ipl-logo

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis

1682 Words7 Pages

Proposed Additions to the Current Syllabus
The story I chose was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I chose this story because it had a little bit of each of the stories that we have read in class already. I also liked the plot twists in the story especially at the end. I feel that it would fit perfectly with our current syllabus.
During one Christmas, during a time when King Arthur ruled the Britons, there was an amazing feast and the most famous knights in the history of Christendom jousted and sparred. A few days later on New Year’s Day, a stranger entered Camelot. A knight decorated entirely in Green, the size of many men, rode in on a green horse. He wielded a mighty axe and demanded to speak with the noblest among the crowd. King Arthur …show more content…

As they drew nearer, the guide hopelessly attempted to persuade the knight from his doom. Gawain politely refused, as his code of chivalry and honor would curse him if he were to make that choice. He continued alone, until he reached the green chapel. The Green Knight is there, ready to honor their agreement. Sir Gawain bravely kneeled and requested his death. The Green Knight brought the axe down once, and Gawain flinched, and the axe stopped above his neck. The Green Knight disapproved of his cowardice, and Gawain begged that he offer another blow. The Green Knight swung again and deliberately missed. Gawain angrily asked why he held back, and asked if it was not him who had fear in his heart. A third time the axe swung down, and this time the blade made a slight cut into Gawain’s neck. Sir Gawain jumped to his feet, put on his helmet and reminded the Green Knight that the pact was for one stroke, instead of three. The Green Knight laughed and threw off his fearsome disguise. He applauded Sir Gawain’s chivalry and declared him the most honorable man alive. He revealed himself to be the lord of the castle where Gawain stayed, and that it was he who tasked the lady with attempting to seduce him. Gawain was honest with him on the first two days, but on the third he did not offer the silk girdle to the lord. Gawain was punished with the wound on his neck. Sir Gawain was overcome with shame and humility, and prayed to God for his forgiveness. Gawain returned to Camelot, where he told Arthur that he would bear the green girdle as a sign of his failure to keep his promise with the lord. The Knights of the Round Table, declared that they would all wear a green silk girdle, to honor Sir Gawain. The moral of the story warned us of the price of straying from the good path and the value of keeping one's

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Plagiarism In Sir Gawain

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    The wife tried to seduce him and he denied her. The test was to see if he was worthy of being a knight. Honor is a trait that a knight must have and sir Gawain proved to be honorable. “Later at the Green Chapel, it is revealed that the host is the Green Knight, who at the behest of the enchantress Morgan le Faye had sought to test the pride of Camelot...” (Includes bibliography).

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Deceit Analysis

    1052 Words  | 5 Pages

    Deceitful people can be taken as harmful and evil or wise and necessary. Sometimes it takes a little tragedy or harmful situation to make a person realize a change is needed. Deceitful people have reasoning behind their ways, and it is usually so the other person learns something about him or herself they would have never seen without being hurt. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we see a heavy example of deceit for a reason. Lord Bertilak’s reasons for deceiving Sir Gawain exhibit fruitful ideals distributed throughout the text.

    Read More

  • How Does Gawain Show Courage

    261 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Green Knight raises his ax three times over Gawain's neck to almost scare him to test him, like a sign of strength to intimidate. 4. Gawain does very well with the Green Knight's challenege except when Gawain finally succumbed to the lord's wife's pleas for taking the green sash. He is just as guy who tries his best, so he can make a mistake.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain's Virtue And The Chivalric Code

    285 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sir Gawain succeeded in upholding his virtues and the Chivalric Code countless times throughout the story. One of the earliest signs of chivalry Sir Gawain shows can be seen at King Arthur’s court, where the Green Knight first appeared before the Knights and challenged them to a game. Sir Gawain shows courage by bravely accepting the challenge, but he also shows humility by praising the other knights and degrading himself by saying, “I am the weakest, I know, and the feeblest of wit, and to tell the truth, there would be the least loss in my life.” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl Poet, pg. 8)

    Read More

  • Maturity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    85 Words  | 1 Pages

    The main theme of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the journey to maturity of Gawain, the hero. During the passage, Gawain goes through three tests on his development. First, Gawain shows courage and resourcefulness when he volunteers to take the Green Knight’s challenge instead of Arthur doing so. Second, Gawain shows authority, self-restraint, and integrity when he denies the sexual endeavours of the lady of the house. Lastly, Gawain shows bravery when he faces death by keeping his meeting with the Green

    Read More

  • Theme Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain

    699 Words  | 3 Pages

    Which led to the Green Knight explaining to Gawain that he is actually the same lord of the castle where Gawain spent his holidays. The first two blows, he claims, were in return for the way Gawain returned the kisses of his wife, following the rules of their game as an honest man should. The third blow, he says, was for Gawain’s failure to return the green girdle to him on the last day. But because Gawain’s failing was only because he wanted to save his life, and not because he's just dishonorable, the Green Knight forgives him. He leaves Gawain with only a scar and a girdle as a reminder of his very human sin.

    Read More

  • Honor In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    775 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the lines above it is seen that the Green Knight’s head had completely been severed yet he remains unshaved, it is clear now that Gawain has been deceived. Gawain continues to keep his word even though his journey is lonely and dangerous. “ […] Sir Gawain, Gods servant, on his grim quest, passing long dark nights unloved and alone […] With no friends

    Read More

  • Past Mistakes In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    1197 Words  | 5 Pages

    As an Expert states, “Critics consider the puzzle of the theme a major asset of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and they continue to debate whether the real test was what happened at Castle Hautdesert rather than the exchange of blows, as well as whether, finally, Gawain passed or failed the tests” (Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism). The reason the critics say this is because they see that the real or possibly the real test was when Sir Gawain was in the castle getting tested by the king which turns out to be the king rather than getting swung at with an axe. Although Sir Gawain was not aware that the king was testing him under these circumstances he did want he had to do even if it meant he was a bit disloyal when taking the green sash. As Sir Gawain states, ‘“There, there’s my fault! The foul fiend vex it” (line 389)!

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Courage Analysis

    1684 Words  | 7 Pages

    Consider how the theme of courage is treated in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story that celebrates courage in a positive light in the majority of situations but we see that courage can have a negative impact on some of the characters in the story and it questions knighthood. Courage is an honourable term defined “The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery:” (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/courage) and for Gawain to be called this term defines him as a knight. His actions throughout the story makes it difficult to analyse how courage is treated in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain And The Green Knightly Virtue Analysis

    998 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sir Gawain shows loyalty and humility when he makes the decision of honoring the promise he made with the Green Knight. This humility drives him to set off to pursue the Green Knight to honor the pact they agreed on. On his arrival at the Green chapel, he calls the Green Knight who emerges to greet him and to fulfill the terms of the contract (Cathell). Sir Gawain presents his neck voluntarily to the Green Knight who feigns two blows (Cooke 4). This is a commitment and a sign of piety that Gawain manifests.

    Read More

  • Why Is Gawain Deserving Of Being Called A Knight

    506 Words  | 3 Pages

    . . and since I have asked for it first, let it fall to me" (l. 131-136). After he takes his turn with the axe, and the date is set for the Green Knight to take his turn, Gawain keeps to his word by traveling to what seems the ends of the earth to keep his part of the covenant. At the Lord's castle, he is repeatedly seduced by the Lord's wife, but each time, Sir Gawain refuses, knowing that a knight must remain chaste and true to his word. For two days he kept his word in his agreement with the Lord--another game.

    Read More

  • Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    1052 Words  | 5 Pages

    Gawain, who had struck a deal with the lord to surrender all things he received during his stay in the lord’s dwelling, fails to do so in the name of self-preservation. The lord’s wife gifts Sir Gawain a green sash rumored to protect its possessor from physical harm. Gawain, recalling his inevitable meeting with the Green Knight, decides to contradict his agreement with the lord and “hid[es] it away from all hands and eyes” (Line 1875). His decision blatantly violated the chivalrous code, “failing a moral test in agreeing to hide the girdle from the husband, with whom he has the prior arrangement to exchange winnings” (West 9).

    Read More

  • Loyalty In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    718 Words  | 3 Pages

    After Gawain comes clean and acknowledges his sin, the Green Knight praises him for being an honorable and chivalrous knight. He then invites Gawain to a great feast, but Gawain humbly states that he must return to his duties and continue to defend and protect King Arthur and his subjects. Sir Gawain even thanks the Green Knight and wishes him well after this frightening test of honor. He says, "I've reveled too well already; but fortune be with you; May He who gives all honors honor you well," (401-402).

    Read More

  • Courage In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    480 Words  | 2 Pages

    Early on in the tale, Sir Gawain shows courage when he steps up and accepts the Green Man's challenge well knowing of the chance of Death. By doing so Sir Gawain surpassed his fear of death by stepping up to do a mission none of the other knights at the round table wished to do. His reasoning for this was to take the place of his uncle, King Arthur who was originally the chosen participant after none of the other present knights volunteered. After chopping off the head of the Green Man, Sir Gawain is told that he must go to the green chapel in one year and one day to meet the Green Man. Sir Gawain fearful of death debates whether or not he will set journey to the green chapel at that time yet his courageous characteristics force him to go.

    Read More

  • Analysis: Fault And Redemption In Sir Gawain

    1195 Words  | 5 Pages

    “And he showed them the scar at the side of his neck, confirming his breach of faith, like a badge of blame… though this I suffered a scar to my skin… So that slanting green stripe was adopted as their sign, and each knight who held it was honored forever, all meaningful writings on romance remind us: an adventure when happened in the era of Arthur, as the chronicles of this country have stated clearly.” (187-189). Through this journey, Sir Gawain’s fall became the knights pride. They honored him for all he had done while Gawain instead soaked up all of his shame and surrounded his life around his one major flaw.

    Read More

More about Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Analysis

Open Document