Preview

Sir Gawain's Loyalty

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
506 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sir Gawain's Loyalty
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:
Repentance and the Redefining of Honor

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English romance that intertwines the ideas of the importance of chivalry, Christian virtues and outward appearances, present within Arthurian legends. Sir Gawain is the epitome of the noble, virtuous knight who also strives to be an obedient man of God, represented by the pentangle and image of Mary within his shield (650). But with the arrival of the Green Knight at King Arthur’s court, Gawains faith in God and his Christian morals collide with his desire to be seen as the honorable, brave knight of Arthur’s court. When Gawains desire for self-preservation overcomes his faith in God, causing him to befall, some readers
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Literary Analysis
    • 2416 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Literary Analysis

    The English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a significant piece in Arthurian Literature. The story approaches Gawain’s character much differently than in Sir Thomas Malory’s well-known Le Morte d’Arthur. Unlike Malory’s version of the Arthurian legend where Sir Lancelot is known as the Round Table’s finest Knight, the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight chose, instead, to have Sir Gawain play the role of Camelot’s most noble gentleman. In staying true to the theme of chivalry and virtue, the Gawain Poet tells a captivating story of a knights struggle to uphold the chivalric code in the face of temptation and danger.…

    • 2416 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Holy Grail Essay Example
    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Holy Grail Essay Example

    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
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Literary Analysis
    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Literary Analysis

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story about King Arthur’s nephew, Gawain. The story is about a mighty green knight who comes to the round table wanting to play a game. A brave knight will strike the green knight with an axe once after a year the green knight gets to return the strike to whomever strike him. However the Knight must find him and as we learn in the story his boast about how easy it will be to find him is a lie. After searching and combating deadly foes,…

    • 1163 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing Christianity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Comparing Christianity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    Christianity is a major theme of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight. It is evident throughout heroic Sir Gawain is hugely reliant upon his Christian faith. Gawain’s shield, one of the most distinguishing symbols of the knight had a pentangle which represented his virtues, most of which can be ascribed to Christianity. Spurring him on through challenges was a picture of the Virgin Mary on the inner portion of his shield. The tale of Sir Gawain can even be seen as an allegory of the Biblical story of Adam and Eve and the subsequent fall of man. Manifestations in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight consisting of Adam, Eve, the forbidden fruit, Eden, and the loss of innocence all point to this epic poem being an allegory of the Biblical account of human creation…

    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Disposition in the Face of Adversity: An Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 2040 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Disposition in the Face of Adversity: An Analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    The Middle Ages, a period of turbulence, reform, and revolution yet the idea of Knighthood remained ever so stead-fast. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an acclaimed Middle English poem published by an unknown author that highlights the preponderance of the English tradition. Sir Gawain is a knight belonging to the Arthurian court whose deference to his Lord and fidelity to the chivalric code are tested through a mysterious journey. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet emphasizes the idea that people must adhere to a specific set of moral codes in order to preserve their integrity.…

    • 2040 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Masculinity Analysis
    • 1610 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Masculinity Analysis

    Pearl Poet wrote Sir Gawain and The Green Knight as a kind of warning to those who are on the path of discovery. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl Poet means to say that connection with nature, along with an understanding and respect for modern advances, is key in the effort to achieve ideal character. Pearl Poet constructs The Green Knight as an example of pure balance of nature and civilization by adorning him in gold and green, giving him an intimidating physical stature, and allowing him to control nature by herding animals in hunts and having complete control over his horse. While in Arthur’s realm, Sir Gawain has become soft due to lack of adversity. Pearl Poet puts Gawain in situations such as having nightmares in the wilderness and almost freezing to death to expose the fact that Sir Gawain and the other knights have lost their connection with nature—an essential trait of beings of exceptional character—in their efforts to modernize their daily lives. By losing touch with nature, the knights also lose some of their masculinity. By not having to make dire decisions in the untamed wilderness, the knights lose their preparedness for situations that might cost them their lives. Pearl Poet views masculinity as the way one responds in trying situations, and what factors influence the split-second decisions made in these situations. Ideally, one who is a perfect example of masculinity reacts on instinct while utilizing knowledge gained from lessons learned in the modern world. Overall, Pearl Poet conveys the warning not to lose touch with nature in the pursuit of new frontiers to influence readers to reflect on past experiences and natural instincts before making the decisions that will shape modern…

    • 1610 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Honor In The Great Gatsby
    • 148 Words
    • 1 Page

    Examples Of Honor In The Great Gatsby

    Honor is unique for everyone. Each individual has their own perspective on what the word “honor” means. Several stories help describe honor in their own way, but they share a common idea. “Autumn Rose” by Kevin Kyung, describes honor through a teenage girl and her relationships. Another short story called, “Rules of the Game” by Amy Tan, demonstrates through a young girl and her passion for the game of chess.An additional piece of writing is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald called The Great Gatsby. The novel illustrates honor through the actions and eyes of its characters. Throughout each piece, they all demonstrate honor. Honor is being reliable and having respect for others because being able to be dependent on an individual’s…

    • 148 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Courage In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Courage In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a knight carrying an ax and a holly branch while dressed completely in green rides into King Arthur's dining hall on Christmas. Calmly, the Green Knight challenges King Arthur’s knights to a Christmas jest, to strike the knight with the ax and then to receive an equal stroke. All the knights are silent, except for Sir Gawain, the King’s nephew, who assented in order to protect the honor of the king. Because he risked his life, Sir Gawain can be considered brave. “Much sorrowing and weeping was there in the hall to think that so worthy a knight as Gawain should wend his way to seek a deadly blow,” (Weston, 12). Sir Gawain traveled in search of the Green Knight to receive his blow. A year after striking the Green knight, Sir Gawain permitted his foe to strike him unarmed. Another characteristic Sir Gawain demonstrated was humility. Even though no one else dared to take the challenge, he spoke, “‘ I am the weakest, I wot, and the feeblest of wit,” (Weston, 7). Sir Gawain was helpful without seeking his own gain. Besides risking his life to protect the king’s honor, he killed monsters and other foes that were harming innocent people. “Sometimes he fought with dragons and wolves; sometimes with wild men that dwelt in the rocks; another while with bulls, and bears, and wild boars,” (Weston, 15). Therefore, because of his bravery, humbleness and servant attitude, Sir Gawain was a hero.…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sacrifice In The Great Gatsby
    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sacrifice In The Great Gatsby

    What is it about The Great Gatsby that keeps people gasping for air? That’s a simple question: the triangle of three main characters of course. Gatsby, Daisy, and Nick are a triangle of events themselves. What causes this? Many things, but everything begins when Nick meets Gatsby and reunites with Daisy. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a novel of numerous uncontrollable twists and turns. In this novel Gatsby is trying to reconnect with Daisy through her cousin Nick. Gatsby, Nick, and Daisy are apart of their own group; yes they interact with most all of the other characters however the traits and actions shown by these three makes the story.…

    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Religion In Canterbury Tales
    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Religion In Canterbury Tales

    During the age of Medieval England, religion was an important (and large) part of society. This is expressed in most literature, as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In this tale God and religious allusions appear multiple times,…

    • 858 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
    • 1144 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

    The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight begins with a mythical creature, the Green Knight, interrupting a New Year’s feast in King Arthur’s court. We can see that this green knight is the symbol for corruption and dangerousness, in comparison to the symbolism of Arthur’s court, including Sir Gawain, being orderliness and safety. He is clothed in all green garments, “And garments of green girt the fellow about—A two-third length tunic, tight at the waist” (Gawain, 151-152). The green in his appearance is the symbol for evil because he becomes the adversary of Sir Gawain, the one who challenges Gawain’s morality. The Green Knight’s weapons are also decorated in green, “The head of that axe was an ell-rod long. Of green hammered gold and steel was the socket, And the blade was burnished bright, with a broad edge” (Gawain, 211-212). The abundance of the color of green is important because it represents Gawain’s instability and uncertainty. The Green Knight uses the weapons to take three…

    • 1144 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Sir Gawain And Lady Bertilak Analysis
    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Sir Gawain And Lady Bertilak Analysis

    The female figures in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Queen Guinevere, Lady Bertilak, and Morgan le Fay, play an important role in the shaping of Sir Gawain’s destiny on his quest of his own beheading. This essay will discuss the most powerful female figure in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Lady Bertilak, and how her role in Sir Gawain’s quest to find the Green Knight shaped his destiny.…

    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Great Gatsby Response
    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Great Gatsby Response

    “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” this quote from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald completely encompases the entirety of the novel of which it concludes. The meaning behind it serves its purpose as a message for the Modernist novel’s audience as well as a lesson for the intricate characters trapped in their pasts. The quote ends the novel saying that people want to reclaim an idealistic past, or a pure moment or memory, but when this desire for the past turns into an obsession, it leads to destruction. Gatsby believes throughout the whole novel that the way to attain happiness is to recreate the past. Many people strive to succeed but seem to never change. Living in the present and future…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The King Arthur Legend as a Romance
    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The King Arthur Legend as a Romance

    Sir Gawain, according to legend, was Arthur’s most loyal knight, though he is not always the central hero of his stories. He strove to do what was right and would follow the law implicitly. He was the epitome of morality, decency, and civility. No other knight has appeared in more tales than he. Even Sir Lancelot, the greatest, purest, and most trusted of the knights of all his knights, has not graced the pages of as numerous a tale. Another of the heroes of Arthur’s time, along with his brave knights, was his teacher and dear friend, Merlin—depicted in most tales as a wizard, but often referred to as the court magician or even a philosopher. He is credited with producing the concept of The Round Table as well as the ring at Stonehenge. But let’s not forget the true hero, the king himself, Arthur Pendragon, son of Uther and Igraine. He and his knights fought courageously against beasts, rescued fair maidens, and searched for the Holy Grail. They were known for their chivalry, morality, and devotion.…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Knighthood In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Knighthood In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    In the medieval times Part of a knight’s duty was to defend and love the Church and to have complete trust in God. Sir Gawain from the very beginning shows his loyalty to his king by taking the Green Knight's…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics