RBD Gawain and the Green Knight

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain embarks on a journey “the dunte that schulde hym deve, and nedez hit most be done (to stand a crushing blow in helpless sufferance),” because of the deal he made with the Green Knight (1285-86). This scenario brought upon by various choices made by Sir Gawain, fits perfectly with Campbell’s description of a hero as a “man of self-achieved submission” (16). Gawain accepts his unfavorable fate without question, knowing that he brought it upon himself, and continues to live his life chivalrously. When he stops at the castle on his quest to find the Green Knight a year later, Gawain is presented with an offer that he finds hard to refuse. The lord of the castles tells him that he can have anything he kills on his hunt if Gawain in return will give the lord whatever he receives from relaxing with his wife all day. Even though he is quite frequently tempted by the lord’s wife, Gawain chooses truth instead of the enticement, and always puts his word into action by giving the lord exactly what he receives. On the eve of his encounter with the Green Knight, however, Gawain’s gallant spirits falter and he chooses to keep the scarf that the lord’s wife gives him for protection in secrecy. The next day when he meets with the Green Knight, it is revealed that the lord and the Green Knight are actually the same person and that he is aware of Gawain’s betrayal. In this revelation, the Green Knight says, “and the wowing of my wyf: I woght it myselven. I sende hir to asay the, and sothly me thynkkez on the fautlest freke that ever on fote yede…bot here yow lakked a lyttel…and lewte yow wonted” (I arranged it myself. I sent her to test you, and to me truly you seem to be one of the most perfect men who ever walked the earth,” but “only here you fell short… and lacked fidelity) (2361-66).

This story of Gawain and the Green Knight is similar to Adam and eve's temptation in the Garden of Eden.

Gawain’s moment of weakness in his loyalty to the Green Knight and his cause of chivalry should have been one of utter embarrassment and shame, but the Green Knight’s reply was, “ thou art confessed so clene, beknown of thy mysses, and hatz penaunce apert of the point of myn egge, I halde thepolysed of that plight, and pured as clene as thou hadez never forfeted sythen thou watz first borne” (you have so cleanly confessed yourself, admitted your fault, and done honest penance on the edge of my blade. I declare you absolved of that offence, and washed as clean as if you had never transgressed since the day you were born) (2391-94). In my opinion, the characters in this epic poem are representative of something greater than just their names. We have all been challenged in this lifetime and this story portrays how we as humans should deal with temptation and unfaithfulness. Gawain, symbolic of the human race, is good and pure and falters for a brief moment in his journey due to the overwhelming powers of the lord’s wife of temptation (Satan). Instead of holding his fault against him, the Green Knight (God/humanity) forgives Gawain through his penance and sets him free, selflessly giving him his sash as well. While we might not all see these characters as the same images, we can follow their example of upholding the values of chivalry and truth in our lives. We all make mistakes and by learning to sincerely accept them, we become all the more courageous. Thus, just as Gawain was honored for learning this lesson, we can say, “Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense” (shame upon him who thinks evil of it) and transform our failures into daring successes.