Short Argument 1: Disproving Knightly Virtues The early centuries were a time when chivalry and courtesy were highly valued among men, as seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Lord Bertilak is a man who wants to disprove the knightly virtues through tests and games. This alliterative poem points out the scandals in a knight’s reputation. As the poem begins with a green knight entering King Arthur’s feast with a challenge, he states “where’s the fortitude and fearlessness you’re so famous for? And the breathtaking bravery and the big-mouth bragging? The towering reputation of the Round Table, skittled and scuppered by a stranger- what a scandal! You flap and you flinch and I’ve not raised a finger!” (311-315). This Green Knight- also known
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The overpowering imagery in this quote exemplifies how dangerous this game was; physically dangerous because Gawain was faced with death, and dangerous in a sense that it would bring a noble knight to a halt due to his shortcomings and failure from temptation. This furthers the idea that the Green Knight’s games and tests were to prove what kind of a man Gawain truly was on the inside: a coward, a sinner, a brave soul, or courteous. Although Gawain sinned and lied to Lord Bertilak, he stayed true to his promise to meet and play the knights game, proving he is brave and an honorable knight who follows his virtues, even with short fallings. As the Green Knight spared Gawain’s life, this also falls into the idea that Christianity played a role in his forgiveness towards Gawain. Christ had pardoned Gawain for his sins and helped him find safety in his journey, and the Green knight had spared Gawain, proving he forgave him. This also creates the idea that the Green Knight was a good, noble man who resembled God since he blessed mercy on the knight who had …show more content…
This specific language creates the illusion that Gawain was a noble knight who could not be broken. But also, these statements further the concept of Christianity and its formation among men; the Green Knight’s purpose of the games and tests were to find faults in these godly knights because they were not perfect, they were human. He aimed to point out that like Christians in the Bible, knights had flaws like everyone else, but life would go on because God would pardon men. The Green Knight desired to show human and nature values over the five knightly virtues that men lived by: he wanted to exploit these men to by challenging them to prove their social behavior and inner selves. Along the lines of forgiveness, the Green Knight explains to Gawain that “the harm which you caused me is wholly healed. By confessing your failings, you are free from fault and have openly paid penance at the point of my axe, I declare you purged, and polished and as pure and the day you were born, without blemish or blame” (2390-2394). It can be seen that this quote is a symbol of Christianity at the time considering Gawain was forgiven for all of his wrong doings while at the palace. In addition, this pardon is a way of showing that although the Gawain drifted from his knightly values, he
The overpowering imagery in this quote exemplifies how dangerous this game was; physically dangerous because Gawain was faced with death, and dangerous in a sense that it would bring a noble knight to a halt due to his shortcomings and failure from temptation. This furthers the idea that the Green Knight’s games and tests were to prove what kind of a man Gawain truly was on the inside: a coward, a sinner, a brave soul, or courteous. Although Gawain sinned and lied to Lord Bertilak, he stayed true to his promise to meet and play the knights game, proving he is brave and an honorable knight who follows his virtues, even with short fallings. As the Green Knight spared Gawain’s life, this also falls into the idea that Christianity played a role in his forgiveness towards Gawain. Christ had pardoned Gawain for his sins and helped him find safety in his journey, and the Green knight had spared Gawain, proving he forgave him. This also creates the idea that the Green Knight was a good, noble man who resembled God since he blessed mercy on the knight who had …show more content…
This specific language creates the illusion that Gawain was a noble knight who could not be broken. But also, these statements further the concept of Christianity and its formation among men; the Green Knight’s purpose of the games and tests were to find faults in these godly knights because they were not perfect, they were human. He aimed to point out that like Christians in the Bible, knights had flaws like everyone else, but life would go on because God would pardon men. The Green Knight desired to show human and nature values over the five knightly virtues that men lived by: he wanted to exploit these men to by challenging them to prove their social behavior and inner selves. Along the lines of forgiveness, the Green Knight explains to Gawain that “the harm which you caused me is wholly healed. By confessing your failings, you are free from fault and have openly paid penance at the point of my axe, I declare you purged, and polished and as pure and the day you were born, without blemish or blame” (2390-2394). It can be seen that this quote is a symbol of Christianity at the time considering Gawain was forgiven for all of his wrong doings while at the palace. In addition, this pardon is a way of showing that although the Gawain drifted from his knightly values, he