Heard you, Gawain

"Sir, I find it somewhat strange, since you indeed are Gawain, A man always genuinely geared doing the good, that you don't pursue the practices of polite society; If somebody teaches you something, you seem to toss it away; Certainly you've already let slide my lesson of yesterday." (Lines 1481-1485)

This exchange between Gawain and the host's wife highlights the tension between them. This was her attempt to get what she wants, by challenging Gawain and saying he cannot be the real Gawain because of him not being "gracious"

Identity crisis

armor, weapons, and anacronism in history.

Parts of a suit of armor. 

Last class prompted me to make this post, which I am making as a resource for anyone who might have questions about arms and armor in Arthurian literature. It is sometimes difficult to visualize the characters in King Arthur because the stores were written across such a huge span of time, coupled with the tendency of medieval artists to depict characters in the fashions of their own time, resulting in depictions of characters supposedly alive in the fifth or sixth century wearing armor or clothing styles from hundreds of years later.

Between Geoffrey of Monmouth and Thomas Mallory, armor went from something like this

 to something like this. 

Additionally, during this period, shields have gone through the entire top row of this image, serving both as defensive barrier and a means of identification on the battlefield, with heraldry and colored patterns declaring both individual identity and affiliation, depending on the period and who is carrying it.

Who Controls the Green Knight?

As the Green Knight drew back his ax-blade,

he contemplated the action of killing Gawain.

Would the killing of this man be just?

The majestic green one "lifts his ax lightly and then allows

it to fall" severing the head from the body.

Gawain's head rolled down the grassy knoll,

it stopped at a rock, facing the Green Knight.

The Green Knight could see the last bit of light

in Gawain's eyes. Kneeling down, whispering in Gawain's

ear the Green Knight calmly states, "If this was my choice,

I would have spared you, my friend"

Unbeknownst to Gawain the Green Knight was not acting

on his own accord, but following the instruction of another.

Walking away from the body the Green Knight wonders.
Was this the right thing to do?
Was Gawain the knight that he had been looking for?
No, he failed the test, and the instructions were clear.
The Green Knight could not present an unworthy man
to the one who placed this task upon him.
As the Green Knight returns to his home he looks upon
that grassy knoll, where the head of Gawain remains.
This was not the first time the Green Knight had
challenged a brave soul, and tricked him with falsehoods;
and it would not be the last. As the world turns so does the
Green Knight, looking for a gallant individual to pass his test.
Then, and only then will the true king of Britain be found,
and the Green Knight be rid of the curse that was put upon
him so many years ago.

They're the Same

No One is Perfect

When Gawain is staying at Bertilak's home, he comes into contact with Bertilak's wife. When Gawain is with Lady Bertilak he is trying to adhere to the code of chivalry. Gawain is put in a very difficult situation. If he were to refuse her advances, he would break his responsibility as a knight to be courteous. Yet at the same time if he were to accept, he would then break his chastity. This is evident at one point when the lady says to him, "Yet to think that you're the brilliant Gawain boggles my mind" (Wilhelm 444). Her accusing Gawain of not being himself causes Gawain to believe he has failed to be courteous and "fearing he had failed in his flawless behavior" (444). Throughout the rest of the story Gawain is in a constant battle of what it means to follow the code of chivalry.
This leads to the overall theme of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in that everyone has their own flaws. Being unable to stick to the code of chivalry is nothing to be worried about. The Green Knight pointed out to Gawain that "you have a small flaw, my friend: you lack some faithfulness" (471). Gawain admitted to his flaws and that "from now on, I'll beware" (471). To be able to admit to one’s own flaws is a noble thing.

Everyone Has Faults

The moral of the story could be summed up as “honesty is the best policy.” The first half of the story lauds Gawain as a good man (line 632), though he considers himself the weakest and lowliest of Arthur’s knights (354). When the bravery of the whole court is challenged by the Green Knight, Gawain is the only one who stands up to respond (343-4). Therefore, is Gawain really as weak as he claims if he’s the only one to respond?

The rest of the story answers that question. Despite his bravery in taking on the challenge, he ultimately fails the test of honesty. In contrast to Lancelot, who has no qualms about cheating with Guinevere, Gawain denies Lady Bertilak’s advances. He calls himself “an unworthy creature” (1243) and won’t do anything more than kiss her when she asks. At first glance, this seems like the noble thing to do; he refuses to cheat. However, because he takes her gift of the green belt, he enters into a lie.

“You’re one of the finest fellows to set foot on the earth,” begins Bertilak, “But you have a small flaw, my friend; you lack some faithfulness” (1263, 6). The Green Knight himself plotted the whole scheme to test Gawain’s honesty and he failed. Gawain knows his own pride caused him to fail. He even shows his injury to the court as proof of his “cowardice and covetousness” because “a man can hide his hurt, but never hurl it away, / Since once it is attached, it will not disappear” (2508, 11-2). Thus, Gawain proves that even the bravest knight has his faults.