Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English Arthurian romance. It is a a story of a knight’s attributes that display chivalry – courage, honor, purity, courtesy – and the test of those. The introduction of the poem forms a historical background which makes it easier for many of the poem’s themes to be introduced. The action of the poem opens at Camelot on New Year’s Day. Arthur maintains the tradition of refusing to eat until he sees or hears of a great adventure. This is when the Green Knight enters the hall riding a green horse. He challenges the king to participate in his game that is to strike him with his axe once on condition that the Green Knight can do the same in a year and a day’s time. King Arthur is about to accept the challenge when Sir Gawain says he will take the honour instead. Sir …show more content…
A year later the journey of Sir Gawain begins.

The first test of his chivalry is keeping his words and meeting the Green Knight after the time said. Many challenges occur on his way through the wilderness to the Green Chapel. On Christmas Eve he prays for help and that is when he finds a castle, where he is welcomed by Lord Bertilak and his wife. When the main Christmas feast is over, Gawain thanks his hosts and tells them that he should go as he has an appointment at the Green Chapel. But the lord assures him that the chapel is not far and there is no need to hurry. Instead, he offers him to stay until New Year’s Day and proposes a game. While he is out hunting, Gawain remains in the castle and they shall exchange what they win during the next days. Gawain will take what the lord catches and the lord will receive whatever Gawain’s gains from the castle are. And Sir Gawain agrees. On the first day, the lord goes hunting early in the morning while Gawain has a lie-in. On that same morning, the lady of the