In Titus 3:2 it says “to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people (ESV).” If there were a verse to symbolize the idea of a perfect knight, it would be Titus 3:2. It exemplifies the rules of chivalry back in the medieval romance period very well. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain illustrates the rules of chivalry and event to the point where some consider him the perfect knight. Unfortunately though, there are times throughout the poem that he displays his imperfections, but do they outweigh all the multiple other positive attributes and decisions he makes? One of his positive qualities that could make him a perfect knight, is his constant humble nature. When we are first introduced to the green knight, who challenges the Arthur and …show more content…
While resting at the castle, he encounters the Lady of the Castle. Over time, she attempts to seduce him and he does his best to repel her efforts. “And so she tested him, pushed and probed, trying to tempt him, pretending love, and Gawain was so gracefully evasive that he seemed always polite, and nothing happened…”(page 104). Regrettably, while he was valiant in not letting her seduce him, he accepts the belt from her and keeps it from the king, whom he had a bargain with to give him whatever he had gotten from the day. Gawain later redeemed himself, when he and his guide were searching for the green knights home. Gawain’s guide begs him to flee, to run away, and promises that he would never tell anyone, but Gawain refuses, saying, “I believe you’d keep it secret, I believe you. But however loyally you lied, if I rode away, fled for fear, as you tell me, I’d be a coward no knight could excuse. Whatever comes, I’m going to that chapel…”(page 122-123). Gawain would have likely gotten away if he had run, but he refuses to fall into temptation, because he knows the
Gawain does maintain chastity despite being courted by the lady. The pearl poet explains: “But his defence was so fair that no fault could be seen,/ nor any evil upon either side, nor aught but joy/ they wist” (61.19-21). Gawain purely deflected any advances she made at him. When the fair lady tries to woo him a second time she speaks of how if she could she would take Gawain as her husband.
Tempted by the chance of protecting himself from the Green Knight, Gawain takes the girdle and does not give it back to Lord Bertilak that night. In her inquiry to deprive Gawain of his honor, Lady Bertilak uses what he desires against him. Regardless that she has been instructed to do this by her own husband, she still is able to influence Gawain and cause some discomfort.
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
Although Sir Gawain does not want to take the Green Knight’s challenge, he honorable takes the place of King Arthur and lies about his worth. The Green Knight arrives carrying an axe and holly, symbolizing peace and war, but tells them that he “travel[s] in peace and seek[s] no trouble” (12). Despite saying that he wants no trouble, he proposes a game involves one strike with his axe by whoever is brave enough for another done by him a year later. The court is baffled by his request, and when no one speaks up to take the Green Knights challenge, he ridicules them by conveying that “all the pageantry and power of the Round Table made nothing by the words of one man” (13). After the Green Knight finishes mocking the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur boldly takes the challenge until Sir Gawain politely requested to take his place.
Despite the human flaws that each knight bears, all three knights represent knighthood and the chivalric code because of its importance in medieval society. The author of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” describes Sir Gawain as the “most courteous knight” (215) in Arthur’s court because he models chivalry ideally. Gawain’s chivalric traits
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.
Throughout his entire journey, Gawain tried to remain courageous and brave. In fact, Gawain demonstrated his bravery when he accepted the challenge that no one else dared to do. Following that he then showed his braveness by cutting off the Green Knights head and keeping his word to return in one year and one day. He even had enough courage to go on a journey by himself rather than having the other knights go along. Although Gawain is seen to be fearful of death because instead of giving away the girdle he kept it in secret so its magical powers would protect him from the Green Knight.
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.
. . 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.
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).
Gawain cannot redeem himself by blaming others, but does it anyways. He was supposed to be the epitome of chivalry and purity, but blames a single woman, the lady of the manor, on everything that he started. Gawain was the one to agree to the Green Knight’s challenge, not a woman who told him to. He took on the lord’s bets, without the ladies saying anything to him. Gawain’s pride and misogyny showed that he could not complete, or even start a path to redemption.
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).
The lady tries to convince Gawain to take the girdle by hinting at its magical powers , stating that he “could not be slain through any strategy on earth” (1854) if he wears it . Gawain takes the girdle not out of lust , but because he fears death and that makes him start to believe in its magical powers “It [the girdle] certainly would be splendid to forestall being slain” (1858) . It is a way in which he tries to overcome fear and prepare himself for the appointment with the Green Knight. If we look at it from this perspective , the girdle can also symbolize that Gawain wants to be assured that he lives. The moment he takes the girdle is of great importance : whether he hides or declares the girdle and gives it to the Lord , he violates someone’s trust .
Gawain is courteous to no end, even asking for permission to “abandon [his] bench and stand by [Arthur]” (Pearl Poet l. 344) so he may risk his own life instead of his kings to abide by the Green Knights game. He even humbly states that he “[is] the weakest” (l. 354) and that it would be the least lost of he was to parish which is untrue. Gawain is also extremely courteous when he is denying the wife’s attempts to seduce him saying he is “a knight unworthy” (l.1245). He plays a game of wits as he must not offend her advances but at the same time must not let the wife win the “game” because then he would have to lay with her and that would be uncourteous to his host, Lord Bertilak. The only time Gawain faults in his courteousness is when he refuses to acknowledge the agreement he made with Lord Bertilak which was “whatever [Lord Bertilak] win[s] in the wood shall at once be [Gawain’s] and whatever gain [Gawain] may get [he] shall give in exchange” (ll. 1107-08).
Gawain’s values as a knight are in conflict, because he needs to be polite to the Lady, but he is also loyal to the Lord. Gawain ultimately fails