Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

you returned the three kisses, but the girdle you kept” (Thompson, 14). This example reveals Sir Gawain's own dishonesty and how he lied to the Green Knight out of his own desperation to survive despite the Knight's Code of Chivalry. Although Sir Gawain did go against the Code of Chivalry, he owned up to his untruthfulness and rightfully took the blow of the ax. When admitting to this he is coincidently following vow six of the Knight's Code of Chivalry “ to live by honor and for glory” because to have honor is to be regarded with respect and taking responsibility for your actions is a noble

The Green Knight shows up to King Arthur’s Christmas dinner and makes a challenge. The challenge is that he will let anyone cut his own head off, but one year and one day later he gets to do the same. Sir Gawain proves his loyalty to by taking on this challenge, “Gawain was seated near/The queen; he leaned/Forward: ‘Hear me,/My lord. Let this challenge be mine.’” This example shows how Sir Gawain’s youngness doesn’t take away from the loyalty to his uncle, King Arthur. Sir Gawain knows that this challenge will result in death, and he accepts that. This act is one of extreme loyalty to the King. Although Sir Gawain shows many acts of loyalty throughout the book, he also shows a very important act of disloyalty. While staying at Lord Bertilak’s castle, he agrees to trade everything they find and acquire while Sir Gawain is staying there. On the third day, the Lord’s wife gives Sir Gawain a green girdle, and tells Gawain to hide it from the Lord. One day when the Lord confronts Gawain about the girdle, Gawain does not own up to it. Because of this, Gawain was disloyal to the deal. He was not truthful with the Lord about what he had received, and did not trade with

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.

This approval that Green Knight expresses towards Gawain’s person only furthers the reflection of Gawain likeability, for even his potential adversary possesses a certain amount of praise for him due to his acceptance of a challenge only the king would undertake. Through his display of courage in sacrificing himself for his king, in the eyes of all, he is deemed a worthy and honorable knight. Moreover, Gawain’s charming first impression is yet again seen when the lord of the castle he finds when searching for the Green Chapel welcomes and greets him saying, “For I know well, my knight, that your name is Sir Gawain, / Whom all the world worships, wherever he ride…” (Fit III, 68). In this declaration, the lord emphasizes Gawain’s overall popularity amongst the people of the land who have heard of his greatness and highlights the charismatic qualities Gawain possesses when he responds in kind replying, “In good truth… that is a gain indeed / Though I am hardly the hero of whom you speak / To be held in such honour… I am altogether unworthy (Fit III, 68). This response, in which Gawain humbly accepts the praise given to him, his likeability is brought to a forefront, emphasizing the charm of a self-deprecating response instead of one that basks in praise—overall a true lesson in knightly morality

Gawain demonstrates numerous characteristics such as discipline, self-control, and honor when he refuses the temptations of Lady Bertilak. Lady Bertilak was said to be “the fairest in feature, in flesh and complexion,/ and in compass and colour and

In the final part Gawain becomes brave and valuable. Gawain shows that he is brave because when the green knight pretends to swing twice and does not harm Gawain becomes aggravated. On the final strike Gawain stands up for himself and says “Have done with your hacking-harry me no more!” (Borroff l. 415). As shown, Gawain takes action and control over the situation and will not let the green knight taunt him any longer. Finally by the end of the section, Gawain is becomes a valuable knight. Sir Gawain is later finds out that Lord Bertilak was actually the green knight and Gawain was put through a test. Gawain had to prove that he was a honorable and noble knight by passing the three tiered test of the gift exchange. Gawain passes the first two days of the test and is recognized for his honesty, but fails to give the lord the girdle he was given. Gawain becomes astonished and ashamed of himself leading him to say “Now am I faulty and false, that fearful was ever Of disloyalty and lies, bad luck to them both! And greed.” (Borroff l. 473-474). Although Gawain did not successfully pass the test, the green knight, or in better terms Lord Bertilak, explains to him that it was humane for him to keep the girdle because he wanted to survive. In conclusion, Gawain learns that he is “polished as a pearl” (Borroff l. 83) because he kept his promise to the green knight and completed the

Sir Gawain has not lived up to his personal expectation in this situation by straying from the code and harming his integrity through deceit. A guide belonging to Lord Bertilak guides Sir Gawain to a forest near the green chapel. The guide expresses the idea that he would turn a blind eye if Sir Gawain would escape now in order to evade eminent death from the challenge. “Go off by some other road, in Gods name! Leave by some other land, for the love of Christ, and I shall get me home again, and give you my word That I shall swear by God’s self and the saints above, By heaven and by halidom and other oaths more, to conceal this day’s deed, nor say to a soul that ever you fled for fear from any that I knew.” (SGGK 2118-2126). The guide clearly does not see what makes Sir Gawain a knight, what motivates Sir Gawain to continue on, and what makes Sir Gawain fearless, and that is the code of chivalry that he must orthodoxly abide by to call himself a knight. Sir Gawain must continue on and finish the challenge in order to preserve his integrity among the people. The code of chivalry mandates that a knight be heroic when faced with uncertain trying circumstances. (WTGKAF, Vol 2.) The heroism displayed by Sir Gawain is not untrying as he has exhibited such characteristics when accepting the challenge in Arthurs court. Sir Gawain loses

In Part I of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is characterized as a remarkable knight. The poet portrays him as loyal, self-deprecating, and brave. First, he proves his loyalty by supporting King Arthur when the Green Knight presents his challenge. When King Arthur calls him to his side, Sir Gawain instantly approaches him and bows. His immediate obedience shows Gawain’s loyalty to King Arthur. Secondly, Sir Gawain shows his self-deprecating side when offering to accept the Green Knight’s challenge. He says that he is the weakest mentally and physically of all the Knights of the Round Table, and that his life has less value than the others. For example, he explains to King Arthur, “I am weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest...The

Sir Gawain encounters a game of temptation when he is required to stay in the castle all day with the lord’s lady; she develops an admiration for Gawain and attempts to seduce him. “He refused it and swore on his knighthood that he could take nothing (Gawain Poet.298.237).” Gawain declines the gifts many times in behalf of the chivalric code however he eventually accepts the mysterious green sash. Sir Gawain demonstrates that he lacks the skills of a quintessential knight due to the fact that he falls into greed and temptation.

Sir Gawain committed two deadly sins to cause his quest. These two sins set up his journey because if he never committed them, he would have never gone on his quest. Before the quest began, Gawain accepted The Green Knight’s offer for the game he challenged him in. The point of the game was strike The Green Knight, but in a year and one day he will deal the same damage inflicted on him. Gawain took the axe “Sank through the

Sir Gawain is one of the knights in King Arthur’s round table, as well as the king’s nephew. In the literary story of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” he’s portrayed as a knight who truly follows the code of chivalry, throughout the poem he showcases his nobility as a knight and all his virtues that make him a noble knight. Not only is he the noblest knight, he’s also represents the chivalric code; which makes him the noblest knight.

Sir Gawain is described to be the weakest knight of Arthur’s, but what makes up for his disadvantage is his enduring sense of chivalry and faithfulness. Sir Gawain is portrayed with a purpose of guiding the readers to understand humanity’ instinctive traits and flaws that constructively formulate a proper individual. The following quote will indicates how Sir Gawain is being faithful to King Arthur, as he accepts the Green Knight’s challenge. He states, “But as faithful as you are, if I failed to find him/ and were to flee in fear in the fashion you urge,/ I’d be christened a coward, and could not be excused./…whether fairness or foulness follows, however fate behaves” (“Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” 2129-2135). When Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s challenge, he unconsciously establishes a vow of not to deviate from his perspective of chivalry by stating, “… were to flee in fear in the fashion you urge, / I’d be christened a coward, and could not be excused.” Furthermore, he develops a belief that his fate cannot be changed, and he accepts to face the “fairness or foulness” in his journey.

Sir Gawain was a nobody and accepted the challenge due to his belief of the chivalry code; He knew it was not a king’s place to accept a challenge such as that one. Sir Gawain challenge was to cut the head off of the green knight and in return a year from now Green Knight would cut Sir Gawain head off. Sir Gawain cut off the green knight’s head but the green knight survived, its body picked up its head and the knight rode off leaving Sir Gawain and the King

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Green Knight is a positive figure because he teaches Gawain his strengths and weaknesses in following the Code of Chivalry. The main virtues Gawain learns about are loyalty, courage, and honor. Starting at the beginning of the story, when Arthur agrees to the Green Knight's challenge, Gawain stands up and takes his King's place. The Green Knight's challenge gives Gawain an opportunity to show his loyalty to Arthur and to the kingdom, as well as prove that he is a capable knight. Once Gawain embarks on his journey and reaches the castle, the Green Knight tests him on his courtesy. This is mainly seen in the temptations from the Lady of the castle. Instead of giving in to her pleas, Gawain refuses in order

The story of “ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” portrays a man who takes on a duel with a powerful green knight and has to be a man among men to achieve his task. In this story the author is using Sir Gawain as a picture of what he thinks a good leader and future king should look like. He demonstrates this by putting him in situations when he can use servant leadership and courage, he gives Sir Gawain determination and trustworthiness, and finally he gives him humility and makes him the type of man people follow after.