Disposition in the Face of Adversity: An Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Disposition in the face of Adversity: An analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
The Middle Ages, a period of turbulence, reform, and revolution yet the idea of Knighthood remained ever so stead-fast. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an acclaimed Middle English poem published by an unknown author that highlights the preponderance of the English tradition. Sir Gawain is a knight belonging to the Arthurian court whose deference to his Lord and fidelity to the chivalric code are tested through a mysterious journey. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet emphasizes the idea that people must adhere to a specific set of moral codes in order to preserve their integrity.
On Christmas night inside King Arthur’s court every single seat is filled with knights celebrating the coming of the New Year. An unknown Knight rides into the court under the pretext of wanting to inspect Arthur’s court, challenging any of Arthurs knights presiding in the court to the “axe game.” The court is silent and no one is willing to step up and accept the Green Knights offer. “What, is this Arthur’s house…Whose fame is so far in far realms and wide...Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds...Your valor and your victories and your vaunting words.” (SSGK 309-312) The alleged knights of Arthur’s court have failed to comply with the code of chivalry; they have refused a challenge from an equal. The Green Knights challenge is now identified as a test of the chivalric attributes embodying the Arthurian knights. The reputation of Arthur’s court and the integrity of his glorious knights are in jeopardy. King Arthur expresses fury because of the weak devotion his knights have to the code of chivalry, “his face flushed red with rage.“ (SSGK 319). King Arthur steps forward to defend the reputation and chivalric basis of his court personally but is stopped by Sir Gawain. “In good faith said that virtuous knight, I am called Gawain”(SSGK 381). Gawain’s name echo’s through the court
The Middle Ages, a period of turbulence, reform, and revolution yet the idea of Knighthood remained ever so stead-fast. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an acclaimed Middle English poem published by an unknown author that highlights the preponderance of the English tradition. Sir Gawain is a knight belonging to the Arthurian court whose deference to his Lord and fidelity to the chivalric code are tested through a mysterious journey. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet emphasizes the idea that people must adhere to a specific set of moral codes in order to preserve their integrity.
On Christmas night inside King Arthur’s court every single seat is filled with knights celebrating the coming of the New Year. An unknown Knight rides into the court under the pretext of wanting to inspect Arthur’s court, challenging any of Arthurs knights presiding in the court to the “axe game.” The court is silent and no one is willing to step up and accept the Green Knights offer. “What, is this Arthur’s house…Whose fame is so far in far realms and wide...Where is now your arrogance and your awesome deeds...Your valor and your victories and your vaunting words.” (SSGK 309-312) The alleged knights of Arthur’s court have failed to comply with the code of chivalry; they have refused a challenge from an equal. The Green Knights challenge is now identified as a test of the chivalric attributes embodying the Arthurian knights. The reputation of Arthur’s court and the integrity of his glorious knights are in jeopardy. King Arthur expresses fury because of the weak devotion his knights have to the code of chivalry, “his face flushed red with rage.“ (SSGK 319). King Arthur steps forward to defend the reputation and chivalric basis of his court personally but is stopped by Sir Gawain. “In good faith said that virtuous knight, I am called Gawain”(SSGK 381). Gawain’s name echo’s through the court
Bibliography: 1. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” Trans. Mary Boroff. The Norton Anthology of English Literature Sixth Edition. Ed. M.H. Abrams. United States of America: Joanna Lipking and W.W. Norton & Compani, Inc., 1993. 202-254. Print. 2. World Literature Criticism, Supplement 1-2: A Selection of Major Authors from Gale 's Literary Criticism Series. Ed. Polly Vedder. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1997. From Literature Resource Center. 3. Randall, Dale B. J. "Was the Green Knight a Fiend?" Studies in Philology 57.3 (July 1960): 479-491. Rpt. in Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism. Ed. Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4. Sooke, Alistair. "The knight 's tale." New Statesman [1996] 15 Jan. 2007: 55+. Literature Resource Center. Web.