Camelot is portrayed as a happy place where Knights of the Round Table come together to take of the adventures and quests they embark on. Knights of the Round Table are portrayed as chivalrous, charming, daring men who can face almost any challenge and come out on top. Both of these notions were put to the test in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Green Knight’s entrance is unexpected and quite abrupt for the joyous festivities happening in the Camelot hall, so much so that it silences all of the Knight’s. The combination of silence and borderline scared looks on the knights’ faces draws a bellowing laugh from the Green Knight. Within the context, the Green Knight’s laughter implies that the scene before him is what he expected despite
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Gawain confesses to the Green Knight that the Lady gave him her girdle and that he withheld it, going back on the deal. The Green Knight’s response to this is similar to his laughter in Camelot. He laughs out loud but this time gives an explanation, saying that he knew all along and that’s why he cut him. This confession on the Green Knight’s part is why his laughter back in Camelot was all knowing. Sir Gawain tries to convince the Green Knight that he is an awful human being, that he deserves to be beheaded for going back on the deal and partaking in the small courtly affair with the Lady, but that is why the Lord laughs. Sir Gawain’s persistence that he did something horrible is why the Green Knight laughs. He finds it funny that something as small and harmless as a girdle could work up a man like this. With his laugh, he implies that Sir Gawain is being naïve to think that everything he does has such dire consequences, that he will automatically be less of a man because of his actions. The Green Knight’s laugh strips Sir Gawain down, pronouncing him to be a silly mortal who knows not of what he speaks. This type of laughter follows Sir Gawain back to …show more content…
When he arrives, Arthur tries to comfort him and that’s when the court does the same by laughing gayly. This laughter is happy, hence the adjective “gay” (2514) and the intent to cheer Sir Gawain up would mean that it is not meant to sound rude. On one hand, everyone is most likely relieved that he is home and well, not gone from them forever. This is a relieved sort of laughter, which is also considered happy laughter. On the other, this could be Camelot’s way of saying that Sir Gawain is being silly thinking that he has aggrieved the Green Knight, cheated him in some way, and is no longer the good Christian Knight that he once was. The people see that he has finally grown up, left the naïve world of black and white and joined them in the world of color. The Round Table laughs it off because they believe Sir Gawain will eventually realize that he has done nothing wrong and that the sash should not be an awful reminder of something, but a token of him turning from naïve boy to grown
Gawain confesses to the Green Knight that the Lady gave him her girdle and that he withheld it, going back on the deal. The Green Knight’s response to this is similar to his laughter in Camelot. He laughs out loud but this time gives an explanation, saying that he knew all along and that’s why he cut him. This confession on the Green Knight’s part is why his laughter back in Camelot was all knowing. Sir Gawain tries to convince the Green Knight that he is an awful human being, that he deserves to be beheaded for going back on the deal and partaking in the small courtly affair with the Lady, but that is why the Lord laughs. Sir Gawain’s persistence that he did something horrible is why the Green Knight laughs. He finds it funny that something as small and harmless as a girdle could work up a man like this. With his laugh, he implies that Sir Gawain is being naïve to think that everything he does has such dire consequences, that he will automatically be less of a man because of his actions. The Green Knight’s laugh strips Sir Gawain down, pronouncing him to be a silly mortal who knows not of what he speaks. This type of laughter follows Sir Gawain back to …show more content…
When he arrives, Arthur tries to comfort him and that’s when the court does the same by laughing gayly. This laughter is happy, hence the adjective “gay” (2514) and the intent to cheer Sir Gawain up would mean that it is not meant to sound rude. On one hand, everyone is most likely relieved that he is home and well, not gone from them forever. This is a relieved sort of laughter, which is also considered happy laughter. On the other, this could be Camelot’s way of saying that Sir Gawain is being silly thinking that he has aggrieved the Green Knight, cheated him in some way, and is no longer the good Christian Knight that he once was. The people see that he has finally grown up, left the naïve world of black and white and joined them in the world of color. The Round Table laughs it off because they believe Sir Gawain will eventually realize that he has done nothing wrong and that the sash should not be an awful reminder of something, but a token of him turning from naïve boy to grown