The Green Knight establishes the game so that “the terms of the contest are crystal clear” (394). Sir Gawain will strike the Green Knight on the neck with his sword and in a year the Green Knight will return the blow. Sir Gawain delivers the blow and the Green Knight simply places his severed head back on his neck. Sir Gawain now must spend the year seeking out the knight’s Green Chapel in order to fulfill the terms of the agreement (421-457). The scholar David Beauregard, gives insight into why the Green Knight is worthy to test the character of Sir Gawain.
King Arthur answers the Green Knight’s call to the head of the company and asks him to dismount and eat. However, the Knight refuses, saying that he does not intend to stay. He tells Arthur that his court is reputed to be the best and worthiest in the land, and so he has come there with a challenge. He says that he has not come in war, as proved by his lack of armor, but rather to propose a challenge. He will allow someone to strike him with his ax, as long as they agree to find him in one year to accept the return blow.
Therefore, the dialogue between Bilbo, Bard, and the Elevenking is a manifestation by Tolkien of the moral high ground of hobbits and their rational and peacekeeping nature, which impresses the men and elves to award their trust and honor to the hobbit. Bilbo as the protagonist of the novel appears sensible partly from Tolkien’s underlying representation of a twentieth century English gentlemen. When Bilbo first arrives at the Gate with the Elvenking and Bard, his first speaking point is business. Tolkien describes Bilbo’s speech as a “business manner” where he mentions how he is “tired of the whole affair” and wishes he were “back in the West in my own home, where folk are more reasonable” (Tolkien 292). Bilbo clearly takes great pride in the business manner of hobbits, where he is accustomed to fiscal matters through his previous occupation in the Shire.
Whether it was Bertrande’s selfishness or naivety to be accepted by the community, her good name and reputation was soiled. She refused to accept the guidance from the church and her family. Instead she tried to create her dream life with a man she knew was impersonating her husband. Her fear of being caught in the middle of society with no defined purpose steered her down a path of lies. Though marriage was at the heart of this story, The Return of Martin Guerre is about a woman who was so pressured by the acceptance of society that she took advantage of a once valid marriage for personal gain.
In heaven she was no longer able to boss him around and therefore returned to Hell preferring that over a lapse of control. Later in the story, the narrator’s attention is turned to one of the “Great Ones” Sarah Smith. Sarah Smith in life had no rank or fame and yet on earth everyone she met became a son or daughter to her because she loved so deeply. Her husband, in contrast, was less than a man and did everything in his power to keep her miserable. In heaven, however, he was not able to and therefore slunk back to hell despite Sarah’s plea for him to stay.
With only one swing, Sir Gawain is successful in chopping off the Green Knights head. To much astonishment, immediately after the knight is decapitated, he stands up, picks up his head and is on his way. After a year, Sir Gawain sets off a journey to find the Green Chapel. While on his travels, Sir Gawain arrives at castle and is invited by the Lord to stay for the remainder of his trip.On the first morning of his stay, the Lord makes a deal with Sir Gawain. The deal is that the Lord will go out and search for the Green Cas... ... middle of paper ... ...ed what he got.
/ You wrong me, if you have a lover!” (48-52) In order to convince his wife that he is innocent, he tells her of his condition. Upon hearing his confession, “Terror, she felt, at this strange tale. / She thought what means she could avail / herself of how to leave this man. / She could not lie with him again.” (98-102) She is so disgusted by the concept that her loyal husband is not purely human, she agrees to be the lover of a chevalier if he will help her distance herself from the beast she imagines her h... ... middle of paper ... ... seen as unholy and and frightening, while the powers of men are natural and gifts from God himself. The author was quick to show that women's virtues are to be displayed through obedience, beauty, and piousness.
After finally arriving and prospering at his new job, Hartright takes a liking to Miss Laura Fairlie and befriends Marian Halcombe, her half-sister. The two women each share a relation to the owner of the house. However because Laura is scheduled to marry, Marian sees it best to send Walter away but not before telling him that Laura was marrying the man that was after the woman in white named Sir Percival Glyde. This is one of the first signs of secrecy in the book because Laura Fairlie ends up withholding information of her first love from her husband. Inevitably he finds for himself and becomes enraged.
The game is he will allow which ever knight that chooses to challenge him one swing with a battle ax to try and chop off his head, but in order to play the game, the accepting knight must meet the green knight one year later at the green chapel. The brave knight Sir Gawain accepts to the challenge of the green knight. Sir Gawain takes one swing and chops off the head of the green knight. Right after the green knight's head is chopped off he gets up immediately, picks up his head and leaves. Once a year passes, Gawain sets off on a journey to find the Green Chapel.
In a twelve month and a day he shall of me the same"(Norton 208). A guerdon is a reward and sans means without. So when the Green Knight receives his reward for the game, which will be to return the strike in a year and a day, it will not be his fault when Sir Gawain dies because it is part of the game. This foreshadows the Green Knight's supernatural powers and Sir Gawain's confrontation with death. If Sir Gawain chops off the Green Knight's head, one would think that the Green Knight would die.