In the Medieval tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we meet the heroic Sir Gawain, who is faced with a very important quest. He was put up to a very particular test during the Christmastide that he fears will cost him his life. As a knight though, he is bound by the knight virtues to keep his word or troth. Troth being in medieval literature, the fidelity to one’s own word no matter what shall happen. The idea of Troth is the central focus of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. During the Christmas season celebrations, a very peculiar knight rides in and demands to meet the lord of the palace. The ruler, being King Arthur himself welcomes the knight with open arms, completely disregarding the knight’s emerald tint, inviting him to take
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The knight strikes him twice with the axe to no avail, leaving Gawain with just a light scratch. It is then that the Green Knight reveals to Gawain that he knew the truth all along; “First I flourished with a feint..and left your hide unhurt- and here I did well by the fair terms we fixed on the first night; and fully and faithfully you followed accord: gave over all your gains as a good man should. A second feint sir..you kissed my comely wife, each kiss you restored...for that is my belt around you, the same braided girdle, my wife it was that wore it: I know well the tale”(p. 59-60). The green knight praises Gawain for keeping his promise to seek him out and return to him after a year’s time and for putting forth his life in the manner that the knight did a year previously. He is also though, pointing out that there were many games involved to test Gawain and he was in on all of them. Instead of being angry at Gawain for wearing the belt to meet him, he lets that matter slide. He seems to understand that Gawain is mortal unlike himself (hence his head falling off, but still being able to live) and if he really were to go up against the knight without it, he would be killed. He was wearing the belt to save his life and for no other purpose; “Yet you lacked sir, a little in loyalty
The knight strikes him twice with the axe to no avail, leaving Gawain with just a light scratch. It is then that the Green Knight reveals to Gawain that he knew the truth all along; “First I flourished with a feint..and left your hide unhurt- and here I did well by the fair terms we fixed on the first night; and fully and faithfully you followed accord: gave over all your gains as a good man should. A second feint sir..you kissed my comely wife, each kiss you restored...for that is my belt around you, the same braided girdle, my wife it was that wore it: I know well the tale”(p. 59-60). The green knight praises Gawain for keeping his promise to seek him out and return to him after a year’s time and for putting forth his life in the manner that the knight did a year previously. He is also though, pointing out that there were many games involved to test Gawain and he was in on all of them. Instead of being angry at Gawain for wearing the belt to meet him, he lets that matter slide. He seems to understand that Gawain is mortal unlike himself (hence his head falling off, but still being able to live) and if he really were to go up against the knight without it, he would be killed. He was wearing the belt to save his life and for no other purpose; “Yet you lacked sir, a little in loyalty