Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Essays Papers

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Written in the late fourteenth century by an anonymous author, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a story about a Christian warrior society. Sir Gawain, nephew to King Arthur, epitomizes the definition of a true noble knight. Sir Gawain is not only brave, but he is also loyal, courteous, and a true believer in God. The story begins with the game of the Green Knight, a game of exchanging hits with an axe (290-300). However, this story is more than an adventure tale; it is also a lesson on the long-term benefits of religious adherence over the short-term benefits of personal pleasure. At Bercilak's castle, Sir Gawain faces his most powerful enemy, himself. In the attempt to maintain his ideals of courtesy and nobility, Gawain causes his own religious downfall. As soon as Gawain enters Bercilak's castle, he is already slowly stripping off his religious protection and armor. Bercilak's servants take off his armor, which symbolically identifies him, and Gawain is dressed in "robes richly wrought" (859-861). He is without his shield, which is not only a protection from enemies, but from the evil spirits (641-650). It is in this clothing that Gawain faces his next tests. During the next three mornings, the Lady, Bercilak's wife, tries to seduce Gawain in his bedroom. Each of the three tests is parallel to the three hunting games of Bercilak. Gawain may not have sexual relations with the Lady, but during the tests, his spirituality declines and so does his morality: the Lady is able to receive one more kiss from Gawain each successive day; Gawain takes the green girdle; and he lies to Bercilak. On the first two mornings, Gawain is extremely surprised and shocked to find the Lady in his bedroom. In fact on the first morning he pretends to be asleep when the Lady comes into the room (1190). Gawain is very courteous in his responses to the Lady's words and actions, by constantly putting himself down and praising Bercilak. Both times, the Lady leaves, successfully getting a kiss the first morning and two kisses the second morning from Gawain. When Bercilak returns from his hunting, to keep his word, he gives Gawain the animals, the deer on the first day and the boar on the second day. Gawain, in return, gives Bercilak what he has received that day while in the castle, first a kiss, then two kisses.