Bertilak's Complications In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
Pearsall compiled complications of Sir Gawain to highlight the ambiguity of a text “set up to engage our interest so as to provoke our frustration” (248). He said the poem is structured for a “naturalistic reading” in which a reader’s imagination tries to see the logical or realistic versions of events (250). For example, he believed when Arthur swung the axe around, he was not simply testing the weight, but actually attempting to behead the Green Knight (Pearsall 251). The situationwas slightly odd that polite Arthur would try to attack the intruder, and a reader looking for the logical events likely missed the fact. After Arthur’s attempt, Gawain spoke up, but why did he make a speech about the challenge when there would be no challenge
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Arthur and Bertilak completely ruled their castles, both ladies were extremely beautiful, and both courts were extravagant (source). However, at Bertilak’s court, the lady was the lover rather than Gawain, and Bertilak drank too much, something Bergner argued Arthur would never do (412). Whereas everything was revealed in Arthur’s court, Bertilak’s was one of “unexpressed truths” (Bergner 412). Morgan and Bertilak’s names were not revealed until the end, and Gawain participated in this concealment when he refused to tell Bertilak where he received the kiss (Bergner 412) text. Bergner did not offer much to the ambiguity of the text, but his idea of the two courts’ demands shed light on Gawain’s dilemma. With such high expectations from two groups of people, it would be difficult to meet them. Plus, taking Bergner’s argument further, one can say Gawain’s character changed when he traveled to a different court, just as he participated in the concealment. He visited another castle with slightly different practices and standards, and he was praised for his manners, not his pentangle values. So, why could Gawain not behave differently? Maybe his “failure” was not a failure after all, but an action aligned with a different court, perhaps one with more faith in magic as Knopp
Arthur and Bertilak completely ruled their castles, both ladies were extremely beautiful, and both courts were extravagant (source). However, at Bertilak’s court, the lady was the lover rather than Gawain, and Bertilak drank too much, something Bergner argued Arthur would never do (412). Whereas everything was revealed in Arthur’s court, Bertilak’s was one of “unexpressed truths” (Bergner 412). Morgan and Bertilak’s names were not revealed until the end, and Gawain participated in this concealment when he refused to tell Bertilak where he received the kiss (Bergner 412) text. Bergner did not offer much to the ambiguity of the text, but his idea of the two courts’ demands shed light on Gawain’s dilemma. With such high expectations from two groups of people, it would be difficult to meet them. Plus, taking Bergner’s argument further, one can say Gawain’s character changed when he traveled to a different court, just as he participated in the concealment. He visited another castle with slightly different practices and standards, and he was praised for his manners, not his pentangle values. So, why could Gawain not behave differently? Maybe his “failure” was not a failure after all, but an action aligned with a different court, perhaps one with more faith in magic as Knopp