Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
By: Brandon
Infusino
Sir Gawain was one of the greatest Knights Camelot has ever seen. He lives his
life based on the chivalric code, and was even believed to be the definition, if
you will, of chivalry. We see what a Noble Knight Gawain is right from the get
go of the poem when he stands in for the King for the Green Knight's game. By
making this decision Gawain just gave us his life for his King.
Much of the drama in the story takes place during Gawain's travels and
ultimately his stay at Bertilak's castle. The author took great care to describe
in detail how flawless Gawain was and famous in Camelot and far beyond. For
example the pentagonal on Gawain's shield represents the five different ways in
which Gawain embodies flawless virtue. These five areas in which Gawain is
believed to be flawless are: franchise, fellowship, cleanness, courtesy, and
charity. As Gawain is on his long journey to meet the Green Knight the author
describes his travels through dense forests and wintry weather, not to mention
the battles in which Gawain slays bests, and giants. These are all virtues of a
true Tragic Hero.
Gawain's flaw, which could be viewed as more minor than many of the Tragic
Hero's is what ultimately decides his fate with the Green Knight. During his
stay at Bertilak's castle, Gawain makes a deal with the Lord that for three days
Gawain should stay in the castle while he goes hunting. At the end of the day
they are to exchange what each of them obtained that day. This little game is
actually a test of Gawain's chivalric values. While Gawain is at the castle,
Lady Bertilak makes many advances on Gawain only to be turned away with just a
kiss. However on the third day Gawain gives in and lets Lady Bertilak give him
her green silk tunic, only after refusing to take the valuable gold ring she
offered him. This green sash that Gawain accepted is supposed to protect the
wearer from death. Aware of his approaching meeting with the Green Knight,
Gawain was easily persuaded to take the tunic and keep it a secret. When the
time came for the Lord and Gawain to exchange their winnings of the day, Gawain
gives him three kisses, and leaves out the silk tunic. This is the point of the
story where Gawain made his biggest mistake, however it is not yet apparent to
him. Only when Gawain goes to the Green chapel to receive his return blow does
he discover his flaw. When Gawain goes into the chapel the Green Knight who is
pleased to see that Gawain held up his end of the bargain greets him. After this
Gawain exposes his neck to receive a low from the Green Knight, however when the
Knight raises his ax Gawain flinches and the Green Knight stops to yell at
Gawain, telling him what a coward he is. The same thing happens a second time,
and then on the third time the Green Knight stopped his ax perfectly so as to
only split the skin on Gawain's neck. The green Knight then goes on to explain
to the amazed Gawain that the first two strokes represented the first two days
of the game, as well as his identity of the Lord of the castle. He then tells
him that he arranged the come-ons of his wife, and that by concealing the sash
from the King is why his neck was bleeding. After seeing how Gawain dealt with
his wife the Green Knight is a firm believer that Gawain is truly the finest man
alive, with the exception of his unconditional love for life, Gawain's only
Tragic Flaw.
During Gawain's trip back to Camelot
he has plenty of time to cure his covetousness and determine how he could
let his upstanding chivalric values go down the tube. Upon arrival at Camelot
Gawain is welcomed by everyone, whom are glad to have their most noble Knight
home, yet Gawain still hangs his head in shame of his actions.
Sir
Gawain, Tragic Hero?
Most Definitely!
From his tragic flaw to his fall from the ultimate of chivalric knights Gawain
displays attributes of a true tragic hero throughout the entire poem. Gawain
stems from a noble birth all the way up to his formidable acclaim as the best
knight at King Arthur's round table. No one in this poem is responsible for
Gawain's fate except himself. It was Gawain who chose to play the Christmas game
as well as go along with the agreement made between himself and King Bertilak,
no one else can be held responsible for Gawain's fate. As far as Tragic Flaws go
Gawain's is not necessarily the most severe, he loves life. Yet this is still
his Tragic Flaw which ultimately leads to his fall in esteem and split skin on
his neck. Once the story line shifts to Gawain's stay at King Bertilak's castle
it is inevitable that Gawain
is
going to make a major judgment error. Sure enough on the third day of his stay
at the castle Gawain is faced with a dilemma involving his chivalric values,
where he can either honor the requests of the beautiful Lady Bertilak or honor
his lord. This is where Gawain's Tragic Flaw comes into play and he thinks about
life, and how the green sash could save his. The second part this problem is
that Lady Bertilak pleads that Gawain not reveal the sash to the King; Gawain
agrees and there by sentences himself to the Green Knights ax. It is not until
the Green Knight explains to Gawain what had happened that Gawain realizes he
made the irreversible mistake of humoring Lady Bertilak and trying to save his
own hide. In the beginning of this poem when Gawain steps in, in place of King
Arthur for the Green Knight's Christmas game it seems as if he is honorable
excepting death by decapitation. However, later in the poem Gawain accepts the
green sash from Lady Bertilak. This sort of proves that he doesn't want to die,
furthermore when the Green Knight raises his ax at Gawain, Gawain cringes and
shies away cowardly. Last, Gawain doesn't necessarily meet a Tragic Death in the
sense that we think of. Instead Gawain meets a symbolic death by the breaking of
the skin on his neck.
