Green Imagery In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Even though the green knight turns out to be good at the end of the story, he still presents Gawain with a variety of difficult challenges throughout the poem that make him seem evil. The green knight is first perceived as evil when he barges into king Arthur’s castle and insults the knights of camelot for hesitating to cut off his head. The moment that Sir Gawain volunteers to cut off the green knights instead of allowing Arthur to do so he is crossing the threshold from the ordinary world into the world of adventure. When Gawain departs on his journey to have his head cut off he is putting the greater good of camelot before his preference of not being decapitated by giant green knights. This choice that Gawain makes marks his first step towards becoming a better knight. Even

The author utilizes colors to aid in the development of Gawain’s character: “Then they brought him his shield, which was of bright red, … gleaming gold” (Weston 12). The red that Gawain wears symbolizes the passion that he shows toward the deal he made with the Green Knight. The gold symbolizes values and nobility two things that Gawain holds to a high standard. Another character whose colors stand out are the Green Knight’s he wears green and gold. The green represents the amount of envy that King Arthur's sister

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

Near the end of the battle, when Roland realizes his uncle Ganelon has betrayed them and is helping the enemy, he begins to get more and more injured. Even while continuing to fight like a true warrior, Roland understands that they will lose and finally sounds his olifant to alert Charlemagne. In this moment, “his pain is great, and from his mouth the bright blood comes leaping out, and the temple bursts in his forehead” (Roland 258). In the aftermath of the battle, the sheer force of this blow is enough to kill him. As a near representation of this powerful horn, I used shell-shaped noodles, which resemble the horn. While an olifant looks more like an elephant tusk than the conch shape of the noodles, the similarity to a horn is still clear. The Kalamata olives, which add a necessary salty bite to the dish, also sound similar to olifant and Oliver, who also dies a warrior’s death in the battle. While this dish is simple and light on symbolism, it was one of my favorites to eat.

Examples such as the Green Knight, a product of Morgan le Faye and Morgan’s castle and everything that lies within it support this idea. Although, not only can green represent the envy that makes the story, it can also represent a connection to nature, perhaps even other-worldly. The fact that the Green Knight made up of green demonstrates a very important relation between him and the world, revealed through his weapons of choice such as his holly branch and axe. Meanwhile, red and gold, strongly associated with Gawain, contrast the Green Knight’s green and gold. The color red represents love and life (blood) while gold represents wealth and prosperity. The colors serve as a wonderful visual to Gawain’s character— very noble.

At the beginning of the story, the great city of Camelot is being offered a challenge by a knight in all green, challenging the knights of the round table to chop off his head if the Green Knight

    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.

The Green Knight is big and of course he is green, which might explain some of the delay in acceptance of the challenge, but these knights are warriors. The color green is not a frightening enough color, even combined with the Green Knight’s size, to scare a true warrior. The possible reason for the hesitation by the knights could lie in the description of the Green Knight’s eyes. The author points them out in line 304, "and roisterously his red eyes he [rolls] all about" (Sir Gawain). The critic Robert B. White Jr. says that "one need not look far to discover the general symbolic significance of red when it appears in early literature; it [is] generally associated with blood, cruelty, and violence" (224). The Green Knight’s eyes display just how sinister he is and provide the reason that the other knights are hesitant to accept the challenge. Gawain’s willingness to accept definitely sets him apart from the other knights. The author uses this symbol to reveal that Gawain is not only loyal, but also courageous, and worthy to have his attributes put to the test.

In English folklore green was used to show rebirth, and a youth's passing (Lewis 50-51). In the story the sash also represents cowardice, he gave into the lady and lied about the present (Goldhurst 61-65). The fear of death ended up causing his downfall. In the end the sash was worn by all at the Round Table, to show them the lesson learned by Gawain both in his "rebirth" in learning his lesson and in remembrance of his sacrifice for King Arthur.

Portraitures and statuaries have always been a method of self representation, which has played various roles throughout history. According to Rosemarie Trentinella from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Roman portraiture has shifted back and forth between the two styles, realistic and idealized (Roman Portrait Sculpture: The Stylistic Cycle). In the Republic, military officials would have portraits taken of them showing every wrinkle and flaw to display their devotion to the public and valor. Then during the Imperial period, Augustus set a new style in his portraits focusing on youth, beauty, and good-nature. This style of portraiture was used to place an importance of an emperor’s loyalties to the lineage and establishing their rule by resembling

He appears with no armor to shield him from feeling the world, in fact his green appearance, though brawny in description, does contain undertones of green passivity. He is neither depicted as spiritual blue, nor warm emotional yellow, rather the fusion of the two, devilish green. To live in a state of uncertainty is the antithesis of mid-evil chivalry. It is a knights’ duty to know his place in society and to whom he serves, not to think or feel therefore when Gawain asks the Green Knight for instructions to find his home, the Knight gives no formal address, rather an experiential response. He says “If I tell you true, when I have taken your knock… you shall hear straightaway of my house and home and my own name” (398-399). This statement forces Gawain to live in the reality and emotion of the moment rather then set out on his quest upon social consequences.

I am addresing you because I am interested in becoming part of the George Mason University community. I have been considering to apply since last year, when I was a junior in high school. I believe it is a a school that offers the programs I need to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in biology and later specialize in a school of medicine as a radiation oncologist. However, I might decide to complete the courses offered by the pre-medic program instead, which would also help me enter the school of medicine of my choice. I am also highly interested in playing volleyball while pursuing my education and George Mason University offers both my educational and extracurricular interesst. I strongly believe I am an excellent fit for George Mason University and that I will become a leader and a valuable asset for the school.

We spend many police and legal resources to investigate, hold trials, and punish drug offenders, and in the last 10 years, the number of drug offenders still remain very high. Also, repeat offenders count for no less than 90% of drug offenders each year from 2007 to 2011 . This data indicates the way we fight drugs is not efficient, and that those who return to society from the correctional facilities is not

The colour green in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is another important symbol used in this poem. The colour green is evident in the character of the Green Knight and in the green girdle that Gawain accepted of Lady Bertilak. The connection between the colour of the Green Knight and of the green girdle can be seen as a symbol of the inevitable failure of Gawain. As Gawain accepted the girdle he failed to keep his word to Bertilak and the Green Knight and also failed two of his knightly virtues, chastity and courtesy. The colour green therefore can be seen as a symbol of Gawain’s betrayal in the poem. “Þis is þe token of vntrawþe þat I am tan inne, And I mot nedez hit were wyle I may last; For mon may hyden his harme, bot vnhap ne may hit” (SGGK, 2509-11). This quote discusses the girdles meaning to Gawain once he arrives back to Arthurs court. It is described as a ‘token’ of dishonesty and Gawain believes he must now wear it

In the Pearl Poet’s infamous tale of chivalry and mystery, King Arthur sits on his throne in Camelot, watching as a mysterious Green Knight challenges any knight of King Arthur’s court brave enough to strike him with his axe if he will take a return blow in a year and a day. Although