The tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an example of a work with a plethora of symbolism. This tale incorporates symbolism, imagery, and biblical references to show what each object embodies such as color and the Green Knight’s weapons to name a few.…
Morgan Le Fay was a character in many Arthurian legends. She is the half-sister of Arthur, daughter of Arthur's mother Igraine and her first husband, the Duke of Cornwall. She was the wife of King Uriens and mother to her son, Ywain/ Yvain. Morgan was a manipulative sorceress, fairy, queen, healer, or mermaid. Morgan represents control, sorcery, and manipulation.…
There once was a noble young man who was renowned for his awe-inspiring abilities in the goal box. He laughed in the face of evil and smiled with mirth when given any challenge. Any challenge, but one. The fated Penalty Kick is one of the toughest things to save from going in the goal. You see, this young man's name was Sir Stephen the Red and he was the goalkeeper for his kingdom of Nolnia. All the citizens throughout the land knew him to be the greatest goalkeeper to have ever lived but, in the depths of Stephen's heart, he constantly quelled his terror at failing on a PK. However, Stephen still knew that he was the greatest at goalkeeping in all the land so he shirked the fear on his heart and continued as though all was well. During a rainy training session a few weeks later, an unknown player showed up to practice and announced himself as Sir Strikes-a-lot The Wicked. Now Stephen wasn't one to be impressed by smack talk, but the player walked straight over to the team and said he would let somebody attempt to humiliate him by shooting a Penalty Kick against him in front of the whole team. Taken aback, Stephen asked what the man's terms were. The man replied with the counter that he would be allowed to shoot a PK exactly one year after if Sir Stephen missed. Stephen laughed and immediately took him up on the challenge since he reckoned that if anyone were to stand a chance against the Wicked man's shot it would be him. Granted that he had to miss first, which simply wasn't an option.…
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,…
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is without doubt one of the best known works of medieval English literature. Medieval England poetry was best known for its medieval romance, religious views, alliterative form and its chivalry nature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the best works of medieval poetry because it criticizes the fact that chivalric courtesy often displaces true Christian ethics. Sir Gawain a character in the poem was known for his chivalry, honor, and Christian faith. Medieval romance tales deal with the quests and challenges of Arthur and his knights. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain as one of King Arthur’s knight’s gets sent on a quest to meet the Green Knight. Another characteristic…
Chivalry has countless values that are interpreted in numerous ways in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight depending on which court you look at. This is because the nature of chivalry allows an individual to interpret these meanings in a way that reflects their beliefs and values. When looking at King Arthur's court you find a very lavish court fixed on appearances and relying heavily on the chivalric virtue of courteous speech and action, which leaves little room for speaking the truth. Yet a chivalric virtue is upheld when Sir Gawain speaks the truth about the girdle he acquired and the green knight in turn states by confessing your failings you are free from blame (2391). There are also various symbols found in King Arthur's court like the…
After reading W.A. Neilson’s translation of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, one could find allegorical connections with the characters. Each of the main characters represents represents three main concepts that one could compare to the life in the twenty-first century. Sir Gawain, a honored knight, can be compared to everyday day people. The Green Knight can be seen as a Godly figure. Lastly the fair lady seen as a sin. When comparing the main characters of the poem, one could find allergy connects with them to everyday perceptions.…
“The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.” (Honore de Balzac). The Chivalric code is a clutter of rules that contradict each other and challenge normal human behavior. These rules of chivalry are predominantly concerned with courage, honor and gentlemen- like- behavior, which play an important role in proving one’s faithfulness to the King. In the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain proves to be a hero because he continually struggles against his human flaws to act in a heroic manner. Sir Gawain is acknowledged as a chivalric human because he is a courageous man who perseveres through difficult events and faces both human temptation and terror.…
The textbook definition of chivalry is “a gallant or distinguished gentlemen” or “the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood.” In the Medieval era, a knight had to behave in a certain manner, they had to follow the chivalric code or where punished. A knight had to be honorable and courteous towards others, and uphold a system of values of loyalty. A knight was required to have not just the quality and abilities to fight battles in the savage period of the Middle Ages but at the same time was relied upon to remember his chivalric duty and to maintain his composure. The concept of chivalry gave inspiration for stories about King Arthur and his round table in the Medieval period (169, Pearson).…
In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the trials that the Green Knight sets for Gawain are all designed to make Gawain aware of his loss of touch with primal human nature and the natural world. Throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Pearl Poet plays on Man’s disconnection with nature and how disconnection with nature robs one of the skillset most essential for basic survival and decision making. Every one of the trials that Gawain goes through contains an underlying lesson about striving to be pure in character or staying connected to nature. Ultimately, the Pearl Poet seeks to express that through the development of civilization, people lose their connection…
Pride is a deep pleasure of satisfaction from one’s own achievement but is having too much pride a problem in today’s society? There are different kinds of ways to express one’s pride such as through an organization, sport, education or themselves. Imagine, a senior who recently been accepted to their dream college, University of Austin. That student will wear all the UT gear they can possibly find and represent their soon to be school. There are alumni’s who wear their college rings next to their wedding rings and even drivers who have the license plate of their graduating class and college. Even the people from Houston have pride to show off where they are from. Therefore, they throw up the “H-Town” sign up in the air or wear Houston gear of our sports or even skyline. Everybody has a bit…
Is chivalry dead? This is a question that few people can answer because most do not know what chivalry is. Chivalry was ounce used by notable Knights in past centuries, but is now currently out of date. Loyalty, humility, and largesse are few of the many standards that fall under the code of chivalry, which has gone silent for quite some time.…
The predominant colour in nature is green, we are taught when we are young that green is associated with trees, grass and the natural world. And what do we call our fellow environmentalists? That’s right, the Greens. Green connotes the idea of nature and Earth, hence yet again the Gawain poet has placed an emphasis on our association with nature as a result of mentioning this colour. The word itself is in the title of the poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and thus the audience is alerted to the colour and its symbolism as soon as they pick up the poem. As we begin to read this text it is no different, the colour is continuously used in the description of the Green Knight. The knight is described at the end of the bob and wheel as “entirely emerald green” this description is the last thing mentioned about the Green Knight and its position allows the phrase to resonate in the readers mind and again reminding them of nature. The description is furthered with the horse of which “every hair was green”, and stirrups with “green beads” and the “greenest jewels” making the symbolism even more apparent. However it is not just the Green Knight who is compared to this colour, Gawain takes a green girdle from Lady Bertilac and carries it to the green chapel. Not only does this again highlight the connotations of the colour green but the green…
When Gawain came back, he was not expecting laughter when he announced his sin to the court. Although, laughter could be taken as them brushing off his actions, it does not seems that way. In line 2513, Arthur comforts Gawain; that can be interpreted as Arthur understanding that all men are not perfect and can make mistakes. Then the action of all the court wearing the green silk shows unity among them or even as the court showing sympathy to Gawain's misery.…
In the poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, many people believe that Sir Gawain does not abide by his principles, and he lets go of what he values most. He is so proud of his values that he depicts them on his shield, which he carries around everywhere. People do not contend about his first four sets of virtues since the book mentions,…