Themes in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Temptation and testing

    “A trial of Gawain’s fidelity to his host and of his loyalty to the chivalric ideal of truth.” A typical temptation fable of the medieval period presents a series of tribulations assembled as tests of moral virtue.

The Green Knight tests Gawain’s ability to follow the virtues represented on his shield.

The five points of the pentangle denote the five moral virtues of the code of chivalry: friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy and piety.”

      Sir Gawain’s devotion to the code of chivalry is constantly being tested by the Green Knight King Arthur’s court- friendship and courtesy Generosity and courtesy is seen during his visit at the castle Gawain’s piety and chastity are tested by the host’s wife-must accept girdle according to his code The green girdle tempts him to abandon the code of chivalry He later repents to the Green Knight growth through his experience – he becomes aware of his mortality and weakness he rises above his mistakes and achieves

Hunting and seduction

    There are parallels between the hunting scenes and the seduction scenes Deer- unspecific and nonviolent like the seduction scene- there is no apparent danger Boar- more detail and more difficult to hunt- the host’s wife is more forward Fox- most easily connected- resorts to trickery to save his skin- Gawain accepts the girdle to save his life

Nature Vs Chivalry

  The Green Knight invades Arthur’s peaceful hall Nature can be seen as force that keeps man from the code of chivalry.

   It may also be seen as an inevitable ruler over man. Richard Hamilton asserts, “ the author creates a dark world of potential failure and warns of ‘powers of evil which may corrupt even the most virtuous men and institutions’” “Gawain is truly imperfect and it is through his lesson of humility that he finds redemption”

Games

  

An exchange of beheading An exchange of winnings The hero’s survival of the first game depends on his honesty, the second on his purity

Symbolism

 Color green- nature, rebirth, witchcraft, the fading away of youth (when combined with gold like the girdle)  The Green Knight- a manifestation of the devil, a fusion of two deities- good and evil or life and death  The Pentangle- infinity, the 5 virtues in the Code of Chivalry, the five tasks   The girdle- a replacement for his trust in God to save him from the axe wound, a symbol of feminine power, a sexual symbol???

The wound Gawain’s sin-his desire to preserve mortal life. Eventually the wound heals which is symbol of his forgiven sins.