Sir Gawain Theme

There are many times humans act differently because of someone else. The outlooks of human behaviors depend on the negative or positive influences that surround a person. People act the way they are because of the external forces that affect them. Likewise throughout history, many authors and poets create their work of literatures based on the external forces that motivate a character to act in a certain way. Often times, the message that these authors and poets reveals not only has universal themes, but also can connect to people’s life stories. The poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” translated by John Gardner, particularly relates the story of my own life because the poem revolves around the ideas of virtuous character, incentive temptation,

The Gawain Poet elaborates flawed human nature of honest through Sir Gawain’s realization of his unfaithfulness in a way I can relate to. The Green Knight reveals that Sir Gawain fails to follow knights’ code of chivalrous when Sir Gawain finally faces him. The reason is Sir Gawain took the gift, known to save him from any harms, from the lord’s wife. This made Sir Gawain reflects the flaws he has as a knight. The Gawain Poet describes, “Foolish cowardice taught me, from fear of your stroke, / To bargain, covetous, and abandon my kind, / The selflessness and loyalty suitable in knight; / Here I stand, faulty and false, much as I’ve feared them” (Gardner 357-360). In this description, Sir Gawain becomes aware of his cheating and accepts his disgraceful action he commits. However, he is motivated to commit such action due to the life-threating situation from Green Knight’s challenge. As a knight, Sir Gawain feels most shameful because instead of accepting his death with honor, he self-preserve to his existence. On the other hand, I had taken similar action as Sir Gawain in the past. When I used to play chess with other youths, I broke my integrity rule as a chess player during the qualification round. What motivated me to cheat is that people who are qualified for the final rounds have a higher chance of getting scholarships for

The poem elaborates the concept of virtue, temptation, and dishonesty, which I can connect to and knowledge from my experience. The Gawain Poet incorporates Sir Gawain’s behaviors with common human behaviors and flaws that people have. Although he is honorable knight, he is not a perfect character in the poem just like people having their own flaws. Many early poets and authors also create their works based on this fundamental imperfection a person has the in reality. In conclusion, based on my experience I connect to Sir Gawain because of the struggles and imperfection I have. I act the way I am because of the condition and surrounding I grow up with and other people are the