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The Code Of Chivalry In The Hero's Journey

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In order to be honorable during medieval times, a knight is expected to follow the code of chivalry. A knight is expected to display traits such as courtesy, courage, honor, and loyalty to their king. As a member of the round table in Camelot, Gawain is expected to adhere to all of these traits and accept the challenge of the Green Knight. Even though Gawain does accept the challenge, his seemingly chivalrous actions do not turn out to be very honorable, yet he does eventually survive his quest. Gawain does survive the challenge of the Green Knight, but the way that he completes it is not very fulfilling. This is not Gawain’s fault. The code of chivalry has too high of standards, which makes it almost impossible for Gawain to honorably fulfill his quest. …show more content…

Cornelius’ “The Hero’s Journey”, many events throughout Gawain’s quest show that it is simply not realistic for a knight to meet the standards set by chivalry. Cornelius suggests that a large problem of chivalric code is that it gives a knight a very self-judging mindset. Gawain feels a lack of internal fulfillment after not telling the knight about the green girdle. This shows that the expectations of the code of chivalry is so high, that knights expect too much of themselves. The code of chivalry misjudges the capabilities of a knight and does not consider the human emotions that a knight can feel such as fear. Cornelius explains, “In failure, Gawain finds only imperfection and the stunning recognition that he is only human” (Cornelius). The challenges that are expected of a knight stray away from the fact that knights are flawed humans too, and they are indeed mortal. Gawain carries out his dishonorable actions because his human instinct of fear gets to him. He would not have kept the girdle if he did not feel fear about going to see the Green Knight a year and a day later. It is likely that any other knight would have kept the girdle, despite the expectations of

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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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After reflecting, my code of honor is not much different than the knight’s Code of Chivalry. Protection, God, and truthfulness shows the true charter of a person. Sir Gawain and the other knights of the round table have all sworn to live a righteous and humble life. Sir Gawain lived by the Code of Chivalry, just like we all live by our own code of honor. Our values, morals, and norms make us who are and what we stand for.

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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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After Gawain comes clean and acknowledges his sin, the Green Knight praises him for being an honorable and chivalrous knight. He then invites Gawain to a great feast, but Gawain humbly states that he must return to his duties and continue to defend and protect King Arthur and his subjects. Sir Gawain even thanks the Green Knight and wishes him well after this frightening test of honor. He says, "I've reveled too well already; but fortune be with you; May He who gives all honors honor you well," (401-402).

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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’s values as a knight are in conflict, because he needs to be polite to the Lady, but he is also loyal to the Lord. Gawain ultimately fails

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In this time period a knight’s honor was everything, without it the noblemen would become a huge disgrace. Sir Gawain’s honor is immediately tested at the beginning of the poem. He gives his word in the beheading game and intends to keep it even though it’s obvious that the Green Knight had tricked him. “Blood gutters brightly against his green gown, yet the man doesn’t shudder or stagger or sink, but trudges towards them […] gripping his head by a handful of hair. Then he settles himself in his seat with the ease of a man unmarked” (429-439).

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During the Medieval times chivalry was one of the most important characteristics a knight could display. Chivalry was viewed as a moral obligation that involved bravery, honor, respect, and gallantry. Knights were expected to uphold this code or face social consequences for any infractions, with punishments ranging from humiliation to termination of their knighthood. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” presents the struggles knights faced with honoring the chivalrous code at all times. Sir Gawain, while imperfect, exhibits qualities expected of knights and embodies the internal struggle between honoring the chivalrous code and giving into selfish desires.

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Gawain returns to King Arthur’s court all ashamed and sad that he’s failed a test of honor by withholding the green girdle from Sir Bertilak out of a desire to preserve his own life. He feels like he’s failed in his duty as a knight and let everyone down. Perhaps, more importantly, he’s learned that he’s not perfect and never will be. He explains to the whole court that he plans to wear the girdle forever as a reminder of his failing, because "a man may hide his misdeed, but never erase it, for where once it takes root the stain can never be lifted". But instead of being properly sobered, the whole court laughs at Gawain’s words and agrees that everyone in court will wear a similar girdle for Gawain’s

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Gawain cannot redeem himself by blaming others, but does it anyways. He was supposed to be the epitome of chivalry and purity, but blames a single woman, the lady of the manor, on everything that he started. Gawain was the one to agree to the Green Knight’s challenge, not a woman who told him to. He took on the lord’s bets, without the ladies saying anything to him. Gawain’s pride and misogyny showed that he could not complete, or even start a path to redemption.

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As an Expert states, “Critics consider the puzzle of the theme a major asset of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and they continue to debate whether the real test was what happened at Castle Hautdesert rather than the exchange of blows, as well as whether, finally, Gawain passed or failed the tests” (Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism). The reason the critics say this is because they see that the real or possibly the real test was when Sir Gawain was in the castle getting tested by the king which turns out to be the king rather than getting swung at with an axe. Although Sir Gawain was not aware that the king was testing him under these circumstances he did want he had to do even if it meant he was a bit disloyal when taking the green sash. As Sir Gawain states, ‘“There, there’s my fault! The foul fiend vex it” (line 389)!

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Sir Gawain and The Green Knight In Class Writing Chivalry is the code of conduct of the medieval Knight. According to that code, a Knight was to be a loyal servant to his lord or lady and a perfect example of virtues such as bravery, courage, courtesy, honesty, faith and gentleness. Sir Gawain does not uphold the ideals of Chivalry in his adventure with the Green Knight.

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One of the three main aspects was religious code which obligated knights to know the church’s teachings and defend them: “Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches and shalt obey all her commandments” (Gautier 10). The second aspect of chivalry regarded moral code which, unlike religious code, obligated knights to form chivalrous characteristics. Sir Gawain is a great example of a knight who had chivalrous characteristics; these characteristics were evident when he held his end of the deal with the Green Knight: “Sweet Sir… Your visit keeps your vow… God Guard you Gawain… You have timed your arrival like a traveler to begin this business which binds us together”

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Gawain is courteous to no end, even asking for permission to “abandon [his] bench and stand by [Arthur]” (Pearl Poet l. 344) so he may risk his own life instead of his kings to abide by the Green Knights game. He even humbly states that he “[is] the weakest” (l. 354) and that it would be the least lost of he was to parish which is untrue. Gawain is also extremely courteous when he is denying the wife’s attempts to seduce him saying he is “a knight unworthy” (l.1245). He plays a game of wits as he must not offend her advances but at the same time must not let the wife win the “game” because then he would have to lay with her and that would be uncourteous to his host, Lord Bertilak. The only time Gawain faults in his courteousness is when he refuses to acknowledge the agreement he made with Lord Bertilak which was “whatever [Lord Bertilak] win[s] in the wood shall at once be [Gawain’s] and whatever gain [Gawain] may get [he] shall give in exchange” (ll. 1107-08).

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