Essay About “Sir Gawain and The Green Knight”

In the story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” translated by John Gardner, we see the literary element ‘Romance’ used. We see it exercised in a few different ways. Sir Gawain is an example when he stands up to the Green Knight. Due to this act the chivalrous knight deserves the respect of sir arthur the king, an all others, especially those who resided in the great hall when the Green Knight appeared.

When the Green Knight, in the narrative “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, appeared in the great hall during the feast he brought a challenge with him. His challenge included something that was dangerous but a challenge no less. The Green Knight was a romance of the color green. A bizarre and shocking sight for those around. The hall fell silent when he claimed his challenge. He asks which knight was bravest to find and meet him in a year and a day to accept the challenge he had presented them with, which was a “blow for a blow”. The only man in the hall brave enough to accept was Sir Gawain. And with it “the Green knight got himself into his position,his head bent forward a little, the bare flesh showing…Sir Gawain laid hold the axe…he slashed at the naked neck” (lines 1,2, 5,7 page 161).

A year and a day later Sir Gawain kept his word and set off for the Green Knight. On his journey to seek him out he unfortunately got lost but stumbled upon a keep. The Lord invited him to stay with him and his very beautiful wife who was very bewitching with her seductive charms. Throughout his stay they played a game. Sir Gawain and the Lord. They would would exchange a gift they gained throughout the day. Being a sport and truthful, the stolen kisses he received from the Lords wife, were gifted to the host on the cheek. It had been difficult to refuse the lady and her advances but thus far he’s succeeded. That was until she tried to present tokins of her affection but tricked him inn the end after he refuses the others. She told him “he who knew what charms are woven within it…for the man who goes into battle in this…for nothing on this earth, however uncanny, can kill him”(lines 150,152,155 page 165) when she presented him with her green sash. This he took, an when the Lord came for his gift the knight presented him with three more kisses but he did not present the sash; he kept it in secret.

Although he kept the ladies green sash he did so for the fear of his life. The knight departed for the Green Knight. When found he got ready to exchange the blows. “I’ll pay you promptly all that I promised before” (line 229 page 167). The Green Knight boasted. The green knight teases Sir Gawain a few times but the third strike he does meet the nape of his neck but does not cut his head off. We learn here that the Green knight was the Lord. Sir Gawain was put under a test as the Lords keep and he prevailed all but one when he kept the sash. The Lord did not blame the knight for the reasoning he kept it. The knight realized his mistake but in his honor to keep his word he atoned for his wrongdoing.Over all he was brave and honorable.

In the narrative In the story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” translated by John Gardner, a ratiocination of this essay due to his acts of chivalry the knight deserves the respect of sir arthur the king, an all others. He had been brave and honorable in the end given his rights of a human to be afraid of death. He still knelt down to take the blow.

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