Preview

Similarities Between Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
159 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Similarities Between Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
In the famous story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” Gawain is portrayed as a pillar of chivalry and honor. This righteous portrayal leads to the question “Is Sir Gawain a believable character.” In my ever humble opinion he is. The story begins with Sir Gawain being challenged by a mysterious green knight. After being taunted, he displays anger and attacks the knight cutting off his head. By showing Gwaine's human tendency towards anger, the author shows the reader his humanity. There are many similar points throughout the story where Gwan shows anger, this makes him relatable and believable. Gwaine also breaks his persona of chivalry by letting lady Bertilak kiss him when he is staying at another knight's castle. While he still maintains

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The green knight then proceeds to laugh at him so he bares his neck one final time and the green knight strikes. However the knight barely cuts his neck, simply saying a strike is a strike. Gawain however shows why he is a near perfect hero, during the game with the king, he was given a magic belt that would prevent death, failing to give the belt to the king as agreed by his wager. This is a great example of a near perfect hero because he does everything right expect for one thing.…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A knight’s word is a powerful thing because knights are sworn into their positions and often opt for death over disgrace. Pride and honor along with respect and reputation are some of a knight’s main ethics and a knight must be a gentleman with a valued inner worth. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Sir Gawain’s inner worth is tested by The Green Knight by playing Knightly games. Each game represents certain virtues in life and gives ambiguous interpretations of how one should morally act in order to remain close with his ethics.…

    • 1016 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Gawain is said to be Arthur’s most noble and faithful knight. Would you agree or disagree with that statement? Why? Please explain your answer in detail.…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gawain didn’t show loyalty towards Bertilak when he allows Bertilak’s wife to kiss him, not only once but on three different occasions. Gawain does not give the green girdle to the Green Knight thus proving him to be un-loyal. Even though Gawain exchanges the three kisses with Bertilak, he doesn't tell Bertilak who the kisses came from. Fernández argues that, "The medieval hero may overcome the temptation, but not without making a mistake or wrong decision and therefore receiving some form of punishment." This proves that Gawain was capable to make some type of mistake. He overcame the temptation of the wife trying to sleep with him but he also made the mistake of letting her kiss him. Although Gawain was considered “the most courteous of all” he still makes mistakes. . He does show his loyalty and bravery by fulfilling his vow to the Green Knight by allowing him to strike him in the neck. Although he was scared, he kept his…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Satisfactory Essays

    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
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain shows his bravery the first moment he has the chance to, when the Green Knight enters King Arthur's Court. The Green Knight taunts with "Anyone with the nerve to try it, take this ax, here. Hurry, I'm waiting! Take it and keep it, my gift forever, And give me a well-aimed stroke, and agree to accept another in payment, when my turn arrives." (I, 292) Sir Gawain took this burden and took the ax from the king who was prepared to do this deed. Gawain knows full well that he would receive a blow in return and would have to find the Green Knight in order to receive his blow. He accepts these terms and gives the Green Knight his blow with no haste. Time passes and it eventually is time for Sir Gawain to start to look for his fate and find the Green Knight and his chapel. Starting his crusade, Gawain was given a feast and many thought he would never return again, as some of the knights would comment, "Better to have been more prudent, to have made him a duke before this could happen. He seemed a brilliant leader, and could have been." (II, 677) Gawain knows all of this that on his travel he would be put to death, he still went on this final crusade, to his death with utmost bravery.…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Every group has its idols, those people who serve as the epitome of the group’s values. Cowboys look up to Lane Frost, basketball players look up to Michael Jordan, and Arthurian knights look up to King Arthur. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the greatest Arthurian romances written in England, Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew, takes on a challenge to exchange “one strike for another” with the Green Knight (line 287). Despite all of the bad experiences and temptations he fights along the way, after the battle with the Green Knight, Sir Gawain is definitely still admirable as the epitome of the Arthurian Knight as he wears a green girdle in remembrance of his mistakes(Sir Gawain).…

    • 1861 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    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
  • Good Essays

    “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
  • Good Essays

    To begin, Gawain upholds the law to be a courageous man in all circumstances. Near the end of the poem Gawain reaches the Green Knight’s castle to uphold his promise that they made a year and a day before. When Gawain arrives, he and the knight begin conversation and form an agreement to follow through with the terms. As the Green Knight describes what he shall do, Gawain says, “Never fear… I’ll stand still and allow you to work as you like and not oppose/ you here” (91-95). At this point within the poem, Gawain has done everything to follow the code of chivalry. True bravery and courage is not found in many men, but Gawain is able to conquer this obstacle and prove that he is brave. In this instance, Gawain is allowing the knight to do as he pleases, which is to cut off his head. This demonstrates that he is a fearless man awaiting his death. Additionally, he does not choose to resist the punishment and…

    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain is faced by the challenge of the Green Knight. The Green Knight appears in King Arthur's court and gives an open invitation to anyone there "to strike one stroke for another" (Weston, 4) with his well made axe, a challenge Gawain takes to save Arthur, but the Green Knight is not the biggest enemy that the "hero" must overcome. The hero is generally portrayed as a noble, gallant, and nearly undefeatable man in most stories, and is placed on a pedestal. Throughout many cultures, a hero is often seen as being generally respected and admired for his heroism. Throughout the course of his quest, Gawain must face temptation and his less desirable qualities, not all of which he can overcome.…

    • 411 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It all starts with the game presented by the Green Knight; "You will grant me gladly the little game that I ask as my right"(Poet 56). Being a king, Arthur cannot express fear because he is the protector of the society. Therefore, the King accepts the challenge but Gawain steps forward to take the king's place; "Let this game be mine"(24). As the game progresses, one can identify that the game was a test to see how true Gawain is to his code of chivalry. The game was not fair for Gawain because the Green Knight held superpowers(167). As it stated,"He held his head by the hair, high, in his hand; and the stranger sat there as steadily in his saddle"(167-168). The Green Knight had the ability to live without his head attached to his body. Even though he knows that he will die if he pursues the Green Knight, "Sir Gawain sets off on his quest to find the Green Knight and fulfill his part of the challenge"(183). Gawain went to face the Green Knight because of his Knight's code of chivalry. In addition, for a second time, Gawain holds his truth to the code in the game inside the castle. As Poet states, "determined not to deceive his host or violate the agreement, Gawain accepts only two kisses from the lady, which he (tells) to the lord at night"(p 183). Gawain could take advantage of the situation by committing adultery. Although tempted, he holds…

    • 1169 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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