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Why Is Gawain Deserving Of Being Called A Knight

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Question: Was Gawain deserving of being called a knight? If so, how did he demonstrate this? Sir Gawain certainly faced a number of dilemmas when he accepted the challenge issued by the Green Knight. Written by the poet known as The Pearl Poet, the poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" tells the story of how one of King Arthur's Knights agreed to be a part of a Christmas game to prove that he was worthy of their reputation as great knights. Although he faced many challenges along the way, he does prove to be a great and honorable knight. First, he showed that he was courageous and loyal to King Arthur by volunteering to take on the challenge rather than letting Arthur risk his own life. Knowing he was the least valuable he volunteers "I myself am the weakest. . . my …show more content…

. . and since I have asked for it first, let it fall to me" (l. 131-136). After he takes his turn with the axe, and the date is set for the Green Knight to take his turn, Gawain keeps to his word by traveling to what seems the ends of the earth to keep his part of the covenant. At the Lord's castle, he is repeatedly seduced by the Lord's wife, but each time, Sir Gawain refuses, knowing that a knight must remain chaste and true to his word. For two days he kept his word in his agreement with the Lord--another game. On the last day, the lady tempts him yet again, at first he refuses: " I swear by fire and ice to be your humble knight" (l. 216-217). But then she brings out the green scarf that promises to save his life. Who could blame Gawain for wanting to save his own life? Not many men would turn down an opportunity to avoid being beheaded, and although Gawain, being a Knight of the Round Table was supposed

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How is integrity portrayed in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Sir Gawain showed integrity through all out the story. He faced many dilemmas; however, he did not yield to the morals as a knight. The major theme of this story was integrity was displayed through Sir Gawain.

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Nevertheless, there were some portions of the poem which portrayed Sir Gawain as a knight whom did not follow the chivalry code, meaning that he was not being a ‘rightful’ knight. For instance, Sir Gawain was close to not finding the Green chapel even after he was given 12 months to complete the task. “Summer comes ere long” and Sir Gawain is making no effort towards finding the Green Knight or the location of the Green chapel. He fails to locate the green knight until the last minute where he is prepared with armour and shield as if he was going to a battle “when he had on his arms, his armour was rich, the

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Comparatively, like any knight , Sir Gawain evinced two major traits of an ideal knight. Particularly, Gawain showed the traits of sacrifice and courage. When the Green Knight appeared and challenged the people at the Camelot, King Arthur was the first to volunteer, but he failed at the challenge; therefore, Sir Gawain knew he had to step down from the dais and accept the Green Knight's challenge, especially since no one else wanted to accept the challenge. Correspondingly, Gawain knew his life would be least missed by anyone; besides, all the nobles gathered around and advised the King Arthur to let Sir Gawain to step down. For the most part, Sir Gawain did not know what he was getting himself into.

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The wife tried to seduce him and he denied her. The test was to see if he was worthy of being a knight. Honor is a trait that a knight must have and sir Gawain proved to be honorable. “Later at the Green Chapel, it is revealed that the host is the Green Knight, who at the behest of the enchantress Morgan le Faye had sought to test the pride of Camelot...” (Includes bibliography).

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Sir Gawain shows loyalty and humility when he makes the decision of honoring the promise he made with the Green Knight. This humility drives him to set off to pursue the Green Knight to honor the pact they agreed on. On his arrival at the Green chapel, he calls the Green Knight who emerges to greet him and to fulfill the terms of the contract (Cathell). Sir Gawain presents his neck voluntarily to the Green Knight who feigns two blows (Cooke 4). This is a commitment and a sign of piety that Gawain manifests.

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Sir Gawain from the very beginning shows his loyalty to his king by taking the Green Knight 's challenge in the name of King Arthur. Sir Gawain is essentially sacrificing himself by delivering a blow to the man in green knowing in a year and a day, he will also receive a blow with this knight 's axe. If Sir Gawain had not taken this pact, the honor of King Arthur and his kingdom would be in question as the Green Knight mocks

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Gawain takes King Arthur’s place in the competition with the green knight, chivalry dictates this as the right course of action, a knight must protect and serve the king. Gawain then delivers the blow to the green knight, who then picks up his own head, and remains alive. Gawain fails to kill the green knight and now must face his own death next year. Later, Gawain makes his way to the green chapel to face the green knight. When he visits the Lord Bertilak on his own, Gawain struggles with the Lady and what to do when she invites him to kiss her.

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In the lines above it is seen that the Green Knight’s head had completely been severed yet he remains unshaved, it is clear now that Gawain has been deceived. Gawain continues to keep his word even though his journey is lonely and dangerous. “ […] Sir Gawain, Gods servant, on his grim quest, passing long dark nights unloved and alone […] With no friends

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Gawain, who had struck a deal with the lord to surrender all things he received during his stay in the lord’s dwelling, fails to do so in the name of self-preservation. The lord’s wife gifts Sir Gawain a green sash rumored to protect its possessor from physical harm. Gawain, recalling his inevitable meeting with the Green Knight, decides to contradict his agreement with the lord and “hid[es] it away from all hands and eyes” (Line 1875). His decision blatantly violated the chivalrous code, “failing a moral test in agreeing to hide the girdle from the husband, with whom he has the prior arrangement to exchange winnings” (West 9).

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Corey, I found your response to make some strong points. You said that Sir Gawain considers himself a failure. I agree with this for several reasons. First, Sir Gawain didn’t receive a blow from the Green Knight that was equal to the one that he delivered. The Green Knight spares his life instead and gives him a small cut on the back of his neck.

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Which led to the Green Knight explaining to Gawain that he is actually the same lord of the castle where Gawain spent his holidays. The first two blows, he claims, were in return for the way Gawain returned the kisses of his wife, following the rules of their game as an honest man should. The third blow, he says, was for Gawain’s failure to return the green girdle to him on the last day. But because Gawain’s failing was only because he wanted to save his life, and not because he's just dishonorable, the Green Knight forgives him. He leaves Gawain with only a scar and a girdle as a reminder of his very human sin.

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When the Green Knight finds out Gawain has the, he is extremely embarrassed. Gawain refusing to accept the Green Knight’s feast shows the reader Gawain’s guilt for not remaining loyal. “No, sir. I’ve reveled too well already; but fortune be with you; May He who gives all

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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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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, whose author is unknown, is an Arthurian Romance/Epic that holds a degree of Christian symbolism. These Christian symbols are intermixed with Britannic Pagan traditions and themes in order to appeal more to the common British people at the time of the early Christianization of Britain. This can be supported by the stories of kings being created in the earlier centuries throughout history. In this particular story, this symbolism is important since all the knights of King Arthur’s Court were supposed to follow a certain chivalrous code of conduct, whether present in the courts or away on some other venture. The chivalric code being the embodiment of Christian virtue and valor, which was expected to be personified

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One of the key components of any literary work is the depiction of central characters and their various traits. The personality of the key characters can be revealed to readers through various ways including the characters’ own thoughts and opinions, their actions which help in shaping their personalities, and also the attitudes other characters have towards them. All of these attributes help in shaping up the believability and appeal of these central characters towards the readers. However, writers sometimes tend to overestimate the perfection of their central characters and in the process distort the illusion and allure of reality for readers regarding these characters. Sir Gawain and the Green knight is a famous medieval England poem written during the late 14th century.

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