What Are The Similarities Between Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Chivalry

During Medieval Ages, chivalry had taken hold as a sense of moral and code for knights to follow, but over the years people have debated on whether or not chivalry is an outmoded virtue in the 21st century. Some people have also debated on whether or not chivalry was ever a good thing at all. Some may say that chivalry was just propaganda to hide all the unvirtuous acts of knights that would pillage and raid other villages under the command of their king. Regardless of the true nature of chivalry for now, it’s a concept that is often applied to Medieval times specifically in stories with knights such as King Arthur with his knights of round table and their many tales that have many examples of doing virtuous acts that are considered chivalry.

I feel like it was most evident in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as the story was written when chivalry began to wane. In the beginning, the Green Knight is looking for someone who is willing to play his little game and mocks the knights when no one rises up. Later on after Gawain confesses to having the green sash and feeling ashamed, the Green Knight assures him that it is okay even though Gawain isn’t perfect, he is at least trying. In the story the Green Knight says, “Whatever harm I’ve had, I hold it amended since now you’re confessed so clean, acknowledging sins and bearing the plain penance of my point” (Poet 243). This shows that even though Gawain had messed up and broke his code, he at least tried to make up for it. It also shows his human side, wanting to do good and follow his code, but also wanting to

The knight certainly did not show any sign of chivalry before and after his unsavory act. The knight only seemed to want to take the queen’s deal out of wanting to live than to make up for his sin. After a year and a day of searching for what women desired the most, the knight did find the answer from an old woman, but for the answer the woman wanted the knight to marry her. The knight agrees, but shows little respect for her even after she ultimately saved his life. This is prominent when the knight says, “You’re old, and so abominably plain, so poor to start with, so low-bred to follow; it’s little wonder if I twist and wallow” (Chaucer 192). It’s only after the old lady turns beautiful after being given a choice that the knight even looks at her. This to me was in no way an act of chivalry and it shows that not all knights were so chivalrous during these