Sir Gawain and The Green Knight - The Character of Sir Gawain In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain is skillfully brought to life by the unknown author. Through the eyes of numerous characters in the poem, we see Gawain as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. As the story progresses, Gawain is subjected to a number of tests of character, some known and some unknown. These tests tell us a great deal about Gawain's character and the struggles he faces internally. I will explore the various places in the poem where we learn about Gawain, either through others or through the tests he faces. By the end of the poem, we sense that we have come to know Gawain and have ventured a peek at his human side. However, we also realize that nothing short of perfection is acceptable to him. Our first glimpse of Gawain occurs when the Green Knight suddenly appears at the New Year's celebration at Camelot. He offers a challenge for anyone to come forward and strike him with his ax. Twelve months and a day later, he will return the blow. No one steps forward to accept the dare. Embarrassed by his knights' lack of response, King Arthur accepts the challenge himself. At the fateful moment when Arthur is about to strike the blow, Gawain jumps up and says: Would you grant me the grace, To be gone from this bench and stand by you there, If I without discourtesy might quit this board,... I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any; That I have you for uncle is my only praise; My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; And for that this folly befits not a king, And 'tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine, And if my claim be not comely let all this court judge, in sight. Norton, 209 In this first meeting, through Gawain's own words, we begin to see him as the noble knight he is. Gawain has cleverly chosen his most courteous words to release Arthur from this predicament and restore the reputation of the knights of the Round Table. We cannot imagine a more courageous action than Gawain offering his life for his king nor a more polite offer to take the game. We are able to draw further clues about Gawain's character from the description of his armoring when he sets out a year later to meet the Green Knight. In this passage, we learn that Gawain's shield has gold pentangle on it. The author tells us the pentangle "is proper to that peerless prince" because it is a "token of truth," and he is most true to his word and a "most courteous knight." (Norton, 215) He goes on to say: The fifth of the five fives followed by this knight Were beneficence boundless and brotherly love And pure mine and manners, that none might impeach, And compassion most precious--these peerless five Were forged and made fast in him, foremost of men. Norton, 215-216 We have no reason to disbelieve the author nor his praise of Gawain. Our next chance to understand Gawain occurs at Bercilak's castle where the household is overjoyed that the holiday guest is Gawain of King Arthur's court. They whisper to each other that Gawain has "courage ever-constant, and customs pure," he is "the father of fine manners," and his "displays of deportment" will dazzle their eyes. (Norton, 221) Through these words we see that Gawain is generally well respected for these characteristics; it is not just his fellow knights who feel this way. At this castle Gawain undergoes many tests of character, yet he is unaware that he is being tested. An unknown test is perhaps the best test there is, since the individual cannot prepare for it. Bercilak's wife tries to seduce Gawain, but he is able to dodge her advances with clever defenses. On the first day after being told she would marry him if she could he says, "You are bound to a better man, yet I prize the praise you have proffered me here." (Norton, 228) On the second day, the author tells us "Thus she tested his temper and tried many a time, whatever her true intent, to entice him to sin, but so fair was his defense that no fault appeared." (Norton, 234) As the days progress, we see how increasingly difficult it becomes for Sir Gawain. We read: So uncommonly kind and complaisant was she, With sweet stolen glances, that stirred his stout heart, That he was at his wits' end, and wondrous vexed; But he could not rebuff her, for courtesy forbade. Norton, 236 Throughout these tests, the author allows us to glimpse what Gawain is thinking, and we see that he sometimes works hard at being courteous and loyal. These scenes give us insight into how hard he tries to be as perfect as possible. A lesser man would have easily given in, yet Gawain holds himself to a higher standard. One the third day of the bargain, Gawain does not fare so well. We are told that Bercilak's wife Made so plain her meaning, the man must needs Either take her tendered love or distastefully refuse. His courtesy concerned him, lest crass he appear, but more his soul's mischief, should he commit sin and belie his loyal oath to the lord of that house. Norton, 238 He is successful at avoiding her continuing advances. However, Gawain is concentrating so hard on being courteous and remaining true to Bercilak that he is tricked into taking a girdle of green silk from her and thus betraying Bercilak. She persuades him to accept the girdle and keep it a secret by telling him that if he wears the girdle "no hand under heaven...could hew him down, for he could not be killed by any craft on earth." (Norton, 240) That night he does not tell Bercilak of the gift. With this simple omission, he has betrayed his host, lied to him, and compromised his own standards. On the way to the Green Chapel, there is yet another test, and Gawain passes it easily. His guide offers him a last chance to avoid his meeting with the Green Knight. Gawain answers that if he were a coward, he could not be excused. He must go to the Chapel to test his luck for "The Lord is strong to save: his servants trust in him." (Norton, 246) It is this never-ending quest to do what is right that enables us still to feel good about Gawain even after we know he has been untrue. Finally Gawain arrives at the Green Chapel and faces the Green Knight for the return blow. The Green Knight explains that he is Bercilak, and he has been testing Gawain all along. Gawain is embarrassed and reacts uncharacteristically brusquely. The Green Knight says, "She made trial of a man most faultless by far of all that ever walked over the wide earth" and "Yet you lacked, sir, a little in loyalty there, but the cause was not cunning, nor courtship either, but that you loved your own life; the less, then, to blame. (Norton, 250) It doesn't matter to Gawain that the Green Knight forgives him or understands why he did what he did. In his own eyes, he has failed. In conclusion, through the Green Knight's tests, we see that Gawain is not the perfect knight he strives to be. Neither we, nor the Green Knight, nor his fellow knights of the Round Table hold him to this standard of perfection. We read about the turmoil Gawain experiences thinking about his impending death at the hands of the Green Knight, and we understand why he accepts the girdle. We know he remains true until his fear of death overcomes him. All this proves he is only human. Yet Gawain only sees that he has been inconsistent in upholding the chivalric code, and this means failure to him. This is an indication of the standard Gawain has set for himself, and we see why he has the reputation he has. Despite all that has happened, Gawain is still a loyal, noble, honest and courteous knight. Works Cited Abrams, M. H. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1993.
Over the course of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain faced situations that influenced his character which can be taken and analyzed for a teenager today. A teenager typically faces the issue of blending in and accepting who they are in high school, and by viewing Gawain’s experiences and changes, we can use it to adapt along with our peers in school. Initially, he is seen as a humble and unpopular knight amongst every other at the round table in Camelot. However this changes after engaging in a violent game with the Green Knight. Gawain gained fame over the course of a year, and as a result it had changed his initial outlook on his loyalty to the chivalric code, as well as his values on life.
The guide pleads to Gawain that he will surely be killed if he continues on his mission and he tells Gawain to just leave and ride off in some other country rather than be killed (121). Gawain reaveals to us, yet again, his chivalry when he says that he would face his destiny rather than be a disgrace (121). When Gawain finally reaches the chapel of the Green Knight he is met with a roar. The Green Knight proceeds to play games with Gawain in an attempt to test his bravery and chivalry (127-128). The fact that Gawain did not retreat and run after several attempts were faked reveals how honorable Gawain was.
When approached by the Green Knight, Sir Gawain encounters a stretch in character. The Green Knight, not invited to King Arthur’s party, made an entrance the court would never forget. They were, “celebrating in style: not a care in the world.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 2006, p.4) His arrival not only caused a shock to the King and his court, but he advised a challenge to the knight who would accept it. Sir Gawain was the only knight who took the life threatening challenge. The court, full of supposedly chivalrous knights, did not take pride in the court and the King, but rather in themselves. The dilemma, then, was whether or not Sir Gawain would be fulfilling the role of a chivalrous knight when he was taking part in such a distinct situation compared to any of the other knights. “Most noble knights were afraid to respond, so stunned by his voice that they stayed there stock-still in an eerie silence which filled the great hall. Their voices were as silent as if they had fallen asleep.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, ...
...he helpless Gawain are reminiscent of Adam and Eve succumbing to the serpent and the apple on the promise of receiving knowledge. Upon being found out for their crimes, Adam and Eve as well as Gawain are in shame for deceiving the honors bestowed upon them and must therefore live with the repercussions of being weak willed or unable to comply with the rules they are given. The supernatural element of the green is a characteristic of the Devil, furthering the comparison of the fall of Adam and Eve to the fall of Sir Gawain and his bravery. Gawain is characterized as being impulsive but honorable from the start, as he rashly decided to volunteer for Arthur but continues to accept the fate promised to him by the challenge. In asserting this characterization, Gawain acts with humility and acceptance of shortcomings and thus becomes a heroic representation of a knight.
Initially, Gawain’s strongest trait is humility, Beowulf’s is pride. In the beginning of Gawain and the Green Knight, a mysterious warrior enters King Arthur’s court to extend a challenge. Although he knows others in the court would handle the challenge better than him, out of respect, when King Arthur attempts to accept the challenge Gawain comes forth and suggests he takes his place. Gawain presents himself as “the weakest of them, I know, and the dullest-minded/ so my death would be least loss, if truth should be told/ only because you are my uncle am I to be praised/ no virtue I know in myself but your blood” (Broadview Analogy 269). Instead of bragging about his bravery, Gawain acts modestly and states that his death would be of little loss during this challenge. He is not self-absorbed and gives off the impression that the only reason he is a knight is because of his relation with King Arthur. By stating this, he gives off the impression that his self confidence is quite weak; this is astonishing for a character of this era. Although King Arthur has at least one of his knights to be proud of, it seems as though
Although Arthur’s knights are initially reluctant to come forward and accept the Green Knight’s challenge, Gawain eventually comes forward; “Said Gawain to the king, ‘If you would, noble lord, bid me rise from my seat and stand at your side (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 145, ll. 343-344).” Gawain again shows chivalrous characteristics by being both courteous and honorable. He courteously comes forward to accept Arthur’s place, seeing as how he is the king. Also he steps forward to defend the honor of all the knights present. As the Green Knight was tarnishing it during his entrance speech. He then expresses the utmost humility while coming forward: “ I am the weakest of them, I know, and the dullest-minded, So my death would be least loss, if truth should be told; (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 146, ll. 354-355).” Even though he was the only one to step forward and take up the Green Knights challenge, he still refuses to give himself any sort of special credit, even though he may deserve it for being so
Gawain is like a simple human. Yes, he is a knight on the round table. But he shows so many characteristics that we show today. He does show a lot of chivalry, but when something comes along that he wants he breaks the code. We as humans do the same thing nowadays.
He holds his responsibilities to God as his number one priority. Critic Tison Pugh explains, “Games and play--those of the Arthurian court, of the Green Knight, and of Christianity--advance the narrative so that Gawain displays his virtuous identity through his pentangle shield and armor; the godgame of the Green Knight (the beheading game and the exchange game) and the godgame of Christianity (the rules of the pentangle).” These are all hidden symbols of Gawain’s devout Christian faith. Tison Pugh also allows us to understand that the main role the Green Knight plays is to, “force Gawain to confront his personal limitations and to gain a better understanding of his place within a Christian world.” He plays this role sneakily, but Gawain remains faithful almost always. This is quite impressive due to all the temptations he faced. We realize from Tison Pugh’s exquisite commentary that the moral of this entire story is “...perfection is a rule that can never be maintained in a fallen world.” No matter how hard anyone tries, even the noblest of knights, there is no way to be completely perfect. When Gawain met the Green Knight to compete in the second portion of the challenge, where the knight would have his chance to behead Gawain, the Green Knight spares his life and only nicks his neck. When Gawain questions this odd situation, the Green Knight reveals that he was the lord from the castle, and his wife’s
Additionally, Sir Gawain represents a zealous knight that adheres to heroic codes regardless of what would prevent him from straying from becoming a righteous knight. Within Sir Gawain and The Green Knight poem, Sir Gawain has to embark on a journey full of wisdom and valuable lessons in order to test his courage and willpower of becoming an honorable knight. Hence, he must express his loyalty to himself and King Arthur as a knight, no matter what temptation that would degrade his perception of chivalry and valor. In this scenario, Sir Gawain asserts himself from Lady Bartilak by stating, “ ‘In fairness,’ […] ‘you found far better./ But I’m proud of the price you would pay from your purse,/ and will swear to serve you as my sovereign lady./ Let Gawain be your servant and Christ your Savior’ ” (“Sir Gawain and The Green Knight” 1276-1279).
Throughout the story, Sir Gawain’s characteristics nobility is witnessed. During the first segment, his Gawain looks and speaks in the way an ideal knight should look and speak. His clothes are regular for the knight; his speech, on the other hand, is somewhat distinct from other knights. He is the only knight that steps forward to save Arthur's honor and life in the story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. During the middle and latter versus of the story, Gawain’s nobility heightens. After twelve months as day, Gawain seeks out to find the Green Knight as promised. After reaching the forest, Gawain comes across a ‘stranger’ and his wife, who offers to assist him in finding the Green Knight, as Gawain is unaware that the host is the Green Knight himself. Upon his encounter, he is test by the wife of the host (Bercilak de Hautdesert), who openly flirts with him and attempts to seduce and lure him to infidelity. However despite his temptations, he yields them and only receives kisses from the lady, which he returns to the Green Knight in the accordance with their agreement. The wife of Green Knight, says that Sir Gawain is the "noblest knight alive" (239) after her attempts to lure him and test his honesty. Sir Gawain’s true nobility is witnessed during the second segment of the story where is lured into the lust by the wife of the ‘anonymous’
During the time at the castle and his journey to the green knight, Gawain shows that he is driven, impressive, and has strong morals. First, Gawain is impressive because the lady of the castle wants to be with him even though he has only been there for a day. Also, when Gawain sets off for the Green Knight, the story says, “After journeying through grom landscapes and fighting dragons, ogres, and wild beasts, Gawain arrives.” (Gardner 66) This shows that Gawain is impressive because not many people can go through this many hardships and stay alive. Secondly, he is very driven to be great knight. To be a great knight you mustn’t be a coward which Gawain tries so hard not to be. We know this because Gawain has traveled all this way to complete this promise and challenge which is not being a coward. Gawain also shows that he has great morals because of the exchange of gifts. When the lord of the castle sets off for a fox hunt and leaves Gawain with the lady of the castle, and gives Gawain two kisses in two days. So Gawain returns the kisses to the Lord. But, on the third day, Gawain the lady of the castle “held out to him a rich ring of the red gold with a bright jewel blazing on it that flashed as bright as the sunrays. It was worth a king’s ransom, but Gawain refused it” (Gardner 67). This shows that Gawain has strong
In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the pentangle has a big impact on the story, but it is only mentioned specifically one time. The pentangle has many symbolic meanings, but one meaning is the representation of the chivalric code that Sir Gawain follows. The chivalric code is everything that Sir Gawain stands for and he wears the pentangle on his shield as a representation of what he strives for. Since Gawain is striving for perfection, and he believes that by wearing the pentangle on his shield, he will be able to obtain it. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the poet explains what each point of the pentangle means. Each of these points are a representation of the chivalric code. He states, “For Gawain was as good as the purest gold—devoid of vices but virtuous, loyal, and kind, so bore that badge on both his shawl and shield alike. A prince who talked the truth: known as the noblest knight” (Poet 740). The poet is explaining that Sir Gawain
Gawain showed up at the Green Chapel on the designated day. He calls out to the Green Giant, bearing his neck to this axe-wielding knight. Gawain flinches at the first swing, which was a feign. The Green Knight feigns another blow before swinging a final time, leaving only a nick on Gawain's neck, drawing blood. Gawain confessed after learning that the Lord of the Castle was the Green Knight. He gained his honor back after being honest and conveying his true feelings to the Knight.
For example, a sex slavery victim named Sumana was one of the many to experience great tragedy during her time locked in a brothel. She was forced to have sex with up to 30 men a day without the use of protection; as a result she became pregnant. Without her consent they aborted her baby, it was excruciating and gory. Her mother and father do not accept her now because she was once a sex slave. The men called her a whore and still to this day she has to cope with the memories that her past taunts her with. According to the sex slave victim from the PBS document Half of the Sky (2011) “there was no love for me, I hate my body because my body brings me bad luck.” This proposes that girls cannot love their body for the stunning things it can do when they experience sex
In the poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Gawain is a guest at Hautdesert Castle. During his stay at the castle, three separate hunts take place. These hunts also parallel temptations aimed at Gawain by the wife of the Lord of Hautdesert Castle. In each hunt scene, a characteristic of the prey of that hunt is personified in Gawain's defense against the advances of the Lord's wife.