Throughout Arthurian legend, chivalry, courage and above all nobility are key themes that not only depict characters in their most heroic light but also drive the plot of so many famous stories. These thematic influences are no exception to that of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Norton edition) translated by Simon Armitage. However, though such an emphasis on nobility and knightly courage drives Gawain on his journey to fulfil his oath to the paranormal Green Knight, I suggest that close analysis of certain passages may reveal a weakness in Gawain’s psyche. A slip of the spirit of a human in a character that was always destined for nothing but honour around a table of fellow eccedentesiasts. Between lines 2189 to 2211 of this tale, Gawain …show more content…
Similarly, Gawain’s human nature begins to falter as fear begins to bubble in the place where knightly courage once held ground. Relying on his “five wyttes” (2193) to navigate this “corsedest kyrk” (2196) or “cursed church” (2196, translation), flesh starts to overthrow his worldly desire for virtue. The sense of spooky uncertainty grows throughout the following lines with imagery of a “wonder breme noyse” (2200) or “blood-chilling noise” (2200, translated), and “upon a gryndelston hade grounden a scythe” (2202) or “the scream of a scythe” (2202, translated). Yet, Gawain shields himself with man-made weaponry and armour with a “helme on his head” and “launce in his head” (2197) to not only fight the oncoming storm of human nature but to prevent any fear from escaping his body. Each piece of his armour is a receptacle for the leaking of natural fear that Gawain can not stop emulating, but he can block the eyes of others from seeing his moments of weakness. I argue that through Gawain’s man-made protection, he attempts to lean into his desire for nobility so that fear may not be shown, but also that the power of nature and the mysterious supernatural forces cannot penetrate into his spirit deep enough to strip him of all the pride he has