Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay

Symbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight From the first time I read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight I have been troubled by the question of whether or not Sir Gawain was right or wrong in lying in order to keep the girdle and save his life. He was torn between honesty and his own life. The question he was forced to ask himself was what did he value more: his honesty or his life? Many scholars have struggled with this question for centuries, as well as the questions of why Gawain made the decision that he did, how guilty he really felt for his actions, and what the poet is trying to tell the reader through Gawains ordeal. When I was growing up I was told to always be honest. I was only grounded twice in my lifetime:†¦show more content†¦It may be even more difficult to place an overriding significance on the value of honesty in light of lifes alternative: death. ...images of death permeate the medieval world (Clien. 55). A modern reader of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight should gain an understanding of what death means within the cultural milieu which surrounded the Gawain writer. Wendy Clein in her book Concepts of Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight describes the chivalric approach to death as an uncomfortable and awkward marriage between the warriors code on one side and Christianity of the the antithetical side. The warrior code calls for the knight to defy death in acts of heroism and thereby gain worldly fame (55). However, the Christian doctrine demands that the knight surrender worldly fame and accept death as a passage from this imperfect world to eternity (55). If knight is to gain fame and fulfill the warrior code that is so deeply engrained into the psyche of a warrior, he must play with death. This is what war and tournaments are all about. It is about looking death in the eye and not flinching. Once a knight can do this he has fulfilled the warrior code of a knight, at least for the moment. The Christian approach to death is much different from the warrior approach to death. While some parts of the poem may appear be simplyShow MoreRelatedSymbolism Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1150 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in Sir Gawain The Green Knight â€Å"Sir Gawain The Green Knight† is a classic medieval poem about a chivalrous knight on a journey to the Green Chapel. King Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain has been challenged by the Green Knight in a â€Å"beheading game,† where he has agreed to exchange a blow in the head towards the Green Knight, to be returned to him the following New Years in journeying to the Green Chapel. Gawain has to battle whether his knightly virtues are more important than his own lifeRead MoreSymbolism in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.1460 Words   |  6 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight is a medieval poem by an unknown author, written in Middle English in the 14th century. This poem is uncanny to most poems about heroism and knightly quests as it doesn’t follow the complete circle seen in other heroism tales. This poem is different to all the rest as it shows human weaknesses as well as strengths which disturbs the myth of the perfect knight, or the faultless hero. Th e author uses symbolism as a literary device in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight toRead MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight Symbolism Essay1130 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism Motifs within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is apparent that the author uses two dynamic literary devices to express and portray the importance of them within the narrative. These literary devices add to the text and correlate to broader themes within the tale. The use of symbolism and themes play a significant role within the poem because they represent abstract concepts, as well as shows how fundamental the theme of the poem is. WithinRead MoreSymbolism Of The Green Knight In Sir Gawain827 Words   |  4 PagesThe Green Knight does not have a specific name in the book, and he says only that men know him as the Knight of the Green Chapel. His green color and his ability to live without his head mark him as an strange creature. He is enormously tall and strong, like a giant, and his maturity are shown by his bushy hair and beard. The color Green has been noticed in Sir Gawain and the green knight many times throughout the book. This book starts off with the Green Knight sudde nly appearing in King Arthur’sRead MoreSymbolism and the Power of Three in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight938 Words   |  4 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance about the adventure of Sir Gawain, King Arthurs Knight of the Round Table. This great verse is praised not only for its complex plot and rich language, but also for its sophisticated use of symbolism. Symbolism is a technique used in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to give a significance to the plot. The Green Knight, the Green Sash, and Sir Gawains Shield are three of the most prominent symbols given toRead MoreSymbolism Of The Hunting Scenes Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1379 Words   |  6 PagesO’Keefe Literature 201 Dr. Marciano September 26, 2017 THE MEANING AND SYMBOLISM OF THE HUNTING SCENES IN SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the most famous Arthurian literary texts ever written, is an enthralling tale of medieval heroism, knighthood, chivalry, and romance. Due to the entertaining nature of this poem, it is often easy for the modern reader to miss the extensive symbolism and critics, on medieval society and the chivalric code, which the authorRead MoreSymbolism And Similarities Of Sir Gawain The Green Knight Othello And The Flea1345 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism and Similarities in Sir Gawain the Green Knight Othello and The Flea The definition of symbolism is an artistic poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. The use of symbolism can make stories that are completely different and tie them all together. That is the case for Sir Gawain the Green Knight (a chivalric romantic), Othello (a tragedy) and the Flea (erotic poem). If just read it would be hard toRead MoreChristian Symbolism and Chivalric Ideals in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight1472 Words   |  6 Pages Upon first Reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I noticed that it comes off as a romantic normative poem about chivalric ideals and traditions of the ruling class with covertly Christian Images. The protagonist character Sir Gawain stands out as the role model of the chivalric ideals of the 14th century while displaying Christian images on his armor. The combination of Gawain’s armor and actions throughout the poem exemplify his characteristics of Chri stian perfection and chivalric ideals. TheRead MoreSir Gawain and the Green Knight: Symbolism and Moral Seriousness1047 Words   |  5 PagesIn the opening lines of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Gawain-poet predicates the numerous dualities—which lead the reader through questions of moral seriousness—that exist in the poem. The opening historical recounting, according to Richard Hamilton Green, reminds the reader that â€Å"the greatness of the past is marred by reminders of failure† (179). The paradox of triumph and greatness arising out of failure foreshadows Sir Gawain following the same pattern of fate as his predecessors. WhileRead MoreSir Gawain and The Green Knight Essay1109 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a very interesting and stimulating narration, filled with mystical creatures and wonderful details, the author known as Gawain-poet did a wonderful job in portraying the characters throughout the story. During the story, The Green Knight challenges King Arthur to a game, which Sir Gawain accepts. Gawain participates in the game by chopping the head off of the green knight, who picks it up and leaves, Gawain is to meet the green