Chivalry and Mortality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Introduction: Romance, Chivalry, and Satirical Intent

Although Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is considered a romantic poem because of its nature and the era in which it was written, it does not represent romance in the traditional sense of courtly love during the medieval period. Notably, the poem does not substantially represent any of the conventions listed in "The Art of Courtly Love" by Capellanus; instead, it focuses on the chivalrous nature of an honorable knight who struggles when his chivalry comes into conflict with his basic need for self-preservation.

This paper examines Gawain's character, which is clearly very noble, and how the conflict between morality and mortality becomes almost a mockery by the poet by the end of the poem. Through satire, the poet shows the reader how even the noblest and most honorable knight can fall victim to the basic instincts of humanity and come into conflict with the moral code of chivalry.

Upon closer inspection, the reader is left to wonder whether the poet is doubting the values of the chivalric court by playing within the bounds of the romantic genre. This question speaks directly to the poem's genre classification. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is "one of the latest and certainly the best of the Middle English romances; yet its greatness lies in the fact that, without ever ceasing to be a romance, a fiction full of the most comic touches, it is something much larger, one of the really significant literary achievements of the Middle Ages" (Abrahms 242). The poem belongs to the Alliterative Revival, an emergence of a body of poems in the alliterative meter of Old English verse (232).

Camelot and the Green Knight's Challenge

The poem takes place in Arthurian England during the New Year's celebration at Camelot, known to be a place of adventure and bravery. King Arthur has established a court of chivalry and nobility populated by brave knights and lovely ladies. At the celebration are King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, surrounded by their knights, including Gawain.

It is interesting to note that the poet mentions the darker side of British history, observing that war and misery have played their part alongside British prosperity. Also worth noting is the elaborate description of Camelot, which borders on the excessive. One could argue that such a talented poet would not need to go to such lengths to describe Camelot unless there were an underlying reason. Could the mention of the dark side of British history, combined with the almost laborious description of Camelot, be a subtle hint of things to come?

Furthermore, the poet's description of the merriment at the New Year's feast implies perhaps a certain amount of corruption or perversion within Arthur's court. The reader also gains the impression that Arthur is immature: he is described as being "light in his lordly heart, and a little boyish" (235), and he demands some form of entertainment before the feast can begin.

The Green Knight can be viewed from the outset as an obvious figure of opposition. He seems to represent everything Gawain does not, and knowing the end of the story makes this easy to imagine. The stranger could also be read as a symbol of the Devil, as he stands in opposition to the good embodied by Gawain. The poet spends considerable time describing the stranger, and if he is indeed criticizing the chivalric court, that would explain his mocking tone. Another hint that the poet is slighting Arthur's court is the silence of its members as they "sat stunned at his strong words" (239), while the stranger mocks them openly.

Gawain's Character and the Symbolism of the Pentangle

Gawain's offer to accept the Green Knight's challenge in Arthur's palace is the reader's first real indication of his nobility. He steps forward to risk his life so that Arthur will not have to. The noble knight wins the beheading game and a date is set for an exchange of blows at the Green Chapel.

In the second part of the poem, the reader encounters a very detailed description of Sir Gawain as he prepares for the journey ahead. He and his horse are richly attired; Gawain is suited in a veiled helmet topped with a diamond-studded crown. He also carries a shield bearing a pentangle, or five-pointed star, on one side. The poet pays close attention to this symbol, describing it as "a sign by Solomon sagely devised to be a token of truth, but its title of old, for it is formed with five points and each line is linked and locked with the next for ever and is called in all England, as I hear, the endless knot" (247). An image of the Virgin Mary adorned the other side of the shield, giving him courage.

Gawain is described as "good in works, as gold unalloyed, devoid of all villainy, with virtues adorned in sight" (247). The poet elaborates that Gawain is faultless in his five senses, his five fingers unfailing, his faith fixed upon Christ's five wounds, and his strength found in the five joys Mary had through Jesus. Finally, he embodied, more than any other living man, five virtues: friendship, fellowship, cleanliness, courtesy, and charity (248).

This richly symbolic preparation underscores just how thoroughly Gawain has internalized the chivalric code. Every detail of his arms and armor points outward to a corresponding spiritual or moral quality, making him the poem's ideal representative of knightly virtue before that ideal is tested.

Conclusion: Humanity, Honor, and the Limits of Chivalry

Although the poet is successful at illustrating the fallacy within the code of chivalry, Gawain does not end up being a failure. Gawain represents the best human characteristics, whether they are ultimately attainable or not. His character was real and transparent — and also made a fool of — which is very much how things happen in the world. Trickery cannot always be avoided, and sometimes decisions are not choices between a clear right and wrong but rather between shades of grey.