Throughout the Middle English chivalric romance poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Alan Markman describes the protagonist as “the very best knight who sums up…the very best traits of all knights who ever lived” (Markman 576), due to his courageous reputation during the Arthurian period. However, Victoria Weiss disagrees with Markman’s statement, commenting that Gawain’s courage in the poem is viewed as “a lack of concern for human life” (Weiss 363). For the purposes of this study, medieval chivalric courage has been defined as “a constant quest to improve on achievement” (Keen 15), an element in which Gawain is obliged to follow in order to display acts of courageousness and determination. However, the kind of courage Gawain is challenged
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At first none of the knights agree to accept the Green Knight’s proposition and therefore he begins to manipulate them and questions their courageous reputation–“Where is now your sourquydrye and your conquests, Your gryndellayk and your greme and your grete words?” (Barron 48). Gawain portrays immense courage and nobility as he is willing to risk his own life by agreeing to accept the Green Knight’s “test of morality” (Green 125). Therefore, Gawain rises to the challenge and beheads his opponent. The protagonist is aware of the social pressure that surrounds him as he must demonstrate excellence and determination in order to be portrayed as a valiant and courageous knight. Weiss, however, believes that Gawain lacks in courage and nobility and is portrayed as a failure in the first beheading scene. Weiss (362) states that “nowhere in the first scene of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the exchange to blows referred to in terms of chopping off another’s head”. This declaration is in stark contrast with Markman’s view as he comments that Gawain’s “courtesy requires no discovery here” (Markman 577). It is clear that the theme of courage is strongly present throughout this passage, as Gawain drastically takes on the role of representing King Arthur and the idea of the Arthurian court, by agreeing to the exchange of blows with the Green
At first none of the knights agree to accept the Green Knight’s proposition and therefore he begins to manipulate them and questions their courageous reputation–“Where is now your sourquydrye and your conquests, Your gryndellayk and your greme and your grete words?” (Barron 48). Gawain portrays immense courage and nobility as he is willing to risk his own life by agreeing to accept the Green Knight’s “test of morality” (Green 125). Therefore, Gawain rises to the challenge and beheads his opponent. The protagonist is aware of the social pressure that surrounds him as he must demonstrate excellence and determination in order to be portrayed as a valiant and courageous knight. Weiss, however, believes that Gawain lacks in courage and nobility and is portrayed as a failure in the first beheading scene. Weiss (362) states that “nowhere in the first scene of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the exchange to blows referred to in terms of chopping off another’s head”. This declaration is in stark contrast with Markman’s view as he comments that Gawain’s “courtesy requires no discovery here” (Markman 577). It is clear that the theme of courage is strongly present throughout this passage, as Gawain drastically takes on the role of representing King Arthur and the idea of the Arthurian court, by agreeing to the exchange of blows with the Green