Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, which
was written by an anonymous author towards the
end of the 14 th century, is set within the highly
renowned, Christian warrior society of the era.
The protagonist, as is implied within the title,
is a warrior named Sir Gawain who is the nephew
of King Arthur. It would be relevant, moreover,
to here consider that ‘in the earliest
Arthurian stories, Sir Gawain was the greatest
of the Knights of the Round Table; he was famed
for his prowess at arms and, above all, for his
courtesy’ (Clark, Hudson, Pace &
Dickinson, 1960). Indeed, it was this very significance
of good conduct and repute that probably provided
the author with the basis to use the well known
features of Sir Gawain’s character in order
to the make the moral epithet that is the fundamental
core of the story. Take into consideration, for
instance, the fact that the story of Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight isn’t, as it appears
to be at first glance, really an adventure story.
Indeed, the story is basically based on the conflict
that arises as a result of the disaccord between
Gawain’s conception of himself and the way
his personality is in reality. ‘He is
not quite so brave or honorable as he thought
he was, but he is still very brave, very honorable.
He cannot quite see this, but the reader can’
(Clark Et. Al 1960).
Although his words and actions hint at a modicum of uncertainty on the part of Gawain, the actuality of his actions speak out in favor of his fundamental honorability. Basically, the storyline that is vital to bringing the text of Sir Gawain to life is one that is strongly symbolic in terms of the relevance that it casts towards the inevitability of human floundering regardless of exceptional courageousness when it comes to facing certain death. This is something that tends to be accentuated quite strongly when considering it in light of the honorability that Sir Gawain accepts the challenge of the green knight, who is later revealed to be the knight Bercilak de Hautdesert; the identity, however, is kept concealed till the end of the epic. Crashing into a party being thrown by King Arthur himself, the Green Knight goes on to propose a game that is preposterous in as much as requiring that someone cut off his head only to be dealt with the same treatment a year later. After restraining King Arthur from taking up the knight’s challenge, Gawain himself, known for his valiant deeds, takes up the challenge and cuts off the knights head. While the decapitated body does bleed, it does not fall, and, much to the astonishment of all present goes over to where the head has come to a rest and picks it up before making towards the exit.
Before going away, however, the green knight,
or rather, the green knights head, opens its eyes
and instructs Gawain to meet him at a place called
the green chapel in order to fulfill his part
of the bargain. The green knight stresses that
the place is not at all hard to find considering
that Gawain looks for it. The year passes, and
eventually, the decided time of Gawain’s
departure is at hand; he sets out in his entire
armored splendor, amidst the heavy sorrow of his
court, the prevalence of which is convinced that
he is going to the meet certain death as a result
of his honorable resolve to keep his part of the
bargain. His journey is long and toiling, but
eventually, he reaches a city Christmas Eve. He
arrives at a splendid castle shortly thereafter,
where he is met by the lord and lady of the house
who, having apparently heard of his famed bravery,
courageousness and courtliness. When Gawain finally
gets down to relating the purpose of his journey
to the lord of the house, ‘the lord
tells him that it is close to the house, so that
he has no need to go any farther. Instead Gawain
should rest, while his host goes hunting’
(Summary of Sir Gawain & the Green Knight,
2004).
The lord of the house strikes a deal with Gawain. He says that the latter must agree to accept the fruits of his, the lord’s, daily hunting expeditions in exchange for something that he, Gawain, has received during the day. When the lord goes out to hunt on the first day, however, Gawain is surprised to find that the lady of the house has entered his room. Feeling awkward as a result of his exceptional courtliness, however, Gawain feigns sleep; the lady, however, is not repelled, and comes and sits on his bed instead. She praises him and it soon becomes apparent that the purpose of her visit is more than causal; she appears to be trying to seduce him. While she doesn’t fully achieve her goal, however, she does succeed in getting one kiss from Sir Gawain before leaving. Therefore, when Bercilak returns from his hunting and gives Gawain the animals, the deer on the first day and the boar on the second day. Gawain, in return, gives him what he has received from the formers wife that day while in the castle, first a kiss, then two kisses.
The fact that the lady manages to secure increasing
numbers of kisses, receiving three on the third
and final day, is something that stands as testimony
to Gawain's increasingly deteriorating resolve
in concern to facing his demise at the hands of
the Green Knight. Although he is still fundamentally
resolute in regard to the fact that he is going
to have to go meet his fate in the green chapel,
his resolve is something that is based on defiance
of admitting cowardice rather than true bravery.
This is something that tends to be emphasized
quite strongly when considering it in light of
the fact that though his responses to the increasingly
arousing advances of the lady of the house are
wholly courtly and polite, it is also true that
‘his heart swelled swiftly with surging
joys. They melt into mirth with many a fond smile’
(Abrams, 1993). In addition to this, it would
also be relevant to consider the symbolism of
his acceptance of the green girdle, which is supposed
to afford the wearer immortality.
The relevance of this is clarified when considering that Sir Gawain as he had been a year ago wouldn’t have even given a second thought to accepting something of the sort. It is of extreme relevance to acknowledge the fact that ‘all the time that he is parrying the lady's advances, we are aware that he feels himself to be on a knife-edge between discourtesy and compliance’ (Everett, 1968); the very presence of such conflict is something that is not expected in characteristics of Gawain as they are portrayed in the beginning of the story. Finally, when Gawain does it make it to the green chapel in order to confront the green knight; he can’t bring himself to confront the blow being dealt to him, wavering at the last moment in spite of the fact that he is wearing the ostensibly immortalizing green girdle.
This brings the green knight to audibly ponder that perhaps this is not Sir Gawain since he didn’t remember being so cowardly. This is something that he is only doing in order to emphasize to the reader as well as to the character of Gawain the relevance of the deterioration of Gawain’s honor in the face of death. He goes to strike a second time, again halting at the last moment and finally, proceeds to give Gawain a harmless cut on the neck the third time around. Eventually, when, Gawain finally musters the courage to face the blow, it turns out that this is not the test itself; it is only the symbol of a previous test which was carried out by the Green Knight's wife, and which Gawain has already failed’ (Spearing, 1968). |