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Nature In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

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It is common to think that civilization has tamed nature when really we can never completely remove our natural instinct. My position is that the symbolism of the natural world in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is representative of the internal conflict of chivalry and our natural instinct. Moreover, the assumption that our inherent sense of right and wrong completely dominates our animal instinct is misguided. To clarify this statement I will explain how mankind is integrated with nature in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, then elaborate the characters persistent attempt to control nature, and the reality we are submissive to nature.

In the poem, Sir Gawain is connected to the passing of time and the changes that accompany it. Sir Gawain's

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