round Table.

After the establishing of the threat, Gawain agrees to the “fateful region of both treasure and danger…” (Campbell 53), also known as the call. The Green Knight himself initiates the quest, originally representing the herald. As Gawain rose the sword and let it fall on the knight’s neck, the Green Knight “neither faltered nor fell; he started forward with outstretched hand and caught the head…” (Weston, 9). At the attempt to decapitate the Green Knight, Gawain realizes that he will not be easily killed and rethinks what he has agreed to. At this point, the reader can define the Green Knight as a trickster for misleading Gawain into his death. Time flew by for Gawain and soon took off on his journey to find the mysterious knight. On a chilly winter night, Sir Gawain prays to God to help guide him to a safe place to spend the rest of the night. He comes across a castle in which he stays in for three days. The castle’s owner shelters Gawain and tests his loyalty.

As one can observe in Part One of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain demonstrates traits of the Code of Chivalry. In a moment of confusion, Sir Gawain rises up to show he is a loyal, pious, and self deprecating Knight of the Round Table. To began, the reader is introduced to Sir Gawain and recognizes his loyalty when he says, “Would you grant me the grace… to begone from this bench and stand by you there” (Borroff l. 118). Furthermore, Sir Gawain takes King Arthur’s life out of harm’s way by replacing him in the deadly dare that is presented in front of Camelot because he values King Arthur’s life over his own. Furthermore, not only is Sir Gawain loyal to King Arthur, but he is also loyal to God. In the same fashion, Sir Gawain reveals he is pious before he pursues the dare. Immediately

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.

Sir Gawain is reluctant to accept the Green Knight’s challenge. He fears for his life. In the end he only accepts the challenge to protect King Arthur’s life and honor. He knows it is his duty to protect King Arthur, but only volunteers to do so at the last second. Sir Gawain also breaks his oath to the Lord of the castle he is staying in. He broke their vow to trade whatever they had earned during the day when he keeps a sash the Lady of the castle gives him because he believes it will protect him during his battle with the Green Knight.

Our attention now turns towards Gawain, who is still asleep in bed. He awakes to find the lord's wife entering his room; surprised, he quickly pretends he's asleep. She sits beside him on the bed, pins him down and points out that her lord is away and the rest of the castle is asleep. This is the first test Gawain faces, where he is tempted to break his knightly code of honor. The wife offers herself to him for sexual pleasure. Gawain is tempted by this offer but fends off her aggressive attempt by politely declining, stating that she is "bound to a better man."(228)

Sir Gawain is a respectful knight who obeys his people.. “Now if you, my worthy lord”. This quote explains that Sir Gawain is respecting his lord because he will fight and keep him protected from enemies. “I would offer you counsel before your royal court”. This quote tells how Sir Gawain is a loyal knight by offering advice before the council. This also tells the leader that he can trust him and his ideas. Although Sir Gawain shows respectfulness, he also shows braveness.

Sir Gawain finally moves on from the castle and goes to the Green chapel, which happens to be a mound. He gets there, and is admittedly scared, but ready to die. The Green knight goes to strike Sir Gawain with his axe, but does not. The Green knight notices Sir Gawain flinches and begins to mock him. Sir Gawain proceeds to tell the Green knight that he will not be able to pick up his head like the Green knight did. The Green Knight goes to strike Sir Gawain a second time and Sir Gawain does not flinch this time. Sir Gawain is ready to die now after the first flinch. The Green knight then went to strike Sir Gawain a third time and he began to get frustrated, the Green knight began to talk with Sir

Sir Gawain deals a savage blow to the Green Knight’s neck severing his head, only

Gawain gained his maturity in the most unique way, but it all began with him as a young, weak individual. On one particular day, as a big, monstrous man wearing all green approached the knights of the Round Table, intimidation was felt in every knights under the rule of King Arthur. Soon after arriving, the massive man taunted the Round Table knight’s in order to convince them compete against him in a challenge. In the challenge, any brave person could exchange the Green Knight a swing of an axe for the swing of an axe. No one wanted to stand up to the man in green, for he shot fear into anyone who dared to look at him. During the time of this visit, Gawain could have been considered weak. He was only in the beginning of his journey on becoming mature, and that would not be the only journey he would be taking. After some tension between the knights of the Round Table and the Green Knight, King Arthur accepted the challenge. Knowing of the danger King Arthur was in, Gawain pleaded to take the place of his uncle. He gave his claim, telling the others of his weak status and unimportance in the world. Once the claim was given, the immature Gawain took hold of the green and gold axe, and gave a swing that beheaded the Green Knight. The headless man, to the surprise of all, picked his head off the ground, gave a speech, and left on his horse. Although Gawain exhibited some strength in his actions, he did not become completely mature from the single situation.

Perceval remains a very impressionable young boy and his mother teaches him loyalty. For that, Perceval loves him mother dearly. Perceval may not have been the most sophisticated man around, however, when he did know how to do something he did it exceedingly well. He could not forget his love for his God though. God was a huge factor for knights and their beliefs. “Perceval, the story relates, had lost his memory so totally that he no longer remembered God.” (Story of the Grail, 457) Once Perceval found his way back to God, he was seen as the better knight because of his love for Him. Ultimately, Perceval is the one who is graced with being able to see the grail because he was such a simple, hardworking fellow. He did not abuse his strengths or downplay his weaknesses.

When Sir Gawain is offered the girdle, his knightly principles are questioned. The honorable thing would be to reject the offer or bring it to the lord of the castle, but Gawain places the preservation of his life ahead of chivalry. The knight has withstood the lady’s

The challenge of maintaining virtues becomes a psychological game as Gawain is separated from his peers. He battles foul enemies including “dragons/ ...wolves, and satyrs, / And forest trolls, / And bulls, and bears, and ivory-tusked boars, / And giant ogres” (lines 719-723), but his physical monsters are glossed over in comparison to the mental turmoil that Gawain faces during this segment of his journey. In his “friendless” (line 714) time “nowhere near home” (line 714), Gawain lacks the support system of his compassionate friends of the court. The only backbone he has is in his faith, leading to his prayers to Mary “To end his grief, / To guide his weary / Steps to relief” (lines 737-739) in an act of piety, another knightly virtue that Gawain embodies. Coincidentally, the pious act that grants him the salvation of discovering the castle and brings the joys of having human companionship again also leads him to his greatest challenge: the seduction of the Lady Bercilak.