Sir Gawain and The Green Knight? Is He an Ideal Knight?

Sir Gawain believes believing faith and stands out as an ideal Christian knight. He highlights his faith by being loyal to his king, Arthur. He is very courageous but also humble. When the Green Knight challenges the court as an ideal Christian knight he accepts the terms because it was God’s will. Christians believe in the faith which means they believe in God’s promises and the paths that he puts in people's lives. After he starts his journey to Green Chapel, he faces with hard winter, wild animals and lots of difficult challenges. He was tolerant of those challenges and tried to be loyal and faithful.

"Would you grant me the grace," said Gawain to the king, "To be gone from this bench and stand by you there, If I without discourtesy might quit this board, And if my liege lady misliked it not, I would come to your counsel before your court noble. For I find it not fit, as in faith it is known, (341-346)

"Now, liege lord of my life, my leave I take; The terms of this task too well you know— To count the cost over concerns me nothing. But I am bound forth betimes to bear a stroke From the grim man in green, as God may direct." (545-550)

“Now with serpents he wars, now with savage wolves, Now with wild men of the woods, that watched from the rocks, Both with bulls and with bears, and with boars besides, And giants that came gibbering from the jagged steeps. Had he not borne himself bravely, and been on God's side” (720-725)

We can see the Christian ideals of chivalry in the pentangle on Sir Gawain’s shield. The Pentangle stands for the five virtues of knighthood. They indicate Sir Gawain’s truth. The truth is connected to faith and loyalty, one’s word and loyalty to their lords. Sir Gawain starts his journey to stand for his truth and morals for the Christian idealism of chivalry. He tries to be loyal during the contracts. When the lord’s wife tries to trick him with her temptations he wants to resist because of his Christian idealism for a knight; chastity and courtesy. He is not committing adultery but he lies to the lord in the second contract. Truth represents Sir Gawain’s integrity, loyalty to his king, and also truthfulness in the way of God’s path.

“Then they showed forth the shield, that shone all red, with the pentangle portrayed in purest gold” (619-620)

“It is a sign by Solomon sagely devised To be a token of truth, by its title of old, For it is a figure formed of five points, And each line is linked and locked with the next Forever and ever, and hence it is called. ” (625-630)

“On shield and coat in view He bore that emblem bright, As to his word most true And in speech most courteous.” (635-639)

“To meet at that landmark, if I might last, And from now to the New Year is nothing too long, And I would greet the Green Knight there, would God but allow, More gladly, by God's Son, than gain the world's wealth! 1065 And I must set forth to search, as soon as I may; To be about the business I have but three days and would as soon sink dead as desist from my errand” (1062-1067)

"In good faith," said Gawain, "my gain is the greater, Though I am not he of whom you have heard; To arrive at such reverence as you recount here I am one all unworthy, and well do I know it. (1239-1242)

"Yet I prize the praise you have proffered me here, And soberly your servant, my sovereign I hold you, And acknowledge me your knight, in the name of Christ." (1277-1279)

Gawain punishes himself with his own words after learning that the lord and The Green Knight are the same people. His words symbolize the confession, and acknowledgement of sinfulness, in Christianity. He regrets and confesses his sins. He realised the ideal Christian knight is unachievable but turning yourself to God’s path and being faithful is achievable.

"Behold there my falsehood, ill hap betide it! Your cut taught me cowardice, care for my life, And coveting came after, contrary both To largesse and loyalty belonging to knights. Now am I faulty and false, that fearful was ever Of disloyalty and lies, bad luck to them both! and greed. 2385 I confess, knight, in this place, Most dire is my misdeed; Let me gain back your good grace, And thereafter I shall take heed." (2378-2388)

"Behold, sir," said he, and handles the belt, "This is the blazon of the blemish that I bear on my neck; This is the sign of sore loss that I have suffered there For the cowardice and coveting that I came to there; This is the badge of false faith that I was found in there, And I must bear it on my body till I breathe my last. For one may keep a deed dark, but undo it no whit, For where a fault is made fast, it is fixed evermore." (2505-2512)

The pentangle is shown in Sir Gawain's shield in terms of military aspects. The pentangle is standing for the five virtues of knighthood; friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy and piety. Sir Gawain tested for his chastity and courtesy. He is trying to honour his liege and the knighthood by accepting the Green Knight’s ‘Beheading Game’. Sir Gawain shows his courage and skills by beheading the knight.

“This king lay at Camelot at Christmastide; Many good knights and gay his guests were there, Arrayed of the Round Table rightful brothers, With feasting and fellowship and carefree mirth. Ther e true men contended in tournaments many, Joined there in jousting these gentle knights” (36-41)

“There Gawain the good knight by Guenever e sits, With Agravain a la dure main on his other side, Both knights of renown, and nephews of the king.” (109-111)

“And the loss of my life would be least of any; That I have you for uncle is my only praise; My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth; And for that this folly befits not a king, And 'tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine” (353-357)

Pentangle points out five fingers and five senses of Sir Gawain's. Sir Gawain is a skilled knight and through his journey, he remains brave and humble. He is described as faultless in five senses and skilful.

“It is a sign by Solomons agely devised To be a token of truth, by its title of old, For it is a figure formed of five points, And each line is linked and locked with the next For ever and ever, and hence it is called” (625-630)

“And first, he was faultless in his five senses, Nor found ever to fail in his five fingers” (640-641)

“The fifth of the five fives followed by this knight We're e beneficence boundless and brotherly love And pure mind and manners, that none might impeach, And compassion most precious these peerless five” (651-654)

Sir Gawains morality was tested through his journey. He had a contract, exchanging game, with the lord but because he did not want to die with beheaded by Green Knight he did not take his promises to the lord.

“‘If he bore it on his body, belted about, There is no hand under heaven that could hew him down, For he could not be killed by any craft on earth.’ Then the man began to muse, and mainly he thought It was a pearl for his plight, the peril to come When he gains the Green Chapel to get his reward: Could he escape unscathed, the scheme was noble! Then he bore with her words and withstood them no more, And she repeated her petition and pleaded anew, And he granted it, and gladly she gave him the belt, And besought him for her sake to conceal it well, Lest the noble lordshould know and, the knight agrees That not a soul save themselves shall see it thence forthwith sight.” (1852-1865)

Is Sir Gawain an ideal knight?

I do not think that Sir Gawain is an ideal knight when we consider the virtues of knighthood and the term ‘truth’.

Firstly, Sir Gawain did not take his promise to the lord that he agreed to exchange their gainings that day. According to the truth term, a knight should be loyal and trustworthy.

“Never trouble about the terms," he returned at once, "Since all that I owe here is openly paid." "Marry!" said the other man, "mine is much less, For I have hunted all day, and naught have I got But this foul fox pelt, the fiend take the goods! 1945 Which but poorly repays such precious things That you have cordially conferred, such kisses three so good." "Enough!" said Sir Gawain; "I thank you, by the rood!" 1950 And how the fox was slain He told him, as they stood.”

Secondly, Sir Gawain tries to trick the Green Knight by using a special belt. By doing this he dishonored the loyalty to his opponents. He tries to use tricks and lies to save his own life. He did not respect the ‘truth’.

"For that is my belt about you, that same braided girdle, My wife it was that wore it; I know well the tale, 2360 And the count of your kisses and your conduct too, And the wooing of my wife—it was all my scheme! She made trial of a man most faultless by far Of all that ever walked over the wide earth; As pearls to white peas, more precious and prized, 2365 So is Gawain, in good faith, to other gay knights. Yet you lacked, sir, a little in loyalty there, But the cause was not cunning, nor courtship either, But that you loved your own life; the less, then, to blame."

All in all, when I examine Sir Gawan’s behaviours I see that his actions show us that he is not an ideal knight because he prioritizes his life over the codes of knighthood.