Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: * Chivalry- Code of behavior of medieval times.
The theme of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight is Chivalry. This was written in dialect and said to be written by a monk, but author remains unknown. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Green Knight was a creation by Arthur’s half-sister, Morgan le Fay, the ruler of mysterious Avalon, to embarrass the knights of his court. The Green Knight approaches the court offering beheading games and the winnings game while holding a holly-bundle and an axe in his hands. The holly-bundle symbolizes peace. Sir Gawain speaks up saying that he’s the weakest and should participate because he’d be the least loss to King Arthur’s (governor of Camelot) court. This all takes place around New Year’s Day and they call it Christmas-tide. A description of the Green Knight: All green except for his eyes. They were red. Sir Gawain was supposed to leave on November 1st, All Saints Day. This is a special day for praying to the saints. This day would have been better for Sir Gawain to leave, but he leaves on the 2nd, named All Souls Day. All Souls Day are prayers for deceased held in a place to speed to heaven. Sir Gawain is undergoing a test to prove he’s a Chivalric knight. The castle he visits represents heaven on earth and the guy Porter represents Peter. Gawain was given beautiful clothes as well as food to eat. He comes to the realization that he made a bargain and he has to deal with it. The woman he spoke to at the castle told him if he valued his life he would wear a sash, he was also told it would save his life. A servant accompanying Gawain to the games told him he wouldn’t tell if he chickened. Sir Gawain goes into the Wild West and hears a sound. It’s dark humor, the sound of the Green Knight sharpening his axe. In line 2214, he says he’s leaving, but a voice yells for him to stay. Sir Gawain looks up only to find the Green Knight standing over him and in that moment he knew he would be struck, left without a head. Gawain flinches so he won’t be hit with the axe. The Green Knight also fakes Gawain out by pretending he’s going to swing the axe and he doesn’t. After that, he finally does swing, and it catches his neck a bit causing him to bleed. Sir Gawain jumps up. He came to a realization that he made a mistake by not taking off the sash. (Coveting and cowardice.) His failure was because he wasn’t completely faithful on his end of the bargain. When Sir Gawain is invited back to the castle, he refuses to go. He goes home and wears the sash outward unlike before. Sir Gawain was hurt to relay the truth about what happened. He feels as if he has to wear the sash as a symbol of his failure and King Arthur takes him for a joke. King Arthur laughs and dismisses the story Sir Gawain tells by jokingly saying the knights should have on the same kind of sash. King Arthur lacks understanding of what Sir Gawain is saying. * Troth is a pledge. (Gawain mentions that he breaks the Troth.) Betrothed. * Speaks of five senses, five fingers, five wounds, five joys: nativity, resurrection, ascension, and assumption. * Fifth five: free-giving and friendliness first before all, chastity, chivalry, and piety. * Chivalry- Code of behavior of medieval times.