Societal Values In Beowulf

Gawain knows that he is not the strongest, smartest knight but the loss of his life would not be as bad as if King Arthur loses his life. King Arthur agrees to let him enter this game and gives him a weapon to use against this Green Knight. King Arthur says to Sir Gawain, "Keep, cousin what you cut with this day, and if you rule it aright, then readily, I know you shall stand the stroke it will strike after." (372-374) Gawain, with his weapon in his hand, is now ready to take part in the game. Before the contest starts, the Green Knight goes over the rules of the game again.

This is the natural world testing the civilization, making it a separation and conflict between the two. Once the Green Knight nicks Gawain’s neck with the axe, he says, “The person who repays / will live to feel no fear. / The third time, though, you strayed, / and felt my blade therefore,” (2354-2357). Because Gawain kept the green girdle that Bertilak’s wife gave him, Gawain broke his contract with Bertilak because he was afraid of dying. Gawain’s own fear of death made him turn to natural instincts; doing everything he could to possibly survive the beheading game.

The Green Knight asks Gawain to go over the terms of the game and asks to know his name. Gawain replies: "In good faith, Gawain am I whose buffet befalls you, what'er betide after, and at this time twelvemonth take from you another with what weapon you will, and with no man else alive." ( Norton p. 210 ) In this statement Gawain not only asserts himself but also makes sure that if he kills the Green Knight with his blow, no one shall take his place. Satisfied with that answer, the Green Knight reminds Sir Gawain that he must find him on his own, as promised before the court. However when Gawain asks the Green Knight where his home could be found, the Green Knight delays his answer, saying that Gawain will know soon enough after the blow where to find him.

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. The Green Knight looks around to see if anyone will accept his challenge, and he begins to taunt and laugh at the knights. King Arthur is enraged at the stranger's laughter, and he stands up to accept the challenge. He takes the ax, and the Green Knight dismounts and prepares for the blow. However, before Arthur can strike the blow, Sir Gawain speaks up, asking if he can replace the King in this game because he does not think the King should take the responsibility upon himself.

Feeling as if the honor of Camelot is being threatened, King Arthur accepts the challenge. However, Sir Gawain intercepts the challenge before Arthur can formally accept. Gawain welcomes the contest and chops off the head of the Green Knight who dryly smirks and picks up the severed body part. He then reminds Gawain of his promise: to accept a return blow a year and day from the first. The Green Knight rides off with his severed head in his hand, and the hall rejoices from the display of Gawain's bravery.

If Sir Gawain chops off the Green Knight's head, one would think that the Green Knight would die. So why does the Green Knight ask to meet Sir Gawain in a year and a day to return the strike? The answer to this question shows the Green Knight's supernatural powers because he knows that he is not going to die because of the strike. The Green Knight appears to have a hidden agenda, which will be revealed at the end of the story. As a reward for the knight who is brave enough to participate in the game, the Green Knight gives him his ax to keep and use for the game.

He stricks King Pelles with the Dolorous Stroke then fights his brother unknowingly and they kill each other. The First Quest of the Round Table- King Arthur marries Guinevere on Pentecost and Sir Gawine, Sir Tor, and King Pellinore go on the first quest of the Round Table. They go after a white hart, a brachet, and a knight and a damsel. The Magic of Nimue and Morgana Le Fae- Nimue puts Merlin in a deep sleep in a tower where he cannot get out. Arthur’s sister Morgana Le Fae, tricks him into doing battle against his own knight who has his sword, Excalibur.

The challenge is to take the axe from the Green Knight’s hand and strike his neck with it. “I find it unfitting, as my fellow knights would, when a deed of such daring is dangled before us that you take on the trial.” (Sir Gawain I.348-50). He feels the need to prove himself to the others and wants to protect the king as well. He chooses to strike the knight and after doing so, his head rolls on floor, and to the astonishment of everyone, the Green Knight picks the head up and words come out of its mouth saying “Sir Gawain, be wise enough to keep your word and faithfully follow me until you find me” (Sir Gawain I.448-49). Gawain must go to the Green Chapel in exactly one year and find the Green Knight, so that he may take the axe to Gawain’s neck.

What man in his right mind would go to another country to fight a vicious monster? Beowulf wanted the honor that he could obtain if he killed Grendel. That is why he went. Also, the king told him that if Beowulf could defeat Grendel, he would have anything his heart yearned for. So, the answer to the question if he qualifies as a tr... ... middle of paper ... ...tes Beowulf.

It is important to remember that fight with the Green Knight was Gawain's first challenge; he was the youngest knight of King Arthur's court, a knight with no experience behind him. Gawain suffers for lying to the Green Knight (the third blow of an axe cuts Gawain's neck), and this experience influenced Gawain so much that he keeps and wears the belt as a reminder of his mistake even though everybody at the Arthur's court take this as a fashion statement when Gawain returns. 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 stories of The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.