Preview

Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
203 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
In the first part of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is presented as a diffident knight. The poet portrays him as being chivalrous, humble, and brav, traits that are needed to be a great knight. First, Gawain demonstrates his chivalry by incessantly requesting to take the Green Knight’s dare from King Arthur. In relation to his chivalry, he followed the rules of courtly love by asking if it would please his “liege lady” to perform said task. Following this, his humble trait is shown in the text. Here Gawain starts to state why he feels that he should trade places with King Arthur. saying, “I am the weakest, well I know and of wit feebelist”(128). To emphasize his point he continues to say, “And the loss of my life would be least
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 1016 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    Camelot is the Castle in which the book begins. It is Christmas time and everyone in the castle is feasting when the Green Knight is ushered in. He introduces a game in which none of the other knights accept. Finally, Arthur, the owner of the castle, accepts the challenge. Just as Arthur is about to follow through with the test, Sir Gawain interrupts politely and explains to Arthur that he cannot accept the challenge because it is his home and that the kings death will be unacceptable and Arthur should consider him as an alternative. Gawain respectfully convinces Arthur to back away and let him try his skill. The Green Knight makes Gawain promise to the terms that he offers which are: Gawain is allowed one swing of the axe at the Green Knights neck. The Green Knight is allowed to take his swing at Gawain’s neck in 1 year and 1 day. Gawain must present himself at the Green Knights castle at that date otherwise he will be called a coward forever. Gawain accepts the terms and swings the axe at the Green Knights neck severing the head from the body. The headless competitor reiterates the rules one more time and then rides off prompting the continuation of the feast. Gawain’s actions as well as the rules of the games illustrate some of life’s fundamental ethics. Bravery is explained through Gawain’s actions when he steps up and volunteers for the dangerous contest. Sir…

    • 1016 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    The first crucial choice Sir Gawain made was taking on the challenge for his king, which took him on this journey, facing the Green Knight. Another choice that guided his fate was giving in a little to the lady of the house. Although it was not the noblest of things to do, it did gain him the green girdle, which saved his life. I agree with his choices, he was noble for risking his life for his King, and if I thought I was going to die, I might steal a few kisses from a beautiful lady too.…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compromising Integrity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Compromising Integrity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    When The Green Knight lets Sir Gawain go without killing him, so sir Gawain over reacts by saying:…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    In the forest, Gawain must abandon the codes of chivalry and admit that his animal nature requires him to seek physical comfort in order to survive. Once he prays for help, he is rewarded by the appearance of a castle. The inhabitants of Bertilak’s castle teach Gawain about a kind of chivalry that is more firmly based in truth and reality than that of Arthur’s court. These people are connected to nature, as their hunting and even the way the servants greet Gawain by kneeling on the “naked earth” symbolize (818). As opposed to the courtiers at Camelot, who celebrate in Part 1 with no understanding of how removed they are from the natural world, Bertilak’s courtiers joke self-consciously about how excessively lavish their feast is (889–890). The poem does not by any means suggest that the codes of chivalry be abandoned. Gawain’s adherence to them is what keeps him from sleeping with his host’s wife. The lesson Gawain learns as a result of the Green Knight’s challenge is that, at a basic level, he is just a physical being who is concerned above all else with his own life. Chivalry provides a valuable set of ideals toward which to strive, but a person must above all remain conscious of his or her own mortality and weakness. Gawain’s time in the wilderness, his flinching at the Green Knight’s axe, and his acceptance of the lady’s offering of the green girdle teach him that though he may be the…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain
    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain

    Gawain demonstrates chivalry by honoring the king and taking his place when cutting off the Green Knight’s head. He also shows justice when he makes a deal with Bertilak of Hautdesert, that with whatever Gawain received while in the castle he would have to give to Bertilak and whatever Bertilak received in the woods, would belong to Gawain. Gawain also showed justice by keeping his promise to the Green Knight by showing up to the Green Chapel in exactly…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis
    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is without doubt one of the best known works of medieval English literature. Medieval England poetry was best known for its medieval romance, religious views, alliterative form and its chivalry nature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the best works of medieval poetry because it criticizes the fact that chivalric courtesy often displaces true Christian ethics. Sir Gawain a character in the poem was known for his chivalry, honor, and Christian faith. Medieval romance tales deal with the quests and challenges of Arthur and his knights. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain as one of King Arthur’s knight’s gets sent on a quest to meet the Green Knight. Another characteristic…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    Being the chivalrous knight, Sir Gawain was very protective of both his king and realm. For example, when no other knight steps up to take the Green Knight’s challenge, Sir Gawain takes it on by standing up to object, “’I implore with prayer plain that this match should now be mine’” (36). Specifically, . Moreover, when a servant of the castle gives Sir Gawain the idea of running away, he responds respectfully and grateful, ”’if I here departed fain in fear now to flee, in the fashion thou speakest, I should a knight coward be, I could not be excused’” (105). Sir Gawain is a perfect example of how a knight should preserve his kingdom.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Nature Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 247 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Nature Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    Chivalry has countless values that are interpreted in numerous ways in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight depending on which court you look at. This is because the nature of chivalry allows an individual to interpret these meanings in a way that reflects their beliefs and values. When looking at King Arthur's court you find a very lavish court fixed on appearances and relying heavily on the chivalric virtue of courteous speech and action, which leaves little room for speaking the truth. Yet a chivalric virtue is upheld when Sir Gawain speaks the truth about the girdle he acquired and the green knight in turn states by confessing your failings you are free from blame (2391). There are also various symbols found in King Arthur's court like the…

    • 247 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Allegorical Connections Between Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Allegorical Connections Between Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    Sir Gawain is more than just a brave knight; he's a normal man, if placed in the current time period. A knight is seen as someone who is perfect at all he does, a person who doesn’t give in to sin, somebody who is godly. Sir Gawain is somebody who makes mistakes and accepts sins like an everyman. (QOUTE HERE) By the end of Gawain’s journey…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 1688 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    Firstly, St. Augustine and Sir Gawain were proud of the men they were while they were embarking on their journeys; however the type of people they were differ from one another. Sir Gawain was known to be a “good knight and gold purified, clear of every crudeness, graced and protected by virtues” (Merwin 633), proving he was already a good knight. He carried a shield on his path to the Green Chapel that represented all of his virtues through the five point of the pentangle on his shield: five faith wounds, five joys of the Queen of heaven, five unfailing fingers, five faultless senses, and five qualities he possessed. His values on his shield are put to the test when he takes part in his adventure through woods, the freezing cold, and the temptation of the lord’s wife. For example, his courtesy is tested when the wife of the lord tries to get him to kiss her and he does not know how to respond because it is courteous to do as she says but he does not…

    • 1688 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay
    • 1227 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Essay

    When we hear the word knight, we imagine Arthurian-tales of glorious battles between men and dragons, fierce jousting competitions, rivalries between kingdoms, and knightly chivalry. Several of these tales center on the bravery of knights against mighty foes or on their ability to resist earthly temptations. Sir Gawain is the nephew of King Arthur and is a knight of the round table. He appears in more Arthurian-tales than any other knight and is known as the ideal that all knights should strive for. (Joe) In the Arthurian-Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain faces many challenges and his decisions based on those challenges shape him into the Knight that many know now.…

    • 1227 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain's Chivalric Code
    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sir Gawain's Chivalric Code

    “By showing that even the best knights is not perfect, the poet reveals that the balance between knightly morals, courtliness, and thoughts of selfishness is able to breached” In which Gawain forced himself into actions that would result in unavoidable disaster and he ended up failing himself and his code of chivalry thus, he knows he has failed, by all means, his strive up uphold his honor.…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain Persuasive Essay
    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sir Gawain Persuasive Essay

    Sir Gawain is deemed as a very honest and loyal knight, the most chivalrous in the Kingdom of Camelot. When he makes a deal with the Green Knight to find him in one year to receive a strike on his head, Gawain agrees. He sets of on his journey to find the Green Knight one year later as he agreed and comes across a castle. Gawain stays at this castle for three days, making a deal with the Lord of the castle that he would exchange his winnings every day. He does as he is told, exchanging the Lady of the castles kisses and gifts as she comes to visit him in his room every night. On his final night, she offers him her green girdle and states that upon wearing it, he cannot be hurt. Sir Gawain hides it for himself and finds out from the Green Knight that it was a test of his honesty and he failed. “… but you failed a little, lost good faith - Not for a beautiful belt, or in lust, but for love of your life.” Upon arriving back to Camelot, he wears the green girdle to represent his sin and dishonesty as well do the other knights to honor their fellow friend. This shows that even monsters can be within the best of people. It may be small or even slightly large, but everyone shows their monster at some point. There is no denying it even within the most wonderful people of the…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    BRIT LIT
    • 1869 Words
    • 8 Pages

    BRIT LIT

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the first literary work that was mentioned. This was written in the Middle Ages yet the stages that Erik Erikson came up with are very present through this writing. The main character identified in this poem is Sir Gawain. He is the nephew of King Arthur. He is also a knight. Sir Gawain identifies himself in a negative light at the beginning of the story when the Green Knight first makes his appearance. In his speech to King Arthur, Sir Gawain describes himself by saying, “..[….]…I am weakest of your warriors and feeblest of wit; loss of my life would be least lamented. Were I not your nephew my life would mean nothing; to be born of your blood is my body’s only claim. Such a foolish affair is unfitting for a king, so; being…

    • 1869 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Moral Analysis
    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Moral Analysis

    In the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, many people believe that Sir Gawain does not abide by his principles, and he lets go of what he values most. He is so proud of his values that he depicts them on his shield, which he carries around everywhere. People do not contend about his first four sets of virtues since the book mentions,…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics