Literary Criticism In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Literary critic Cindy Vitto expands the idea that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, can be interpreted as adolescent literature. Vitto asserts that the moral and cultural lessons expressed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight were meant to teach noble adolescent males important values that would help them in their passage into adulthood. In order to support her argument Vitto alludes to the work of other literary critics and expands on the significance of events in the poem. The interesting interpretation of Gawain’s experiences through a psychoanalytical perspective reveals explanations to events in the poem that support Vitto’s thesis. Vitto alludes to the literal interpretation of the hunting scenes that tends to be overlooked by the parallel …show more content…
To adolescent male nobles, this cultural task would not only be entertaining, but also necessary for survival. Hunting, according to Vitto is an activity of manhood, which Gawain as the boyish figure is excluded from. The parallel scenes to the hunt, the bedroom scenes, are paramount to Vitto’s argument. She states that the dangers of women and Gawain’s naiveté ultimately lead to his downfall. Gawain’s lack of experience prevent him from noticing the signs of danger and when he is invited into Bertilak’s castle. Furthermore, his naiveté prevents him from noticing the dangers of the older woman who is later revealed as the mastermind. Throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the dangers of women is emphasized to warn young noble men of the potential threats and the power women both young and old possess. The poem as a rite of passage would not only be entertaining to young noble males, but also educational according to …show more content…
As a work of literature that could have been used to not only entertain, but also educate the young nobility, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight would be an effective way to convey cultural values of knighthood and maturity. Gawain’s character and the structure of a Romance lends itself to engender the lessons that young nobles would need to learn. The characteristics of imperfection and the failures that Gawain commits assists in the learning process of important Norman values such as courtesy, religion, and warns against the potential dangers of women. The novel also provides insight into more literal aspects needed for survival such as the treatment of game. As a rite of passage Gawain is able to overcome even though he fails and gives into Lady Bertilak by accepting the green girdle. Overall the poem demonstrates that in order to mature and prove worthiness mistakes are only part of maturing into