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Chivalric Code In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight By Simon Armitage

1158 Words5 Pages

Most people live following a set of rules or code, whether it is a religion they practice or a philosophy they believe in. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Simon Armitage, the knights live by the Chivalric Code. In both modern times and in the 10th-13th century, it is important for people to understand the underlying morals of the codes that they follow. If they do not understand these morals, they will not be able to completely follow the code. Therefore, the belief that chivalry was a viable code of conduct is ridiculous because during the 10th-13th century, when chivalry was most popular, the people who believed the code did not understand the morals that drove it. One of the most important aspects of the Chivalric Code …show more content…

The people of this time do not understand this because they do not know the morals behind the Chivalric Code. To illustrate, when the Green Knight enters King Arthur’s Hall and challenges them to his test, he says, “if you’re half as honorable as I’ve heard folks say/ you’ll gracefully grant me this game which I ask for/ by right,”(272-274). The Green Knight is confused about the difference between dying for a cause and dying in order to keep a bet. He believes that because the knights of the Round Table are honorable and follow the Chivalric Code they will participate in the challenge. This is false because someone does not have to be honorable in order to accept a bet. Likewise, if one accepts a bet, that does mean that they are honorable or courageous. The Green Knight is an example of someone who does not understand the difference between being courageous because one died for a cause and dying for a bet in order to keep one’s word. If he understood the underlying reasons of the Chivalric Code, he would understand the difference between the two things. Just as the Green Knight does not understand the difference, Morgan Le Fey does not either. Morgan Le Fay orchestrated the Green Knight’s challenge to “test with this trick/ what distinction and trust the Round Table deserves/,”(2458-2457). She wanted to prove that the knights of the Round Table would not show up at the green chapel to meet the Green Knight because if they would they would surely die. Sir Gawain did show up to complete the challenge, even though by doing so he risked dying. Lord Bertilak, or the Green Knight, believes that Gawain did pass the test because he came to chapel, meaning he did what a chivalrous knight would do; a chivalrous knight would die with valor in order keep his word and follow through with the challenge. Lord

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