Preview

Le Morte Dartur, Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Comparasin of Knights Essay Example

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
653 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Le Morte Dartur, Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Comparasin of Knights Essay Example
Knights of Dignity the Code of Chivalry is a system that helped govern the people of the Middle Ages and was treated like the Bible to knights in Le Morte Darthur, The Canterbury Tales, and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. The knights following it must be someone whose worth brings respect and fame, someone who has the strength to venture and withstand difficulty and someone who has consideration and cooperation. These characteristics are apparent in the portrayal of Le Morte Darthur, Canterbury Tales, and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. The three most important aspects of the Chivalric Code are honor, courage and courtesy In Le Morte Darthur young Griflet begs to King Arthur to become a knight because a knight is well respected and has an elevated social position. Becoming a knight exemplifies how important a man’s honor be vital no matter how costly and dangerous it may be “Sir, I beseech you to make me a knight” (Malory 99), begs Griflet. Another important aspect of the Chivalric Code is courage. It is portrayed when Griflet leaves in search of the King Pellinore and bravely faces another knight who is much stronger than him. The more courage a person has shows that you are worthy of more respect and admiration. Nextly, King Arthur showed great respect and courteousness for the Lady of the Lake by compromising the trade of the sword and a gift. Pursuing this farther, in The Canterbury Tales Chaucer’s knight also exemplifies honor, courage, and courtesy. From the looks of which this knight he seems to be very distinguished because he belongs to the feudal group which is the highest social group. He was not very showy but he was humble and modest and he did not think of himself as a big macho man, he was very down to earth. Chaucer’s knight was honored for his noble graces when fighting in many battles and was considered a well respected man. He had served in Alexandria, Lithuania, Russia, Spain and elsewhere, which showed he had a lot of courage

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Through the use of symbols, the author of Sir Gawain is able to show that Gawain…

    • 2046 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has many examples of chivalry in it. One of those examples is when Sir Gawain takes the challenge presented to King Arthur. This is an example of the first part in the Code of Chivalry. This same event is also an example of the second part of the Code of Chivalry, responsibility to the king. The Code of Chivalry states that knights are to have respect for the Christian faith. This is shown by the reference to God. Being generous is also a part of the code. King Arthur shows this with the party he is throwing. The code also says that knights should be brave in battle; Sir Gawain shows this bravery by standing in front of the Green Knight…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 476 AD, during the medieval times, there were many knights. Most knights followed a chivalric code. By definition chivalry means the rules and customs of medieval knighthood. Chivalry can also be defined by seven knightly virtues: courage, justice, mercy, generosity, faith, nobility, and hope.…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Chivalry is the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight. Some of these qualities include courage, honesty, courtesy, loyalty, and justice. There are three major themes in chivalry; courtly love, religion and war. The code of chivalry helps outline the morals and behavior in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The principles of chivalry come from the Christian idea of morality. The role of chivalry/knighthood in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was an important part of society.…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There are some similarities of the two incerpts, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Holy Grail. I believe that both come to be Romances. In the first story Sir Gawain was sent on a dangerous quest that of which was to seek the Green Chapel of the Green Knight to hold true to his oath that he would receive what he done to him one year and one day later. He was tested of his honor and courage when he gave his word to the lord Bercilak to give him all he won in the castle at the end of the day and also he proved true to that by not having an affair with his wife. By that test it determined whether or not he got his head chopped off. In the end Sir Gawain returned home. The Holy Grail was a story on the line of being a romance, but by the way I interpreted the story I found it to be one. In that story Sir Galahad had a dangerous quest of riding to the King Mordrayns, then by reburying a person who had lain burning for a long time, and then by going to Corbenic to the Castle of the Maimed King, Pellam. His test of honor or courage was of his loyalty to Jesu when he did what He wanted and said he's even die for him. He never returned home physically, but I believe he returned to his home in heaven when he died making The Holy Grail to be a romance in that instance.…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.” (Honore de Balzac). The Chivalric code is a clutter of rules that contradict each other and challenge normal human behavior. These rules of chivalry are predominantly concerned with courage, honor and gentlemen- like- behavior, which play an important role in proving one’s faithfulness to the King. In the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain proves to be a hero because he continually struggles against his human flaws to act in a heroic manner. Sir Gawain is acknowledged as a chivalric human because he is a courageous man who perseveres through difficult events and faces both human temptation and terror.…

    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The textbook definition of chivalry is “a gallant or distinguished gentlemen” or “the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood.” In the Medieval era, a knight had to behave in a certain manner, they had to follow the chivalric code or where punished. A knight had to be honorable and courteous towards others, and uphold a system of values of loyalty. A knight was required to have not just the quality and abilities to fight battles in the savage period of the Middle Ages but at the same time was relied upon to remember his chivalric duty and to maintain his composure. The concept of chivalry gave inspiration for stories about King Arthur and his round table in the Medieval period (169, Pearson).…

    • 636 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Medieval times were a time when honor was valued above all other qualities. All knights, the highest models of medieval manhood, adhered to a code of chivalry. When properly followed, this code allowed men to be truly honorable. Among the qualities most highly esteemed were integrity, loyalty, and courage. The clearest examples of chivalry were King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The Pearl Poet vividly illustrates the concepts of chivalry in his epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where Sir Gawain is characterized as a very honorable, chivalrous knight. Throughout the poem, Gawain’s unceasing commitment to his code of chivalry provides a protection against, thus proving the value and necessity of chivalry.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Scholar William Childers states that, “by Cervantes's day, then, chivalry was debased to the point where its ethos of altruistic service had been replaced by sloth and greed, overlaid with a thin veneer of pretense.”1 This quote helps us realize what the real problem is when trying to discuss whether the medieval chivalry effectively died by the close of the Middle Ages. Indeed, it is important to establish a clear definition of what chivalry was for William Marshal and his successors. It was clearly not an altruistic service at all. William Marshal first motivation into entering the tournament fields, which grant him his everlasting fame “as the perfect knight […] [who] almost became the living embodiement of the mythical Arthurian knight”, was “not only to affirm [his] prowess […] [but] it could also bring [him] rich material rewards.”23 Likewise, William Childers insists on the knight's “service to God and king.”4 Loyalty was certainly a crucial feature of medieval knights, however, it was not so much about the king but rather the lord, to whom a knight swore an oath. For instance, William Marshal chose to stay loyal to his lord Young Henry and thus to be named in the the formal list of “diabolical traitors” to Young Henry's father, king Henry II of England.5 William Childers' definiton of…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sir Gawain

    • 3256 Words
    • 14 Pages

    According to Elspeth Kennedy, medieval knights were the primary audience for Arthurian romances like {\em Sir Gawain\/}. Many of these romances were intended to inspire knights towards the goals of honor and chivalry; in fact, as Kennedy points out in ``The Knight as Reader of Arthurian Romance ' ', later knights who codified chivalric practice often quoted Arthurian romances as a source. (Culture, 70).…

    • 3256 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Theoretical Frames

    • 880 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” a very important theoretical frame played a huge role in how the poem turned out and the occurrences that happened throughout the poem. This frame is chivalry and this was shown through Sir Gawain himself and throughout all of the knights. This was the main trait that a knight in this time had to have. Chivalry is the actions and values shown through knights that inhibit honorable traits. Throughout this poem chivalry is constantly tested and shown through the characters and is one of the main frames that this poem is focused on.…

    • 880 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the story the Green Knight comes into Arthur’s castle. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89). The Green Knight offers a challenge to the knights of the Round Table. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89). Sir Gawain gets up and takes the challenge. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89) In the code of Chivalry you must always accept a challenge from an equal, which the Green Knight is, and you must do it. (Alchin). He does this because he is a knight, and not only that, he is a knight at the Round Table. So by the Green Knight challenging them to accept, he is basically demanding they fulfil their duties as knights (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89). So, as knights, they must fulfil the code of chivalry which states, “To never refuse a challenge from an equal.” (Alchin) Courage is an important trait that a knight must have. When the Green Knight came to the castle, and he propose the offer that he did, it took courage to do it.(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89) When a man becomes a knight, he must be able to ride into battle. That takes courage. Sir Gawain has courage, because he jumped up from his seat and he took the challenge (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 89). The story states that, “Camelot is a sober place the following November when Sir Gawain arms and prays and sets out on his perhaps fatal…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Humanity has always had an ideal figure to look up to or pursue, whether it be for selfish reasons or for the good of all. During medieval times, the Code of Chivalry was followed - a moral system which went beyond rules of combat and introduced the concept of virtuous conduct. It represents qualities in knighthood such as bravery, courtesy, and honor, setting an example of the ideal character. The two texts Sir Gawain and the Green knight and Beowulf, medieval and Anglo-Saxon respectively, serve as a demonstration of what these values are. The valiant actions of two heroes boast the chivalric qualities they possess and gain on their journey’s. The medieval text describes Sir Gawain’s decisions and struggles which deeply affect his fate and his view of moral standards, while the Anglo-Saxon text delves into the heroic feats performed by Beowulf. Sir Gawain and Beowulf are chivalrous, but Beowulf is more chivalric as he fights for the welfare of others, eschews unfairness and deceit, and never fails to tell the truth.…

    • 2004 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Chivalry was a moral, religious and social code of knightly and courtly conduct. It would emphasize honor, courage, and service of knights, it would also refer to an idealized life and their manners while among their court. Chivalry was initially used for warriors on horseback, and then later became known as a term for the code of conduct for knights. There were three different types of chivalry in the Middle Ages known as: duties to countrymen, duties to God, and duties to women. The three would often intertwine and would be hard to distinguish the…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Knights Tale Analysis

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages

    This tale is supposedly a true story passed down among the knights of the day. Chaucer presents it with over-stressed traditions of romantic literature. Some of the oddities of the tales are really presented when taken into a whole with the Canterbury Tales. The Knight’s Tale is the first of the Canterbury tales. This may indicate how status is still an important part of class in England. The idea of class is also presented in the Knight’s Tale by being started with Theseus, and not the main…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays