Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is Middle English romance short story by an anonymous author in the 14th century. The story is about Sir Gawain from King’s Arthur court who plays a beheading game. When Sir Gawain finishes the game, he learns a lesson about honesty and self-integrity. Many different literary devices are seen throughout the story. One of the more common literary devices used is symbolism. The author uses different things to in order to show the significance of many other things. Along with symbolism, the author also uses imagery in this work of literature. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight use different types of literary devices to help convey a message. When Sir Gawain leaves to go find the Green Knight, he suits up in full
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In the story the green girdle that the wife gives to Sir Gawain means this. The girdle is said to possess powers, “for whatsoever man is girt with this green lace, while he has I fittingly wrapped about him, there is no warrior under heaven that can wound him; for he could not be lain by any device in the word” (Neilson par 29). The green girdle symbolized safety and guaranteed that the person that is wearing it will not be harmed. Not only does the girdle symbolizes safety, it can also symbolize shame. Since Sir Gawain was a part of King Arthur’s court, he had to hold himself to a higher stander than normal people. Sir Gawain took pride in being an honest man. When he went to the Green Knights chapel, he was wearing the green girdle that he was supposed to give the host. Because he did not give the host the girdle, he was struck in the back of the head by the axe. Gawain now has a scar and the green girdle to remind him of dishonesty. “Sir Gawain himself interprets the green girdle negatively, as “a sign of [his] shame [or, surfet, trangression],” Sir Gawain will be reminded of how he was dishonest with a very nice host and how he found himself in a lustful relationship, which was not honorable (Firth par 5). He wears the girdle back to the court of King Arthur and when other people see home wearing it, they start to wear it to. This is when the green girdle starts to …show more content…
Symbolism is the most common literary device throughout this work of literature. The color green is symbolically important in the story because it means nature and protection. Other symbols in the story include the girdle, it symbolizes protection, shame and bravery, and the pentacle on the shield that symbolizes Sir Gawain’s virtue. Imagery is used in the story too, the author uses words and phrases that give the reader a chance to vividly picture everything that is going on while they are reading. Through the uses of the literary devices listed above, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” effectively portrays a message of self-humility, virtue, and
In the story the green girdle that the wife gives to Sir Gawain means this. The girdle is said to possess powers, “for whatsoever man is girt with this green lace, while he has I fittingly wrapped about him, there is no warrior under heaven that can wound him; for he could not be lain by any device in the word” (Neilson par 29). The green girdle symbolized safety and guaranteed that the person that is wearing it will not be harmed. Not only does the girdle symbolizes safety, it can also symbolize shame. Since Sir Gawain was a part of King Arthur’s court, he had to hold himself to a higher stander than normal people. Sir Gawain took pride in being an honest man. When he went to the Green Knights chapel, he was wearing the green girdle that he was supposed to give the host. Because he did not give the host the girdle, he was struck in the back of the head by the axe. Gawain now has a scar and the green girdle to remind him of dishonesty. “Sir Gawain himself interprets the green girdle negatively, as “a sign of [his] shame [or, surfet, trangression],” Sir Gawain will be reminded of how he was dishonest with a very nice host and how he found himself in a lustful relationship, which was not honorable (Firth par 5). He wears the girdle back to the court of King Arthur and when other people see home wearing it, they start to wear it to. This is when the green girdle starts to …show more content…
Symbolism is the most common literary device throughout this work of literature. The color green is symbolically important in the story because it means nature and protection. Other symbols in the story include the girdle, it symbolizes protection, shame and bravery, and the pentacle on the shield that symbolizes Sir Gawain’s virtue. Imagery is used in the story too, the author uses words and phrases that give the reader a chance to vividly picture everything that is going on while they are reading. Through the uses of the literary devices listed above, “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” effectively portrays a message of self-humility, virtue, and