...“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” follows the classic tale of a knight accepting a challenge and the journey that the challenge takes him on. While on this challenge Sir Gawain is tested and finds about the price of pride and sin. Throughout the story there are repeated references to the color green and the girdle that he uses to hide from his fate. The color and the girdle are symbolic, with the green representing man’s connection to nature and his primal instincts, and the girdle representing man’s sin, as well as his desire to redeem himself of that sin. The color green is mentioned throughout the course of the story. When the mysterious knight interrupts Arthur’s feast on New Year’s Eve, “he was clad all in green…hose had he of the same green…and all his vesture was verily green” (“Sir Gawain”). When this is combined with the fact that he carries a holly branch in one hand and an axe in the other, this large green knight is closer to an element of nature than a regular man. Green also comes into the story in the later meeting place. The Green Knight tells Sir Gawain to meet him in the Green Chapel. The chapel is described as being in the wild, “all overgrown with grass,” clearly another connection to nature, and the fact that the grass is taking over can be seen as symbolic as Gawain’s survival instinct increasing (“Sir Gawain”). The more he is in this setting, the stronger his desire to escape becomes and he has to use all of his courage to stay and search out the Green...
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...Paradise Lost and the anonymous work Sir Gawain and the Green Knight temptation is used as a vital tool, contributing conflict to the plot. The means, purpose, and consequences of temptation lead the protagonists to different conclusions. The stories follow a parallel, diverging only when one protagonists fails and the other succeeds. With the idea that God gave mortals freedom and therefore they have the ability to choose in mind, it is arguable that the tale of Adam and Eve could have resulted in the same storybook conclusion as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The many parallels between the two stories indicate that with this God-given ability of choice, both stories could end in tragedy, such as Paradise Lost, or in...
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...The Role of Lady Bertilak in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The role of women was a key role in medieval times. In the poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, two women represent this role. They are Lady Bertilak, who is Lord Bertilak’s wife, and Morgan La Faye. It all starts when Sir Gawain is welcomed to Lord Bertilak’s castle and then he meets these two women living there. At all times, Bertilak requests Gawain to feel at home and socialize with these women without problems. Bertilak trusts Gawain even though he would be away and Gawain would remain alone with women. However, his nameless wife uses many different ways to chase Sir Gawain and take advantage of her condition as the host’s wife. Lady Bertilak is a superior being that uses seduction and a supernatural power as a tool to hunt Sir Gawain in order to break his Christian, chivalric and loyal codes. Scholars, that I’ll mention it later, agree that women can emotionally manipulate men, but lacked political power in real life. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem is represented by two women mentioned above. “Morgan the Goddess therefore is now her name; none has such high haughtiness that she cannot make full tame” (¶ 98, P. 83). Even though Morgan la Faye, considered to be “The Goddess”, does not appear much in the poem, she represents a certain passive feminine power. Nonetheless, Lord Bertilak’s wife is shown as an active feminine power. She embodies a male character and specifically in the room scenes...
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...Literature 14 October 2008 “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” a poem written by an unknown poet in the late 1300’s also considered the medieval times. Sir Gawain, King Author’s knight is known as the noblest and more willing to face death for King Author and he inspires young knights. Throughout his trials in his journey to the Green Chapel, Sir Gawain’s actions give valuable lessons to young knights. In his quest, Sir Gawain demonstrates his knightly virtues such as, bravery, courtesy, and honesty. First, Sir Gawain shows bravery during the New Year’s feast in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” During the feast the Green Knight enters the court and offers all the knights in the court to a play a game. The game is he will allow one knight that accepts the challenge one swing, with an ax to try and cut off his head, but in order to play the knight must agree to meet him one year later at the green chapel if he fails to chop off his head for his chance to swing at the knight. The brave Sir Gawain accepts this challenge saying, “ Would you grant me the grace” (Line 343). Sir Gawain shows he is brave enough to take the challenge and protect his king. Another way Sir Gawain proves his bravery is one year later at the green chapel. Sir Gawain meets the Green Knight because of Britt 2 his promise for his chance to swing at him. He demonstrates bravery when he states to the Green Knight, “Strike once more; I shall...
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...King Arthur's court. Then a green knight enters asking all of the knights in the court if they would like to play a game. 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. He arrives at a castle in which a lord welcomes him to stay for several days (Gawain only needs to stay there for three). The next morning the lord makes an agreement to share everything he gets during these three days with Gawain, but Gawain must agree to do the same. During days one and two the lord's wife tries hitting on Gawain, but he only allows her to give him a few kisses. At these days Gawain shares what he got to the lord for what he has hunted those days. On the third day, Gawain finally accepts to take a magic girdle from the lord's wife, but he didn't share it with the lord. This magic girdle helped Gawain survive the three fatal swing's of the green giant's ax, only leaving him with a little nick. After Gawain survives these 3 swings at his neck, the green knight then reveals his identity...
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...Lady Bertilak The lady of the house she was one of the most important characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Although her name was not mentioned in the poem, she was the wife of Lord Bertilak (Master of the castle). Lady Bertilak- beautiful, skilled conversationalist, young with a seductress mannerism played the role of the temptress in order to break Gawain’s Christian faith. During the fourteenth century, religion played such an important part in everyone’s life that the women were compared to the Virgin Mary- someone who represents love, obedience, honor, and life. Lady Bertilak was the opposite of the Virgin Mary. To characterize Lady Bertilak, she had a demeanor that personifies lust, someone who will not think twice about deception and will use any weapon (body) to get what she wants. I chose Lady Bertilak because of her unique way of getting what she wants: her smarts, her articulate yet deceptive mannerism she has developed throughout the poem. Per her husband and Morgan le Fay’s request while her husband was out hunting on early morning trips, Lady Bertilak is to entertain and break Gawain’s faith. Morgan le Fay an elderly matron who resides with Lord Bertilak and his wife is one whom they hold great honor toward has organized a challenge for to see if one of King Arthur’s knight were brave enough to strike off the Green Knight's head and may keep the Green Knight's ax, but that man must accept a return stroke in one year.The challenge or Christmas...
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...Green Chivalry During the Renaissance period, many prestigious virtues were important parts of culture and life. Lords and knights were expected to display numerous traits such as courtly love, chivalry, and piety. The knights were expected to follow a certain code at all times. Throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain displays many chivalrous acts; however, he has to overcome his fears to remain a chivalrous knight. One example of chivalry in the poem is when Gawain makes an engagement with the Green Knight that he will chop off the Green Knight’s head. Gawain agreed to return in a year to allow the Green Knight to return his blow. Gawain’s chivalry is clear when he returns to receive his end of the contract with the Green Knight. This is clear as Tolkien translates, “‘On my word, sir, I welcome thee with a will to my place, / and thou hast timed thy travels as trusty man should, / and...
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...differences between the lead characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf—Beowulf is able to save many people during his battles and is more spiritual, while Gawain’s battle was with himself and he pays more attention to his morals—there are also similarities between the two. In fact, many fail to recognize that both characters share similarities throughout their individual stories. These similarities come with human error making each knight memorable and more realistic. Sir Gawain and Beowulf are very similar in that they both display heroism and feel a need to prove their worth, ultimately showing that one can prevail even when mistakes are made. Sir Gawain and Beowulf, both feel the need to prove themselves,...
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...Beowulf/SGGN Essay Beowulf, a strong and courageous king, willing to defend his people and his honor at any given moment, was the definition of an epic Anglo-Saxon hero. He conquered his enemies with strength and power and ruled over his people with wisdom. From the 7th century, in which Beowulf was written, to the late 14th century there was an evolution in the type of heroic characters that were portrayed in epic stories. You can see this change in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Gawain, a noble knight of king Arthur, was humble and full of integrity. Although claiming to be the least of Arthur’s knights he was well respected across the land. He was a man of his word and a true representation of a chivalric hero. Both characters in these stories were brave and daring and shared some heroic qualities but they held individual traits as well that made them distinct and one of a kind. Beowulf is depicted in the self titled poem to be adventurous, brave, strong, determined, and willing to take any challenge. The poem focuses on three main battles that help the audience determine his character; his fight against Grendel, his victory over Grendel’s mother, and his defeat with the fire breathing dragon. In these confrontations you can understand that he was a hero, a guardian, and a protector. He rescued those in need by conquering whatever was threatening them. One example is shown when Beowulf is introducing himself to King Hrothgar. He says, “ I battled...
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...I have to wonder was keeping the green girdle his fatal flaw, or maybe a means to get to the ultimate gift, I have read where some say he did it because his love for life Stevens and Harwood mention this, although Harwood takes it further by saying “so that Gawain’s duplicity can meet with forgiveness.” I also agree with that, to be forgiven and know what forgiveness truly is. Upon his final meeting with the Green knight all is revealed. Gawain confesses he held back and he has the green girdle on, Harwood explains and I tend to agree that the Green Knight is strong enough and has the power to behead Gawain, as he did his. Instead, he treats Gawain as if Gawain had succeeded, he receives forgiveness and above all he receives grace. The idea...
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...collide in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to show just how far the high and mighty Gawain could fall. Gawain is the epitome of knighthood; humble, respectful, handsome, and courteous. He is, in a sense, perfect, but of course nothing is perfect, and Gawain is no exception. “First he was deemed flawless in his five senses;/ and secondly his five fingers were never at fault;/ and thirdly his faith was founded in the five wounds/ Christ received on the...
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...life? • Set of rules which everyone/all needed to follow; there was a moral obligation to serve the “lord” in faith and/or valor (courage/bravery) • Follow a chain of command; respect for authority (Abbott and King of the court) • Establishes commitment within a community (religious or court/chivalric code) to bring unity • ? powers used to tempt or destroy o The Green Knight – the beheading game; Lady Bertilak at the castle (3 temptations/seductions); the green girdle o Rule of St. Benedict (Prologue lines 17?)...
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...Reversing the Roles of Medieval Women Throughout the Medieval period women were forced to take background roles in society. They were considered inferior to men and reduced to roles that were limited to motherly figures and skilled work. Unlike men, they were not allowed to take arms and once married their ownership was passed on to men. In Beowulf, whose author is unknown, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Geoffrey Chaucer, women took more active roles in the lives of them than society allowed them. In Beowulf, Grendel’s mother is portrayed as a monstrous woman who attacks men to avenge the death of her son Grendel. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Lady Bertilak and Morgan le Faye diminish the roles of men proving them to be cowards that don’t live up to the standards of powerful men. These women proved to be exceptions to the ideal medieval woman who were ultimately separate from men. Women play a minor role Beowulf, Grendel’s mother plays a significant role as she is known as just that, Grendel’s mother. She is not given a name as other women in the poem although she comes in direct contact with the poem’s main character, Beowulf. As a descendent of Cain, she invades Heorot to avenge the death of her son Grendel, who is killed by Beowulf to save their civilization. Throughout medieval literature women play background roles as mothers, caregivers, and peacemakers; they were not allowed to take arms but were reduced to their roles as women. The role that Grendel’s...
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...story Sir Gawain’s chivalry is constantly being tested. The ideals of chivalry come from the Christian concept of morality. When Sir Gawain sets off on his journey his morality is tested at the castle. He agrees to give the lord whatever he wins but his morality fails him and he does not live up to his word. He was tempted by the lord’s beautiful young wife and succumbed to her. However, it wasn’t just that he was kissing the lord’s wife but he also kept the green girdle from the lord, going against their agreement. “When the lord returns from the hunt, Gawain gives him the kisses but keeps the sash a secret.” Although Gawain was un-chivalrous in kissing his wife he still maintained some morality by not sleeping with her. Sir Gawain now posses the magical green sash and also a guilty conscience, though he is able to redeem his earlier actions by confessing to the Green Knight, who was lord of the castle. Sir Gawain shows this time that he is truly chivalrous by admitting his wrongdoings; he has regained his sense of morality, and asks for the knight’s forgiveness. “I can’t deny my guilt; / My works shine none too fair! / Give me your good will / And henceforth I’ll beware” (256-259). From this Gawain learns that he is just a physical being who is concerned above all else with his own life. Chivalry provides a valuable set of common ideals towards which one strives to achieve, however, a person must still remain conscious of his or her own morality and weakness. When Gawain flinches...
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...Threshold guardians are those that guard the mythical world before the hero enters. Within the story, the green knight, the porter at the castle, and the guide that was with Gawain to show him where the green chapel was can all act as threshold guardians. Although the green knight presented the call, he still tested Gawain's ability before crossing the threshold into the unknown by presenting to him the beheading game. This game tested Gawain's stance as a knight and also started his journey. If he could not have successfully beheaded the green knight then he would have been unable to set about the journey in the first place. This therefore shows how the green knight can function as a threshold guardian. Likewise, the porter is a threshold guardian since at the castle he asked Bertilak if Gawain can cross the bridge in order to enter the castle. The other threshold guardian is the guide that was sent with Gawain to the green chapel. When the guide questioned him and asked if he was certain that he wanted to encounter the dangerous man that lies in the...
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