Very little information is known about the Pearl poet yet this unknown author lives through his poems as he carefully molds the characters into play. His commentary is a deceptive one, either his character is a valiant hero who upholds his values or is a coward. A hero comes in many forms,however they all must obey a standard that makes them one. Whether it is their own virtues or a code, a hero must always follow without hesitation or question of these commands. His or her acts are solely based on protecting those who are incapable of defending themselves. Such acts are seen in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by the Pearl poet himself, where Sir Gawain risks his life for King Arthur by playing the Green Knights game. While many
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The Pearl Poet portrays Gawain as an innocent bystander in, yet, another game of the Green Knight. When Gawain was given the belt, he promised the Lady that he wouldn 't tell her husband, the Lord of the castle. He was not breaking a chivalric code by keeping the belt away from the lord, but rather he was abiding to keeping his word. According to shmoop.com, the belt represented two things, at first the belt represented failure because it was a reminder to Gawain of not adhering to the code of chivalry. But when he returned to King Arthur, every knight wore the same green belt to represent honor, according to page 235 line 2519, " And so it was bound, to the Round Table 's renown, And whoever wore it was evermore honored,..." Unlike Gawain, the symbolism of the belt evolved twice in the poem. The Pearl Poet displayed Gawain as a stagnant character that was faced with corruption and tests of his life …show more content…
As human nature always prevails, Gawain was subject to human decision being compelled to confront the forces of nature internally and externally. When faced with this opposition Gawain was stripped of his moral innocence, leading to the cessation of power within himself. However, as the pearl poet describes Gawain 's journey from beginning to end, he conveys Gawain as a chivalric knight that embodies the expectations of the code of chivalry. As Gawains humility in this circumstance becomes evident towards the end of the poem, it not only epitomizes his christian values and virtues but reveals the qualities a valiant, honorable, courteous, and noble knight should posses. To God Sovereign, Country, and the code of
The Pearl Poet portrays Gawain as an innocent bystander in, yet, another game of the Green Knight. When Gawain was given the belt, he promised the Lady that he wouldn 't tell her husband, the Lord of the castle. He was not breaking a chivalric code by keeping the belt away from the lord, but rather he was abiding to keeping his word. According to shmoop.com, the belt represented two things, at first the belt represented failure because it was a reminder to Gawain of not adhering to the code of chivalry. But when he returned to King Arthur, every knight wore the same green belt to represent honor, according to page 235 line 2519, " And so it was bound, to the Round Table 's renown, And whoever wore it was evermore honored,..." Unlike Gawain, the symbolism of the belt evolved twice in the poem. The Pearl Poet displayed Gawain as a stagnant character that was faced with corruption and tests of his life …show more content…
As human nature always prevails, Gawain was subject to human decision being compelled to confront the forces of nature internally and externally. When faced with this opposition Gawain was stripped of his moral innocence, leading to the cessation of power within himself. However, as the pearl poet describes Gawain 's journey from beginning to end, he conveys Gawain as a chivalric knight that embodies the expectations of the code of chivalry. As Gawains humility in this circumstance becomes evident towards the end of the poem, it not only epitomizes his christian values and virtues but reveals the qualities a valiant, honorable, courteous, and noble knight should posses. To God Sovereign, Country, and the code of