Human Perfection In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval romance that demonstrates the rights and wrongs of both the chivalric code and Christian morals as well as the objective of using them as a guideline in everyday life. In the poem, Sir Gawain represents this ideal and so “the pentangle was appropriate to that prince” (Green 623). However, the girdle, along with other situations, challenges the idea of following these codes and if Sir Gawain really is the definition of human perfection that everyone thinks he is. The principle behind this poem is structured around the struggle of: although the poem illustrates Gawain as a model of human virtues through the pentangle, the girdle demonstrates the limitations of human perfection.

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The large amounts of values illustrated by the pentangle were upheld despite the temptation. It was because of the chivalric values he had that he did not sleep with Bertilak’s wife. The pressure of having to meet such high standards that everyone set for him were what caused his fear of losing his battle with the Green Knight. Seeing the girdle as an opportunity to return to King Arthur as the same honourable knight that everyone saw him as was not necessarily a negative thing. As said before, the girdle is a representation of the limitations of perfection. The fear of being “christened a coward [something that] could not be excused” was a bigger fear and burden for Sir Gawain, even more than the fear of losing is faith to God (2131). Sir Gawain rather “take [his] chances” than have to return to the kingdom empty handed and full of shame. The flawlessness that Sir Gawain had to his name was technically too good to be true; the girdle proves that there is no one that can resist all temptations, even the noble and faithful Sir Gawain. It is important that Sir Gawain shows that he is “shocked and ashamed” when he learns about the truth of the girdle (2370). It illustrates that although he did take the girdle and was going to use to for less than noble purposes, the fact that he feels shame shows that he does know what he did was wrong. He admits that he did a “terrible [mistake,] and [he] shall bear the blame”(2385-2386). Despite lying and cheating his way to win this challenge, his noble and truthful side still prevails as he admits his wrongdoings. Furthermore, in Christianity it is well known that although people may have sinned, as long as they are able to sincerely repent their sins and know what they have done wrong and try to change, God will ultimately forgive them in the end. The poet is trying to send across that message of the