Essay On Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Chivalry is often a concept associated with nobility, courtesy, and romance, which ultimately brings into mind the idea of knights. Such personas are considered the epitome of these ideals, and none more so than those of Arthurian court. In the tales relating King Arthur’s court, the adventures of his knights and their chivalric ways provide a model and a goal to live life in a virtuous manner. However, at times it is difficult to maintain this ideal image, especially since the knights are human, making it unrealistic for them to be perfectly chivalrous in all situations. The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight critiques this perfect ideal of chivalry where an individual upholds all virtues at all times, by placing Sir Gawain in situations that present conflicts with these virtues, prompting him to choose between them and therefore not fulfilling the ideal. By doing this, the poem
Not only does this slight affair challenge his own chastity, but it also makes it difficult to stay completely loyal to his host, his homeland, and even the lady herself. In their meetings, “the lady stares with a loving look, / but Gawain acts graciously and remains on guard,” (III.1281-1282). This becomes difficult because if he gives into her feelings and desires, he would abandon his chastity, but if he does not, then he would be disobeying the lady’s wishes, undermining courtesy. Not only that, but Gawain “was careful to be courteous and avoid uncouthness, / and more so for the sake of his soul should he sin / and be counted a betrayer by the keeper of the castle.” (III. 1773-1775). Having this affair would then also mean disloyalty to his host by acting upon temptation and accepting the lady’s offers, dishonoring the virtues of friendship and