Within the literary criticism “Knight in Tarnished Armour: The Meaning of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” by Gordon M. Shedd, the medieval romance of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was analyzed to express the theme of the “nature of man” (Shedd). Shedd begins by illustrating that the narrative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight contrasts with other literatures that was created with the same era. Afterwards, he then explains the poem with great detail regarding the events within the piece such as the Green Knight’s appearance to the point of Sir Gawain’s safe return to King Arthur’s court. As Shedd describe Gawain’s journey, the theme of the “nature of man” is displayed and is expressed within the poem when Gawain realizes that “the hero’s recognition of the strengths and weakness” is the characteristic that makes humans flawed (Shedd). This
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He at first refused the gift however it was only after when “she mentions that it has the power of rendering the wearer invincible to harm that he begins to weaken” and finally accepts (Shedd). Gawain had accepted, but the major sin that he committed was he agreed “on his honour hide it from her husband” , which displayed his knightly flaws (74). To begin with it should have not been even taken within the first place, however Gawain was tempted by the greed of power in order to survive his confrontation with the Green Knight. This “produce Gawain’s failure of courage” and allowed him forget his chivalrous behavior and strive for his own selfish goals. It was when Bertilak conveys his strengths and weaknesses that he is able to understand that it the epitome of the “nature of man” (Shedd). Gawain then understood this realization that he felt that if he were to lose his life then he would “never be able to restore” the misdeeds that he has committed
He at first refused the gift however it was only after when “she mentions that it has the power of rendering the wearer invincible to harm that he begins to weaken” and finally accepts (Shedd). Gawain had accepted, but the major sin that he committed was he agreed “on his honour hide it from her husband” , which displayed his knightly flaws (74). To begin with it should have not been even taken within the first place, however Gawain was tempted by the greed of power in order to survive his confrontation with the Green Knight. This “produce Gawain’s failure of courage” and allowed him forget his chivalrous behavior and strive for his own selfish goals. It was when Bertilak conveys his strengths and weaknesses that he is able to understand that it the epitome of the “nature of man” (Shedd). Gawain then understood this realization that he felt that if he were to lose his life then he would “never be able to restore” the misdeeds that he has committed