Works Cited

Stone, Brian. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. N.p.: Harmondsworth, 1959. Print.

Neininger, Kim. "A Character Analysis of Sir Gawain as Presented InSir Gawain and The Green Knight." Gawain Website. N.p., Nov. 1996. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

Winny, James. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New York: Broadview, 1992. 625-33. Web.

Jakel. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Christianity." Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Christianity. N.p., Dec. 2007. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.

What Lies Beneath the Symbols

Medieval literature is known for the many symbols used throughout the stories. Some are very recognizable, but many are hidden beneath. Gawain’s pentangle that he wears throughout the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is an obvious, but big symbol in itself. The five pointed star links within each point creating what’s known as “the endless knot”. “It is a symbol that Solomon designed long ago as an emblem of fidelity, and justly so… Therefore is suits the knight and his shining arms, for always faithful in his ways, and five times in each case, Gawain was reputed as virtuous.” (625-626, 631-633) The pentangle is a good representation of the five different virtues: generosity, courtesy, chastity, fellowship, and charity. With the five points of the star connecting, the virtues interrelate and help support one another.

 

Another symbol in the story is the green girdle. This belt-like object is given to Gawain from Lady Bertilak as a lovers token. When Lady Bertilak offers the girdle to Gawain, he denies it. Soon after, she informs him that the green girdle will protect him from death. Gawain then accepts the girdle and the story continues. The green girdle then represents Sir Gawain’s survival against the Green Knight. "God requite you for it! Not for the glorious gold shall I wear it, nor for the stuff nor the silk nor the swaying pendants, nor for it's worth, fin workmanship or wonderful honour; but as a sign of my sin I shall see it often." (Jakel 2007) When Gawain returns to the castle, he continues to wear the girdle as a symbol of his failure for not trading it in with his kisses every day to Bertilak. After everyone in Arthur’s court begins to wear a similar belt, it then represents honor in Sir Gawain’s name. The meaning of these symbols can sometimes change throughout the story based on the reader’s interpretation and the time in the story. These are just a few of these symbols.

A Look Behind the Setting

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, takes place in Camelot, in King Author’s court.  It is a medieval setting, where you experience the life of a knight’s travels outside of his home area, venturing outside of his comfort zone and into a different culture.  He is able to explore his knighthood and figure out who he is, almost like a teenager going off to college.  He has to make decisions that he has not had to make before, like when he has to choose between his responsibilities as a knight and the code of courtesy, and when he has to use his survival instincts to follow through with his promises to Green Knight.

Another setting is during the seduction scenes.  It is ironic that these seduction scenes take place in the castle of Sir Bertilak, since it is described as being a very civilized home.  It is not until later that we learn that Sir Bertilak’s castle is under the sorceress Morgan le Fay’s magic powers.  Along the castle setting she has used her powers to line the walls with magical beasts.  Sir Gawain must travel through these animals. This castle is also where women’s powers are strongest. An example of this is shown when Lady Bertilak has power in the bedroom, ruling over Gawain. It is almost as if Sir Bertilak’s castle is completely opposite that of King Author’s, even down to the power being given to the women rather than the men.

The final setting of Sir Gawain takes place mostly in the wilderness.  The Green Knight holds all the power in the wilderness. This area is very primitive, with the chapel being made out of dirt. This setting emphasizes the Green Knight’s connection to the "wild side" of life. It is in this setting that Sir Gawain has to go through the ultimate test and must deal with failure. It is here that he completes his quest to find his identity, and once this is accomplished he can return to King Arthur’s court to go back to the society where he began.

Through the Characters Eyes

“Through the eyes of numerous characters in the poem, we see Gawain as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous.” (Neininger, Kim) In this quote Gawain is expressed to have very great qualities, but Gawain himself does not feel this way. Gawain is a nephew of Arthur and one of the most famous knights in Camelot. As Gawain travels throughout the story, the reader begins to identify the reasoning behind him stepping forth for Arthur when they were offered the challenge by the Green Knight. Gawain wants to prove himself to not only the other knights sitting with him, but he wants to make himself know that he is worthy and noble. To Gawain, reputation in the community is just as important as his own opinion of himself. Sir Gawain wears the green girdle on his arm at the end of the story as a sign of shame. He feels the need to show to the community who he really is. He did a human act and wanted to protect his life by wearing the girdle. He values his life over honesty and believes his wrong doings should be visible to all.

The Green Knight, also known as Bertilak or the host, has unique supernatural abilities. He is able to survive a decapitation like nobody I have ever seen before. I mean after Gawain cuts his head off he just walks over and sticks it back on. There is something very weird about his character. The color of his complexion is green, hence the name, the Green Knight. He rides off after going to see Arthur at his court and returns to the castle where he changes characters into the host, until finally meeting Gawain at the Green Chapel as his original character of the Green Knight. He then reveals his many names to Gawain. In both of Bertilak’s characters, the personalities changed slightly, but both like the power of verbal contracts. The Green Knight and the host both made an agreement with Gawain, and they ended up overlapping in the end. And this is just two of the many unique characters in the story of Gawain and the Green Knight.

The Eye Catching Plot

The story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight started at the New Year’s Eve feast in King Arthur’s court when the strange figure, known as the Green Knight, appeared. He challenges the King to a game of beheading. Whoever accepts the challenge will get to behead the green knight with an axe under one condition, he gets to do the same in exactly one year. As soon as Arthur grabs the axe, Sir Gawain stands up and offers to take the challenge himself. In one deadly blow, the Green Knight was beheaded. The headless Green Knight picks up his head from the ground and reattached it as if nothing happened. He states that Sir Gawain is to meet him in one year at the Green Chapel. Gawain feels sick after the Green Knight rides out on his horse.

The story passes time very quickly as fall arrives. On the Day of All Saints, Gawain prepares for his journey to the Green Chapel. In his little town of Camelot, Sir Gawain suites up in his finest armor, mounts his horse named Gringolet, and sets off on his journey. Sir Gawain begins to travel through northwest Britain as he encounters many different beasts, as well as suffering from being cold and hungry. As Christmas Day arrives, as he finishes praying, he looks up and there appears a castle shinning in the distance. He is welcomed in and introduces to the lords lady. Sir Gawain then makes a deal with the host. The host offers him his findings from hunting only if he exchanges what Sir Gawain has to find in the castle. Sir Gawain acccepts and goes off to bed.

On the very first day of the host's hunt, he finds a herd of does while Sir Gawain is sleeping. As he begins to wake up, the lord’s wife sneaks in and tries to seduce him. He tries to ignore her, but he gives in and kisses her. That afternoon when Sir Gawain receives his portion of the does, Gawain kisses him with his winnings from the lady. The second day, the lord brings in a wild boar from the hunt with his men. The lady again returns to his room and kisses him twice. Sir Gawain passes those two kisses over to the lord as he receives the boar’s head. On the third day, the lord catches a fox while hunting. The lord’s lady kisses Sir Gawain three times and they get passed off to the lord in favor of him sharing his fox. When Sir Gawain gets kissed by the lady on the third day she offers him some items, one of which he accepts after the second offering, the green girdle. Sir Gawain has been told that this will protect him from death. He hides it and secretly takes it as he leaves the castle on New Year’s Day heading for the green chapel.

Sir Gawain finds a crevice in a rock, just visible through the grass. He hears the sound of the Green Knight sharpening his blade and knows he has arrived. As he sees the Green Knight, he holds out his neck. On the first and second blow, Gawain gets scared and pulls away. On the third blow, as he begins to pull away, The blade just barely nicks him, drawing just a slight amount of blood. At this time, their deal has been sealed. The Green Knight introduces himself as the lord or the castle. In the end, Sir Gawain has proven himself as a noble knight as he returns home to Arthur’s court. In the end, Sir Gawain continues to wear the girdle on his arm as a reminder of his failure.