Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Literary Analysis

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval text written by an unknown author sometime around the fourteenth century. The story is written in Middle English often making the translation difficult and open for interpretation. The story begins for Sir Gawain, a member of King Arthur’s court, as a mysterious man appears in Arthur’s court to present a challenge. He offers a challenge for the court, a blow for a blow. Gawain takes the stranger up on his challenge and it continues from there. Gawain then has to face the consequences of the decisions he makes and it then manages to spiral from there. The story creates a vivid picture of how Gawain experiences a conflict between the word of his chivalric code as well as his bond and how he lives his everyday life. Debate has raged for many years whether or not this story emphasizes the values of the chivalric life or in fact criticizes it. The language and syntax of the text itself along with the events of the story paint a critical and perhaps unconventional portrait of the chivalric life.

 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most intriguing Middle English chivalric romances known today. The poem is a delicately written balancing act between two cultures, clashing in a time of unease between the religion of tradition, (paganism) and the new religion, (Christianity). The poem is also one of the best known Arthurian tales, with its plot combining two types of folklore patterns, the beheading game and the exchange of winnings. The Green Knight is interpreted by many as a representation of the Green Man of folklore and by others as an allusion to Christ. The story is told in stanzas of alliterative verse, ending in a bob and wheel. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an important poem in the Middle English romance genre, because it involves all the typical plot progression of a hero who goes on a quest to prove himself. Yet what sets Sir Gawain apart from heroes of lore is his inability to finish his quest. The aspect which makes Sir Gawain and the Green Knight different is Sir Gawain’s failure. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a perfect example of the struggle between enduring Paganism and newfound Christianity.

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is the classic tale of a knight of the round table who takes up the challenge of the mysterious Green Knight. The poem begins with the Green Knight’s sudden arrival and his declaration of his proposition: a knight may strike him, and then a year and one day from then he will return the blow. This tale is most well-known for dealing with the themes of a knight’s code of chivalry, loyalty, resisting temptation, and keeping one’s word. While the whole poem is full of great lines that beautifully deliver the message, one of the best passages come at the end of the poem after Sir Gawain has managed to survive his second encounter with the Green Knight. This passage perfectly encompasses the various themes of the poem, as it deals with all of the trials Gawain has faced up until that point and also explains how he deals with the shame he feels for surviving the game in the way he did.

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale that takes place in the medieval period. During this time period, knights were considered very common and were expected to follow one main code of law, chivalry. This code mainly stated that a knight must be loyal to his king, honest, modest, and brave. Chivalry is practiced in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the form of tests that are given to Gawain to reveal his true character, and what is valued most to him. Throughout these tests, Sir Gawain proves that he values his honor over his life and will not fall to temptations displayed to him.

Medieval romances are dramatic theatrical narratives that usually include heroes, adventures, and of course the excitement of love. These stories have been around since the 12th century, first appearing in France and then later seen in England. They were some of the most popular texts of the era. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of these stories introduced in the 13th century. In fact, it’s so old that nobody knows who even wrote the poem. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an exciting tale where Sir Gawain is tested as a knight by facing challenges and adventures. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight shows us the all the main traits and characteristics of a medieval romance, such as supernatural elements, mistaken identity, larger than life characters, and lastly a hero facing and passing tests of loyalty.

The tale of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” focuses primarily on beliefs of honor, bravery, and chivalry. The main character, Sir Gawain, embodies these qualities. His character is meant to be a model of chivalry. He emanates honor when he offers to fight the Green Knight for King Arthur. Medieval people would admire this courageous act. In his struggles to keep his promise Gawain demonstrates chivalry and loyalty until his honor is assessed, in the end, by the Green Knight’s schemes. This tale also includes a larger-than-life character who commands respect, the Green Knight. This superhuman being defies all laws of nature when his head is chopped off, yet he still remains alive and alert. These characters and their extraordinary actions provide perspective for the values and interests of medieval people.

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

The legends and tales of the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table have resounded for ages—vivid stories of courageous and gallant knights usurping evil while simultaneously maintaining an upstanding reputation. Through the Arthurian tales, one has the opportunity to experience heroic narratives of exemplary models of knights who clearly illustrate the chivalry and honorability one should aspire to possess. No more evidently is this theme displayed than in the 14th century epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight—a narrative of Sir Gawain, nephew of the legendary King Arthur, and his heroic journey against a mysterious green knight. In this heroic journey, the inherent charisma Gawain possesses and is continually praised for affirms the

Throughout one’s life, a person will go through numerous changes, both physically and mentally. These continuous changes in life are a few of the steps to maturing, which also helps build a person’s identity. In the romantic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by Pearl Poet, the hero, Sir Gawain goes through a passage which develops his perspective on adulthood leading to his maturity. Gawain’s knight errant mentality is what drives him to mature during the adventures he takes on. While on his journey to adulthood, he passes three major tests. First, he shows courage and initiative when he volunteers to take the place of Arthur and accepts the challenge the Green Knight had demanded. Second, he shows discipline, self-control and honor

The alliterative poem “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” is a story of bravery, yet fearfulness of a young knight and his willingness to stand up out of respect for his king. This Middle Age poem, originated in the late fourteenth century by an unknown author called Gawain’s poet, follows the journey of King Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain is a knight for the royal court during the time and when the Green Knight questions the loyalty of King Arthur’s court, Gawain is the only person to stand up for the king. Doing this shows his loyalty to the king and is the beginning steps to reaching courtesy and chivalry.

From the power of persuasion to the value of honor and beyond, one can witness many facets of human nature played out among the pages of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. No theme of which can be seen more impeccably than the showcase of virtue verses sin. As Gawain is launched into tests of courtesy it is clear that much more is being examined than just his execution of courteous behavior, it is the nature of those around him that is also being taken into account. It is interesting how an author uses the combination of a negatively imbued foe and a positively inspired hero to highlight the traits most desirable for the mere mortals reading such a tale. In “Sir Gawain” the author uses some of the seven deadly sins to poetically draw

Sir Gawain is noble, brave, smart, and soon loyal. At this time, he is focused on having more attention from others that are higher up like King Arthur. Sir Gawain’s way of building his reputation is by going after the green knight. He sees himself as modest for doing this, but modesty is what he lacks. Sir Gawain hides some of the more basic features of himself, and that is his sensual desires. It is this enthusiasm that gets him in trouble and knocks him down a peg, leaving him to feel mortified. Although it is troublesome to find fault with Sir Gawain, his story is perceived as a kind of cautionary tale to the reader, who appears to be advised to avoid arrogance, even in the smallest of measures. While there are never any real physical threats in Sir Gawain, the author alludes that the risks to one’s noble character are as tricky as any physical threat and that as such, one must attempt his or her constant fight upon those capabilities that would want to lead one to

With any story, characters have always been an essential part of understanding the growth and development of a hero while also allowing the reader to better understand the overall message of a piece of literature. That being said, the poem entitled Sir Gawain and the Green Knight acts no different as the knight, Sir Gawain, serves as its hero while other characters help fulfill the various archetypes within “the idea of the monomyth that Campbell defines” (Campbell lviii). Throughout the poem, Gawain finds himself interacting with the aforementioned archetypal characters and becoming a more honorable knight in the process. Two characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight play key archetypal roles in the perfecting of the hero’s moral development.

In the opening lines of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Gawain-poet predicates the numerous dualities—which lead the reader through questions of moral seriousness—that exist in the poem. The opening historical recounting, according to Richard Hamilton Green, reminds the reader that “the greatness of the past is marred by reminders of failure” (179). The paradox of triumph and greatness arising out of failure foreshadows Sir Gawain following the same pattern of fate as his predecessors. While the completion of Gawain’s quest reaffirms the historical paradox of greatness, his journey to renown is fraught with situations and symbols that develop the poem’s main concern of moral seriousness. The Gawain-poet skillfully reveals his