The Code of Chivalry plays an important role in Gawain and the Green Knight. This code of behavior defined the way a knight was supposed to act in medieval times: virtuous and brave. In the story, the Green Knight comes to King Arthur's kingdom to test the chivalry of the knights of the Round Table. Gawain’s journey through the tests of the Green Knight create a tension between chivalry and human nature. Although Gawain passes most of the tests, he also gives in to the temptation of human nature and therefore can not be considered completely chivalrous. The first test Gawain faces is the challenge of keeping his word and traveling to the Green Chapel exactly one year after his first encounter with the Green Knight. Gawain knows that he …show more content…
Gawain and the King make an agreement to exchange everything they receive for three days. Gawain passes the tests on the first two nights, yet fails on the third night when he keeps the green girdle (said to keep him from harm) given to him by the King’s lady. (pg. 169) Gawain lets the fear of losing his life overcome his morals and loyalty to the Code of Chivalry. When Gawain reaches the Green Chapel, the Green knight does not behead him, but nicks his neck with an axe for payback of Gawain’s disloyalty on the third night. (ll. 401-406) The Green Knight’s choice to spare Gawain’s life by merely nicking him on the neck is a symbol of Gawain’s overall passing of the test. The Green Knight says, “As pearls to white peas, more precious and prized, / So is Gawain, in good faith, to other gay knights. / Yet you lacked, sir, a little loyalty in there, / But the cause was not cunning, nor courtship either, / But that you loved your own life; the less, then, to blame.” (ll. 454-458) Though Gawain is brave and courageous for facing his certain death, he is also faulty for his lack of loyalty to the King who gave him