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Examples Of Moral Ambiguity In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

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Throughout history, there are usually no pure good or bad guys, and the same can be said of fiction. Despite the trope of heroes and villains being a mainstay in stories since the beginning, there are times where characters don't have a clear moral alignment and appear much more neutral. This can also be shown in the story Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, a tale set in Arthurian legend about King Arthur’s Nephew, Gawain. The Arthurian legends are prime examples of moral ambiguity, as numerous characters have substantially more depth that goes beyond being just a hero or a villain. In Sir Gawain & the Green Knight in particular, the Green Knight himself can be seen as a morally ambiguous character whom Sir Gawain has to eventually face, in spite …show more content…

“This axe I will give to the one who will meet this challenge: that he will take it and strike me one blow with it. I shall take his blow unarmed and unguarded without hesitation or protest. Then, in one year’s time, he shall seek me wherever he may find me and take the same blow from me in like manner. Show me the knight who will take my challenge” (Strong, p. 4). Sir Gawain takes the offer, yet he strikes in the uttermost unchivalrous way imaginable. Sir Gawain believed he was being clever in that the Knight wouldn’t be able to attack if he’s dead and decapitated him, only for the Green Knight to reattach his head. He tells Gawain that he expects to see him in a year, and the knight rides off. As stated previously, the Green Knight speaks to Arthur and his men in a calm demeanor, even if he’s doubting their skills as knights, which further cements how there’s more to the character than just the lone rogue man who kills everyone. Sir Gawain likely decapitated him as a result of his arrogance, and believed the Green Knight was a fool for making such an offer without considering the possibility that he had something up his

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In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the code of chivalry affects Gawain's actions throughout the story. The code of chivalry that Gawain tries to follow is one of loyalty, courtesy, and courage. He shows his loyalty to Arthur at the beginning of the story, when the Green Knight challenges “any in [the] house”(286) to accept his game, everyone remains silent. He goes on to insult and laugh at Arthur and everyone else, which results in Arthur having to accept the challenge and “lay hold of [the Green Knight’s]

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The main theme of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the journey to maturity of Gawain, the hero. During the passage, Gawain goes through three tests on his development. First, Gawain shows courage and resourcefulness when he volunteers to take the Green Knight’s challenge instead of Arthur doing so. Second, Gawain shows authority, self-restraint, and integrity when he denies the sexual endeavours of the lady of the house. Lastly, Gawain shows bravery when he faces death by keeping his meeting with the Green

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Generally speaking, the Green Knight told Sir Gawain that "I'm bound to be called a better man than you" simply when the Green Knight was coming down on the first strike, Gawain flinched in fear before the ax even connected to his neck. Consequently, the Green Knight mocked Gawain specifically saying, "For look how you flinch for fear before anything's felt, I never heard tell that Sir Gawain was ever a coward!" (264-265) Gawain made a pact with the Green Knight that he would requite the same swing that he made at the Green Knight. Ordinarily, when a knight makes a consensus with another person, they are supposed to show their chivalric code of honor.

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Would you be able to hold steadfast to your core values and knighthood when faced against a sorcerous Green Knight with an itching to kill? Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by the Pearl Poet, is a Medieval Romance tale about a noble knight who puts his life on the line in order to defend his king. Sir Gawain is a prestigious knight who demonstrates passionate integrity and honor as he remains faithful to King Arthur and holds true to the knight's code of chivalry. Although Sir Gawain knew that his life would be thrown into grave danger, he chose integrity and proved his loyalty to the king by upholding the virtues of knighthood.

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The Green Knight raises his ax three times over Gawain's neck to almost scare him to test him, like a sign of strength to intimidate. 4. Gawain does very well with the Green Knight's challenege except when Gawain finally succumbed to the lord's wife's pleas for taking the green sash. He is just as guy who tries his best, so he can make a mistake.

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This scar from the Green Knight helped Gawain to realize his faults and the things that make us human in life. As he realizes these imperfections it says, “Gawain stood their speechless for what felt like a century, so shocked and ashamed that his stomach churned and the fire of his blood brought flames to his face and he wriggled and writhed at the other man’s words.” (179). The Green Knight had tested Gawain and by being honest two-thirds of the time, Gawain was allowed to live, even though he would always live in shame from that moment on. Others believed that he was brave and stood up, but Gawain was ashamed while the knights thought he was honorable.

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The ideals of Christian morality and knightly qualities are represented by Gawain’s gold, star-shaped pentangle. The five knightly virtues that Sir Gawain expresses are: generosity, chastity, friendship, piety, and courtesy. From the beginning of the poem, Sir Gawain portrays his generosity by agreeing to cut the Green Knight’s head with an axe. He makes this decision after King Arthur fails to do so (Cathell, 2014).

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Gawain takes King Arthur’s place in the competition with the green knight, chivalry dictates this as the right course of action, a knight must protect and serve the king. Gawain then delivers the blow to the green knight, who then picks up his own head, and remains alive. Gawain fails to kill the green knight and now must face his own death next year. Later, Gawain makes his way to the green chapel to face the green knight. When he visits the Lord Bertilak on his own, Gawain struggles with the Lady and what to do when she invites him to kiss her.

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In the lines above it is seen that the Green Knight’s head had completely been severed yet he remains unshaved, it is clear now that Gawain has been deceived. Gawain continues to keep his word even though his journey is lonely and dangerous. “ […] Sir Gawain, Gods servant, on his grim quest, passing long dark nights unloved and alone […] With no friends

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The Green Knight condemns him for flinching “Thou art not Gawain, Whose is held so valiant, that never feared he man by hill or vale, but thou shrinkest for fear ere thou feelest hurt”. The brave knight Sir Gawain had been true to his dreams, seemed to crumble in this moment out of fear, and is later ashamed of how his fear led him to do these things. Sir Gawain's embodiment of humanism, adds character to his portrayal as a noble knight. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight embodies both humanism and heroism through Sir Gawain's actions as a knight. He struggles with human characteristics while trying to remain a brave and noble knight.

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Early on in the tale, Sir Gawain shows courage when he steps up and accepts the Green Man's challenge well knowing of the chance of Death. By doing so Sir Gawain surpassed his fear of death by stepping up to do a mission none of the other knights at the round table wished to do. His reasoning for this was to take the place of his uncle, King Arthur who was originally the chosen participant after none of the other present knights volunteered. After chopping off the head of the Green Man, Sir Gawain is told that he must go to the green chapel in one year and one day to meet the Green Man. Sir Gawain fearful of death debates whether or not he will set journey to the green chapel at that time yet his courageous characteristics force him to go.

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699 Words | 3 Pages

The Green Knight applauded Sir Gawain for living up to his end of the bargain. The Green Knight swung twice at Gawain’s neck and the first time Gawain flinched and the second time the Green Knight stopped right before his neck. The third time the Green Knight swings the axe and breaks the skin but doesn't decapitate Gawain.

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight written by an unknown author the story follows the knight Sir Gawain when he takes up the beheading challenge of the Green Knight. Gawain is to strike the Green Knight with an axe and the Green Knight is to return the favor in a year and a day. This story has elements of chivalry, Anglo-Saxon values, and characteristics of medieval romance. Chivalry is a code of honor that knights are supposed to follow. Gawain knows that he will surely die is he honors the challenge he made with the Green Knight, however chivalry requires that a knight can not refuse a challenge.

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1005 Words | 5 Pages

Although Sir Gawain does not want to take the Green Knight’s challenge, he honorable takes the place of King Arthur and lies about his worth. The Green Knight arrives carrying an axe and holly, symbolizing peace and war, but tells them that he “travel[s] in peace and seek[s] no trouble” (12). Despite saying that he wants no trouble, he proposes a game involves one strike with his axe by whoever is brave enough for another done by him a year later. The court is baffled by his request, and when no one speaks up to take the Green Knights challenge, he ridicules them by conveying that “all the pageantry and power of the Round Table made nothing by the words of one man” (13). After the Green Knight finishes mocking the Knights of the Round Table, Arthur boldly takes the challenge until Sir Gawain politely requested to take his place.

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When Sir Gawain is introduced, the first thing he says is this very humbling quote. “My life would be least missed, if we let out the truth. Only as you (King Author) are my uncle have any honor,” (Sir Gawain 235). This is humbling, because Gawain is explaining how he believes everyone else’s life is more valuable than his. After he says this Gawain offers to have his head cut off to spare his king, which in turn sets him up to deify odds and show his heroicness.

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