Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

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.

The scene begins with the continuing description of the Green Knight as one who had come with "no helm, nor hauberk neither." The Green Knight has no helmet or armor. In his hands are a holly branch and an enormous green axe. The axe is described as having a head an ell in length. An ell is equivalent to forty-five inches.

He is the only knight that steps forward to save Arthur's honor and life in the stories of The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In the story of Dame Ragnell, Sir Gawain does not hesitate to agree to marry Dame Ragnell, the foulest woman alive, to save King Arthur even though Arthur does not ask Gawain explicitly. Gawain feels honored that he is able to help his lord in the moment of trouble. In the second story, even though Gawain is the youngest knight he steps out when all other knights are frozen and Arthur is embarassed before the Green Knight. Both these episodes show Gawain's true devotion to his Lord and code of knighthood.

Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Summary The story begins in King Arthur's court, where he and the Knights of the Round Table are celebrating New Year's. While they are enjoying their feast, a gigantic Green Knight rides in on a green horse with an immense axe in his hand to offer them a challenge. His offer is: "I shall bide the fist blow, as bare as I sit…….., but in twelve month and one day he shall have of me the same." (Norton Anthology,208) After a moment of consideration, Sir Gawain accepts the terrifying challenge. As he tries to perform the first part of the challenge, he stumbles into an even bigger surprise.

And also a point of pride pricked him in heart." These are not the qualities of a wise king, but rather describe a rash young man. When the Green Knight rides into his court, neither Arthur nor his knights make an attempt to stop him. Arthur does, however, step forward when the Green Knight asks who the captain of the crowd is. He accepts the Green Knight's challenge nobly, yet he also doesn't protest when Sir Gawain offers to take the blow for him.

When Gawain realizes he was the subject of a test, he sees Bertilak/Green Knight in a different light. The Green Knight now becomes Gawain’s confessor and in doing so assumes a fatherly role. We see that Bertilak perceives Gawain’s fault, his love of life, and irrespective of it, loves Gawain. Despite having sinned, Bertilak sees in Gawain a first-rate knight, far superior to his peers in Camelot, who, faced with the spectre of death, grew silent with cowardice, as the honor of the King lay unguarded.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Passage Analysis 1532-1622) Sir Gawain and the Green knight is an Arthurian story about the adventure of Sir Gawain to find the Green knight. King Arthur and his court are gathered for a Christmas celebration. Suddenly, the Green Knight appears and challenges king Arthur's court to a game. He asks one man to hit him with the ax. In return, this man will have to seek the knight out at the Green Chapel within a year and a day to receive three hits from Green Knight.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Nothing is known about the author who wrote the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yet it is considered one of the greatest works from the Middle English era. It tells a tale of a mysterious and magical figure (The Green Knight) who presents a challenge to the pride and wealth of Arthur's kingdom. Sir Gawain accepts the challenge. However, the real test of the Green Knight isn't about strength or swordsmanship.

Another such example is shown at the start of the main conflict, when the Green Knight comes riding into the court, asking if anyone is brave enough to accept a decapit... ... middle of paper ... ...ilure of the entire court. Throughout the poem, the author portrays Sir Gawain to be the truest and the best of the Arthurian knights. Yet on pg. 60, he deceives Bertilak, not holding up his end of their bargain, and on pg. 71 he failed in bravery, flinching beneath the axe of the green knight.

He is successful, as the king promises to take the game, although he does not know what it is yet. The Green Knight comes into the hall where King Arthur and his knights feast on a horse, and does not greet anyone. He carries a huge axe with "The Spike of green steel" (Norton 207) and with green engravings. He carries no armor and no other weapons. When he enters, not only he does not greet the people present, but he looks down rudely at them and asks: "Where is the captain of this crowd?