Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis

The story of Sir Gawain works on an opposite level from that of Beowulf. Just as Beowulf emphasizes outward strength, the character of Gawain stands as a paradigm of inner strength as a path to outward glory. The battles Gawain fights occur inside his mind. The chivalric code is one concerned with honor and duty within a society of corruption and sin. The role of chivalry was one concerned with example. A chivalric Knight, such as Gawain, must abide by the inner code of morality in order to remain true to his self, his lord, and his God. Sin, for Gawain, would begin in the mind, and lead to dishonorable deeds in the outside world. Throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain travels on a path which is as much one of inner contemplation, as it is of actual travel. We see Gawain at the beginning of his journey being,"...faultless in his five senses,/Nor found ever to fail in his five fingers,"(640-1). Gawain’s traits being likened to the five wounds of Christ sets up his eventual fall from the very start. However, like Christ, Gawain is reborn to a new life through the "scratch" the Green Knight gives him (2312). From that small wound, Gawain realizes that he cannot live up to the perfect image of chivalry he has sworn to uphold. To Gawain, this wound comes very close to being the death knell of the entire moral system Gawain has dedicated his life to.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by an unknown author referred to as the “Pearl Poet,” we are introduced to Sir Gawain. Gawain is a knight of the Round Table and he is also the nephew of King Arthur. As a knight, Gawain is expected to possess and abide by many chivalrous facets. Throughout the poem he portrays many of the qualities a knight should possess, such as bravery, courtesy, and honor among others. Because of his ability to possess these virtues even when tempted to stray away from them, Sir Gawain is a true knight.

Gawain knows that he has become unloyal and never wants to forget to be unloyal ever again. This shows that Gawain's

Ridley, M. R. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” Scott Foresman English Literature, Scott Foresman, 1999, pp. 66–83.

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.

Instead of his honor, Gawain’s supposed sin now defines him. This challenge is the most important to Gawain’s character because it reveals the conflict between his standard for himself and his basic will to live. Gawain expects himself to be perfect, but he’s human, and so he must make

On the third day when Sir Gawain is facing death, he doesn't give up the red scarf that was given to him by the Red Lord’s lady which was said to protect him from any harm. Gawain not knowing that the whole game was set up, doesn't give the Red Lord the scarf in order to protect him from dying, which shows that Gawain wants to live like any human, even though he may be known as the most noble man, he was willing to lie and protect himself in order to live. “Gawain is considered one of the most noble and virtuous knights, and embodies the chivalric tradition of the time” (quoted by Anaya M. Baker). Although Gawain may have accepted the Green Knight’s challenge as the noble knight he is, he still showed signs a fear and was willing to find a way to live even if it meant breaking his own honor code.

The feast scene in Part One of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contains one of the most important character-defining moments for the protagonist, Gawain. His intervention and acceptance of the challenge leaves the reader with a lasting impression of his personality. This moment is shaped by the comparison of Gawain the two principle male characters, King Arthur and the Green Knight. The caricatures that the poet creates of these two men—and their confrontation during the Green Knight’s challenge—sets up a picture of masculinity that enhances the ideal qualities represented in Gawain. Arthur is depicted as a young, restless king who craves action and excitement. The Green Knight is a powerful, captivating giant of a man whose strength is seemingly limitless. And Gawain as the ideal figure exhibits restraint, humility, thoughtfulness, and grace. However, the poet does not reject the traits that make King Arthur and the Green Knight who they are. Each of these masculine identities work together to enhance the image of the ideal. In the end, the most important virtue all three men demonstrate is the willingness to accept imperfection.

The text goes on telling of Gawain and his journey to find the Green Knight, as to keep his word true due to his hubris and not wanting to seen as a coward. As he continues on, he notices the reward for keeping true to his own chivalric code that is based in truth and reality instead of the Arthurian code. When he prays to God, he finds the castle of the Green knight. As the story continues on Gawain is tempted and put under a few tests. The most notable test is during his stay in the Green Knight’s castle he was tempted by the Green Knight’s wife’s wooing. Although he breaks code by denying the wife, not being courteous and showing charm, he knew it was not the right thing for him to do. At the end of the poem, Gawain was spared by the Green Knight, however it was not for his loyalty. The text reads, “It was loyalty that you lacked…. | but you loved your own life; so I blame you less. Gawain stood speechless for what seemed like a century.” (Gawain, ll. 2366) At this point Gawain realized although his strength was strong, he was very concerned with himself which is not part of the Arthurian code. He should've been following the true values of chivalry noticing there true weaknesses and morality. The Arthurian’s had turned him into a person more concerned about himself and social class, encouraging the movement in rank regardless of the

As Gawain approaches the castle out of the wilderness, he is invited to stay with the lord of the castle and his lady for a few days. Although he is relieved to be out of wild forest, he quickly realizes that it is another test of his honor to see if he is worthy of being a knighthood. The lord suggests that he goes out to hunt while Gawain stays at the castle with his lady. Sir Gawain stays true to his chivalric code by rejecting the lady’s seductive advances by saying, “I know your worth and price, And my debts by no means slight; I swear through fire and ice to be your humble knight” (Poet 212-217). However, this will not be Gawain’s final

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight revolves around chivalry and honor, as well as dignity and self-pride. While all of these characteristics are tightly connected, they all revolve around the various games and challenges portrayed throughout the story. The daunting quest that Sir Gawain is faced with stems off a challenge from the Green Knight. The Green Knight’s challenge isn’t what it seems to be to the open eye and has more wrinkles than one may presume. All in all, these games and challenges are connected through honesty, trust, and dignity. The Green Knight knows that Gawain is faced with an impossible situation, but he allows the tides to turn if Gawain plays his game to his accord. Throughout the course of the story, the poet is also teasing the reader with a game of his own.

Sir Gawain’s volunteer for the Green Knight’s challenge showed that he was a brave and loyal knight of King Author. A tall green knight is welcomed by King Author at his kingdom with much politeness

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is a Chivalric Romance written by a man who is unknown, but people refer to him as the Pearl Poet. Gawain, the main character, is supposed to be a regular man in order to engaged audience members and make them see that they are supposed to be Gawain. During this time religion played a very heavy role in society and it was a dream for many people to rid themselves of sin, and due to this idea many texts were published which had pure characters in a world full of sin. The Knights of the round table are supposed to be examples to the commoners and therefore must be holy and not commit any sins. Gawain, a knight of the round table, is described as young but strong, but as the story progresses readers begin to see him get tainted by temptation. Temptation is when someone feels a desire to have something but they aren’t allowed to have it, so they must either take it through stealing or not have it at all. Incidents where readers can see Gawain become tempted to commit a sin is when he demonstrates a lust for others or a constant fear that he has throughout the story. This temptation, while bad, teaches Gawain a lesson and allows for him to grow as a knight through the consequences of the sins he commits.

A mysterious green knight comes into play to test Gawain’s honesty and loyalty. The green knight challenged the King Arthur during a New

An archetypal analysis of Gawain’s quest reveals some significant changes that occur in the hero’s character. By analyzing the progress of the hero, Gawain, as he ventures out to complete his quest, utilizing the works of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight along with The Hero With A Thousand Faces, it will be clearer to position the contents within the Hero’s Journey.