Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay

The tale of Sir Gawain and also the Green Knight, translated by John Gardner, is a prime instance of a romance in literature. The story focuses on three points of romance: the quest, bravery, and chivalry.

The first element represented during the story could be the quest. It is during the quest how the hero undertakes a perilous journey searching for value. In this situation Sir Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s test due to the fact he is usually searching for a challenge because of his knightly call to chivalry. In this quest Gawain has to overcome danger for adore of the high ideal. He is tested several times by the Green Knight very first at the castle and then again during the second part of his challenge. Gawain, like all genuine heroes, overcomes every obstacle thrown at him and if he can't overcome it then he redeems himself for it later on in his journey. He takes on this challenge to uphold his high ideal of how a knight should act. While at the end of his quest he learns that he can not usually live up to this kind of high ideals mainly because he, like all others, is human and ready of making mistakes.
The second element represented during the story is bravery. During Sir Gawain’s quest he remains courageous and brave at all times. He feels that honor and valor are the most crucial qualities in a knight and often strives to uphold them. The first evidence of Gawain’s bravery is demonstrated once he accepts the challenge put forth by the green knight. He is genuinely brave mainly because he could be the only knight to step as much as the challenge. “Gawain accepts the challenge—no other knight has dared to, and Gawain refuses to enable the king give up his life.” His bravery never falters and he commits on the first component in the challenge by cutting off the knight’s head. He shows additional bravery by truly returning in a year for ones second part from the challenge. He also proves his honor by setting out to find the Green Knight a year later; while he doesn't know wherever he lives and is specific his death will arrive about from the meeting. Only as soon as does his bravery decline once he flinches at the green knight’s very first stroke from the axe. “But you! You tremble at heart prior to you’re touched! / I’m bound to become known as a much better man than you, then, / my lord” (118-120). But he regains his bravery and survives the knight’s axe. Afterwards even the green knight congratulates him on his bravery, calling him the worthiest of Arthur’s knights and forgiving his actions.

The final element represented inside story is chivalry. Throughout the story Sir Gawain’s chivalry is constantly getting tested. The ideals of chivalry occur during the Christian notion of morality. As soon as Sir Gawain sets off on his journey his morality is tested at the castle. He agrees to give the lord whatever he wins but his morality fails him and he doesn't live as much as his word. He was tempted by the lord’s beautiful young wife and succumbed to her. However, it wasn’t just that he was kissing the lord’s wife but he also kept the green girdle within the lord, heading against their agreement. “When the lord returns during the hunt, Gawain gives him the kisses but keeps the sash a secret.” Even though Gawain was un-chivalrous in kissing his wife he nonetheless maintained some morality by not sleeping with her. Sir Gawain now posses the magical green sash along with a guilty conscience, even though he is in a position to redeem his earlier actions by confessing for the Green Knight, who was lord in the castle. Sir Gawain shows this time that he is actually chivalrous by admitting his wrongdoings; he has regained his sense of morality, and asks for ones knight’s forgiveness. “I can’t deny my guilt; / My works shine none too fair! / Give me your very good will / And henceforth I’ll beware” (256-259). From this Gawain learns that he is just a physical getting who is concerned above all else with his unique life. Chivalry provides a valuable set of well-liked ideals for the which a single strives to achieve, however, another person need to nevertheless remain conscious of his or her own morality and weakness. When Gawain flinches inside the knight’s axe and accepts the green girdle it shows that though he will be the most chivalrous knight he is still human and in a position of error.

The story of Sir Gawain as well as the Green Knight focuses on three elements of the romance: the quest, bravery, and chivalry. Within the end Sir Gawain realizes his weakness after completing his quest, upholding bravery, and remaining chivalrous.  
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