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Justin Busch

Dr. VanLaningham

English Capstone

8 November 2017

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Revisionist Hero

The notion of heroism is something that reflects the values and morals of a culture. This

means that its conception is often changing as society does. Many scholars, such as Joseph

Campbell in A Hero with a Thousand Faces, suggest the idea of a monomyth, which is a

template that covers a wide range of stories regarding the journey that heroes embark on. Despite

this template for the heros journey, there are no specifics of what the challenges and actions that

a hero faces must be. Traditional heroes, such as Odysseus, traveled great lengths and defeated

dangerous adversaries. Robin Hoods heroism stemmed from stealing from the rich and giving to

the poor. More modern heroes such as Atticus Finch spoke out against injustice in the world, and

Sherlock Holmes used his great intellect to solve mysteries. Regardless of how different these

heroes journeys are, one thing holds truethe hero is the living embodiment of the values and

beliefs of a culture.

Literary and Social Background

The term hero, in a general sense, refers to the protagonist of a work. More specifically, it

can be applied to the characters in stories that can be looked up to as an ideal whose behaviors

can be mimicked in real life. There are also a variety of specific terms associated with the term

hero. The term traditional hero refers to the protagonists of very early works of literature such as
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The Iliad, The Aeneid, and Beowulf. The heroes in these works are known for their great

achievements in battle: being men of action that are skilled fighters and resourceful, as well as

being almost divine entities that transcend ordinary people. Other forms of heroes include the

anti-hero, someone who doesnt embody the traditional characteristics of a hero, yet is still able

to be considered a hero. A tragic hero is someone who has flaws and although they perform

heroic actions, ultimately are brought down by their flaws. An everyday-hero is someone who

doesnt undergo any great struggles or go on any grand adventure, rather they are people that

prove themselves heroic doing very basic everyday tasks. Types of heroism can also be tied to

literary genres. Romances, for example, have an archetypal hero that rejects established norms,

often pushed out of society, and has himself as the center of his own existence (Bishop 6). Even

furthering this idea of the romantic hero is the heroes that can be found in the genre of chivalric

romances. These heroes conform to the typical notions of romantic heroes, but they also follow

the code of chivalry, which is a moral code that focuses on the qualities of physical prowess,

courtesy, loyalty, and Christianity.

The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (14th century) is a story of heroism that is

considered to be a chivalric romance which succeeds and displaces the genre of the epic (Ker 3).

It is important to note that although many stories that are considered to be romances are poems,

many of these romances were written in prose as stories. This is unlike epics, which were all

poems. The significance of this shows that there has been a shift in culture. Epics are long

narrative poems whose heroes went on journeys of great lengths, encountered incredible

challenges along the way, and often had to perform tremendous feats of strength and prowess in

their journeys. As W.P. Ker points out, The favourite adventure of medieval romance is

something different (6). Often it is a knight saving a damsel in distress, enduring a gauntlet of
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battles against other knights or mythic beasts, or fulfilling a quest for his king. Chivalric (also

called medieval) romances were similar in many ways. Romances often centered around warrior

heroes embarking on a journey, and prowess was an important feature of the heroes. These are

two large similarities and along with the fact that often times romances would even reference

epic poems, shows how closely related the two genres are. However, these romances also

differed from epic poems quite a bit.

The most central aspect of the chivalric romance that differed from epic poems was the

concept of chivalry. Chivalry was a moral code that rejected the morals of the previous era

because although both are centered on physical prowess, chivalry adds the notions of courtesy,

loyalty, and religion to the mix. Furthermore, chivalry united in its institution a love of arms

and military renown, an eagerness to support the weak, to protect the oppressed, to avenge the

wrongs of the widow and the orphan, to restrain the lawless, and to refine the rude (Kerney

142). Chivalry served the purpose of balancing the need for strong warriors with the sentiments

of religion, honor, and courtesy. These new elements add to the characteristics of the ideal hero

by including a moral code to go along with having physical prowess as opposed to only having a

warrior code.

This new moral code attempted to be a civilizing influence on the warrior code by adding

notions loyalty, courtesy, and piety. However, these aspects of this new code were ultimately

overshadowed because prowess was the most central, which brought along with it many societal

issues. A major flaw with the code of chivalry was that first and foremost the notion of physical

prowess (skill, bravery, and strength in battle) was the most important. As Richard W. Kaeuper

claims: [prowess] is the fundamental quality of chivalry. Prowess was truly the demi-god in the

quasi-religion of chivalric honour; knights were indeed the privileged practitioners of violence in
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their society (130). No matter how courteous or how loyal a knight was, he earned respect for

his achievements in battle and in tournaments above all else. The issue with this was that when

knights were not off fighting, they didnt have a place to release their aggression. This caused

them to often act violently, and as Carl Grey Martin points out: the victims tended to be the

civilian peasants and townspeople who found themselves in the path of the marauding forces

(324). The fact that knights, who were considered to be noble, would often wreak havoc on the

surrounding communities showed that something needed to be changed.

The most famous and most popular author of chivalric romances during the time period

was Chretien de Troyes. His works about the Knights of the Round Table would have been told

to people all throughout medieval Europe, including knights. His works such as Yvain, Knight of

the Lion, often expressed the notion that in regards to chivalry, all would be forgiven as long as

the knight showed tremendous prowess. These stories were so influential that they even led to

King Edward III to form his own version of the Round Table, which ended up being incredibly

flawed. Despite the widespread acceptance of chivalry, there were many people, like the Gawain

poet, who believed that chivalry was flawed and needed reform.

There has been a wide variety of analysis about the poem of Gawain that comments on

the reform that occurs in the poem. Ad Putter gives an analysis of the poem stating that neither

Gawain nor the story suggests that Gawains ethical ideas should be abandoned as hopelessly

quixotic and unworkable (100). Rather he states that Gawains failures as a heroic figure come

from his brief suspension of moral judgement (Putter 100). He indicates that Gawains flaws

are breaking away from the code, not that there is something fundamentally flawed with the

code. This incomplete analysis fails to take into account the conflicting moral principles of

chivalry. Wendy Clein argues that The heros occupation as a fighter has not prepared him to
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accept without struggle the inevitability of death, but, paradoxically because of his adherence to

chivalric ideals, Gawain emerges as an exemplary figure (127). This more accurately assesses

the notion of chivalry because the strictness of the code requires utter perfection, which is

impossible for mankind to achieve. Furthering Cleins point, Alan Markman suggests that

Gawain is the ideal feudal Christian knight who not only represents the very highest reaches of

human behavior but who also holds out for our evaluation those qualities in a man which his age,

and the feudal age at large, admired most (576). Markman poses the idea that being a hero

doesnt require someone to be considered larger than life like traditional heroes found in epics.

Rather, making mistakes and dealing with more relatable issues in the best way possible is what

makes Gawain such a great hero.

By combining both Cleins and Markmans analyses, it appears that this story both

questions the ideals of chivalry as well as the notion that Gawain is a hero who should be

mirrored by the knights of the time period. There is a major flaw with chivalry since it focuses so

much on physical prowess and the Gawain poet is rejecting the qualities of epic heroes as well as

other contemporary romances. He does this through the depiction and development of chivalry,

specifically the nonphysical aspects; thus, Gawains heroism is transformed into a more fully

refined and moral ideal.

Subverting Traditional Notions of Chivalry with Reformed Standards

During the time that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was written, the epitome of

chivalric romances were the works of Chretien de Troyes. He wrote of the Knights of the Round

Table and his works were incredibly popular. In fact, these stories were so popular amongst

knights that knights read Arthurian literature not as fiction but as a mirror of reality and

discovered in Arthur and his knights some important truth about themselves (Putter 39). This
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is significant because it would almost guarantee that the revisions of chivalry that the Gawain

poet makes would have been read by the people that he was trying to reform. One of the most

popular stories that Chretien de Troyes wrote was Yvain, Knight of the Lion. Essentially this

story sends the message to knights that being untrustworthy and unfaithful is okay as long as it is

compensated with great physical prowess. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight sends an opposing

message. The message that the Gawain poet sends is that Gawain is the ideal knight and that

prowess is less imperative compared to the values of courtesy, loyalty, and piety.

Gawain is depicted as the ideal Knight of the Round table. The purpose is to indicate to

all of the readers that he is the heroic figure whose behavior they should be emulating. Gawain

first proves this when he steps in to accept the Green Knights challenge in place of King Arthur.

All of these knights, supposedly known for fortitude and fearlessness as well as breathless

bravery, are stunned and silenced by this terrifying figure (Sir Gawain 311, 312). After Arthur

finally speaks up, Gawain courteously and respectfully steps in to take the place of his king. This

shows that he is the most brave and most loyal knight in Camelot, since he was courageous

enough to accept the challenge and it was his chivalric duty to step in for his king. Furthermore,

the symbolism of the pentangle also expresses that Gawain is the ideal knight. Each point of the

pentangle represents a different aspect of chivalry. The five aspects are prowess, courtesy,

loyalty, piety, and courage. It is also noted that these were five things that meant more to

Gawain than to most other men (Sir Gawain 654-655). Along with this, the Gawain poet notes:

Gawain was as good as the purest gold

devoid of vices but virtuous, loyal

and kind,
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........................

A prince who talked the truth:

known as the noblest knight. (Sir Gawain 633-635, 638-639)

Both of these passages serve as evidence that the symbol implies that the true pentangle knight,

the exemplar of chivalry, will maintain all his virtues without a lapse, for any break in the

symbol would alter its nature (Clein 93). This establishes that the Gawain poet depicted Gawain

as the standard to which knights of this time period should be compared moving forward.

Gawain is portrayed as the ideal knight from the very beginning. The purpose of this is to

indicate to the readers that he is the exemplar of knightly behavior and displays this not through

prowess but courtesy, courage, and loyalty. This initially occurs when he steps in for King

Arthur to face the Green Knight. It is Gawains chivalric duty to protect and fight for his king no

matter what, which is precisely what he did. He courageously takes Arthurs place and does so in

a courteous manner:

Should you call me, courteous lord, said Gawain to his king

to rise from my seat and stand at your side,

politely take leave of my place at the table

and quit causing offence to my queen,

then I shall come to your counsel before this great court. (Sir Gawain 343-347)

Gawain handles this situation just as well as any good knight could possibly do. He shows his

humility and courtesy by complimenting the king, the queen, and the rest of the court. In doing

so, Gawain proves himself to be even more chivalric than the Knights of the Round Table, who
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are supposed to be the ideal chivalric knights. Despite Gawain being the ideal knight, he

undoubtedly has his flaws as a human being just as the other Knights of the Round Table do. In

the Christian faith, every person is sinful. John Gardner explains, No man of flesh and blood

since Christ can be perfectly chivalrous, for at last the desire to save ones own neck is

overwhelming (80-81). It is impossible to follow the code of chivalry perfectly because every

person is human, that is, capable of making mistakes. This doesnt make anyone less heroic, it

just means that his heroism also has to include his ability to compensate for his humanity which

Gawain does so undeniably. The sins that Gawain make stem directly from his desire to stay

alive, something all humans want. He sins when is unable to keep his word to Bertilak by not

exchanging the girdle to him and flinches at the first stroke of the axe of the Green Knight, but

both of these sins are done in an effort to preserve his own life.

The Gawain poet shows that the way sins are reconciled is what is important, which

differs from the works of Chretien de Troyes. A common theme in the works of Chretien de

Troyes was that in order to make up for any fault, an act of prowess had to be performed.

Lancelot has to defeat Meleagant twice after committing adultery and Yvain has to defeat a

mighty giant as well as three fierce knights to reconcile their sins. The Gawain poet revises the

way the sins are reconciled with Gawain because Gawain doesnt perform an act of prowess after

making these mistakes. Rather, he has to go through confession with the Green Knight and

accept death:

Gawain confessed I flinched

at first, but will not fail.

Though once my heads unhitched

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its off once and for all! (Sir Gawain 2280-2283)

His confession parallels Christianity because a good Christian is supposed to confess their sins

to God just before death. Furthermore, the acceptance of death that he exemplifies during his

confessions shows that he rejects his warrior code in order to fully adhere to Christianity. As

Clein describes, The warrior code calls on them to defy death in acts of heroism and thereby

gain worldly fame. Christianity warns them to reject worldly things and to accept death (55).

The other Knights of the Round Table never accepted death in their stories. They fought against

all odds and through their heroism became well-renowned. Gawains story, on the other hand,

indicates that adhering to Christian values is more important than following the code of chivalry.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight doesnt only critique the literature of the time period, it

also directly critiques King Edward IIIs formation of The Order of the Garter. This order,

formed in the mid-14th century (prior to the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), stemmed

directly from chivalric romances, especially stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round

Table written by Chretien de Troyes. Although their motto was Shame be to him who thinks

evil of it, this was first and foremost a military institution used to unite the most powerful

knights under his rule (Arnold-Baker). This promoted the idea that knights were the privileged,

and extended the hierarchy that led knights to be so violent towards the peasantry. Carl Grey

Martin argues that chivalry was whatever its enthusiasts wanted it to be, accommodating and

ennobling all sorts of martial action, no matter how objectless, imprudent, or predatory (323).

This idea applies to Edwards order because he implemented chivalry into his order as a

mechanism of controlling his subordinates and using their strength for his personal gain.

Extending this point, Francis Ingledew points out that The Order of the Garter is the economical

symbol of this compound of youth and realized prowess (99). These knights were young,
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powerful, and were often not held accountable for their actions. Because of this, the poems

treatment of chivalry and its lack of prowess is an even stronger critique. Gawain exhibits

courtesy, loyalty, and piety much more than his prowess and acts as the exemplar for these

knights that were chosen for their prowess.

Gawains responses to his own sins indicate the proper way for knights to do so. He is

forgiven for his sins by the Green Knight because he confessed, and he takes the girdle as a sign

of my sinIll see it as such / when I swagger in the saddlea sad reminder / that the frailty of

his flesh is mans biggest fault (Sir Gawain 2433-2435). Gawain is suggesting that after a sin is

made, the proper response is to hold yourself accountable and to learn from the mistake.

Furthermore, Gawain explains that breaking the non-violent aspects of chivalry like loyalty and

courtesy should taint your honor just as failing in battle does. He says, when praise for my

prowess in arms swells my pride, / one look at this love-lace will lesson my ardor (Sir Gawain

2437-2438). This indicates that he is focused on his spiritual well-being more so than, as Lynn

Staley-Johnson writes, those nonessentials, such as the pride he takes in his reputation and

worldly glory (172). Pride, one of the seven deadly sins, and worldly glory are nothing in

comparison to the greatness of God and heaven which is why the Gawain poet depicts Gawain

rejecting those things. The knights in the Order of the Garter were selected for their prowess, but

the Gawain poet signifies that they should be less concerned with proving their worth to gain

fame and more concerned with their spiritual well-being just as Gawain did through his

confession and rejection of worldly glory.

The Gawain poet also directly links this poem to the Order of the Garter by placing the

motto of the order at the end of the text written in Anglo Norman: HONY SOYT QUI MAL

PENCE (Sir Gawain 2531). The purpose of this was to directly link The Order of the Garter to
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this poem to draw their attention towards the proper way to act. By drawing attention to The

Order of the Garter, Francis Ingledew indicates that the comparison becomes stronger because

the poems investment in a historical Troy and a historical Arthur and by its own allegorical

thematization of Arthurs court (that court is chivalry, as Edwards is), so that it readily reads the

Edwardian idea of history (19). The Gawain poet essentially is making the connection that

places like Rome and Troy are connected to Arthurs court, which is representative of King

Edwards Order of the Garter. There are many direct references to these ancient civilizations as

well as the heroes that resided in them throughout the poem. Hector from Troy is mentioned as

well as Romulus, the founder of Rome, and Aeneas is also mentioned. References to these

historical figures and places are important for two reasons. The first is that these epic heroes

mentioned are considered to be some of the strongest warriors and most heroic figures of the

past. The second reason is because all of these civilizations have since been destroyed. This is

significant because despite these heroes being incredible warriors, even sometimes thought to be

semi-divine, they are still all dead and the civilizations that they lived in have since been

demolished. This indicates that their way of life isnt sustainable. John Gardner points out, The

poet has good reason, then, for opening and closing with the fall of Troy: only one kingdom lasts

forever, the kingdom of [God] (81). Ultimately, the Edwardian court will also fail unless they

change their system of moral codes. The change that the Gawain poet suggests is that the code of

chivalry has to shift its focus from prowess to focusing on courtesy, loyalty, and piety.

The order of the Garter was also a target of the dramatization of Gawains piety and

chastity because King Edward III was sexually notorious. The order hypocritically was founded

on the basis of a story of Edward acting courteously towards a woman who had lost her Garter,

hence the name of their order (Arnold-Baker). However, the reality of this story gave Edward the
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freedom to sleep around because many people believed that Edward was extremely courteous

based on that story. The way that the Gawain poet revises this hypocrisy is through the girdle

that Gawain receives. The girdle is significant for two reasons. It first is a symbol of sina sign

of my fault and offence and failure (Sir Gawain 2506-2507). The second reason that this is

significant is because the girdle parallels the garter that Edward used to establish his order. The

Gawain poet uses a different feminine article of clothing and a different color, yet the implication

is still noticeable. The reason for this is not only to draw the attention of The Order of the Garter

to the poem, it is also to show that the blue garter that the knights in Edwards court wore was

also a symbol for their sins. They should use their garter to remind them of all of the malice that

has been committed and that they need to remember to act as the heroic figure Gawain does.

Subverting Prowess with Courtesy

The most important aspect of chivalry in 14th century Europe was undoubtedly physical

prowess. It is what kept the realms of medieval Europe safe from harm, one of the best ways for

a man to improve his social status, and the driving force behind gaining power. The issue with

this is that prowess was supposed to only be used outside of the court as a means of protection or

conquering, but knights spent most of the time inside the court. This led to them exhibiting their

prowess inside the court in harmful ways to the peasantry. The Gawain poet shows that Gawain

is a knight of great physical prowess, but he undercuts this notion through the depiction of

Gawains courtesy in the beheading game played between him and the Green Knight as well as

the game of exchanging winnings that Gawain plays with Bertilak.

When the Green Knight first arrives at Camelot, he is described: a fearful form

appeared a mountain of a man, immeasurably high, a hulk of a humana half giantthe

mightiest of mortals (Sir Gawain 136-141). This seemingly mythical giant challenges the
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knights of the court to a beheading game. The Green Knight grants one strike of an axe on his

neck under the condition that in a year the challenger grants him one strike of the axe in return.

Gawain accepts this challenge on the courts behalf. In doing so, he is given an opportunity to

prove his prowess. The notion that the Green Knight was described as a mountain of a man

and the manner that Gawain beheads the knight prove his strength: The cleanness of the strike

cleaved the spinal cord / and parted the fat and flesh so far / that the bright steel blade took a bite

from the floor (Sir Gawain 424-426). Gawain was able to wield a gigantic axe well enough to

cleanly chop off the head of a half giant and still have enough might to follow through so that

the axe hits the ground. Only a man with great physical prowess could sever the half giants head

in such a manner. However, just chopping off a mans head doesnt make Gawain seem all that

strong like a knight should be: The challenger submits passively to Gawains blow bowing his

head to expose the naked nec. Chivalric prowess plays no part in the contest (Clein 84). This

is only a partial assessment that Clein makes because of how the depiction of the Green Knights

stature as well as Gawains handling of the axe is depicted. Alternatively, prowess does play a

role in this contest. Its role is just diminished a great deal.

Furthermore, the survival of the Green Knight diminishes the importance of prowess

even more. The Green Knights challenge initiates a fundamental test of the nature of the

Arthurian court (Walker 111). His beheading game is a symbolic challenge on the code of

conduct that knights followed in the court. The warrior aspect of the code that was central to

chivalry articulated that knights were supposed to participate in battle in order to show their

worth. However, the Green Knight wants these warriors to suspend that aspect of the code by

demanding that they dishonorably strike a man down and then to passively submit that same

deed. Extending this idea, the Green Knights challenge is also meant to show the flaws in their
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resolutions to problems. Typically, the way problems were solved was through fighting. Thus,

when the problem (the Green Knight) arrives in the court performing in a joust, a tournament, or

another form of violence would have been the solution. This is significant because the violence

that is enacted doesnt eradicate the problem. The Green Knight picks up his severed head, states

that he expects Gawain to seek him out in one year, and walks out of the court. The Gawain poet

signifies that violence isnt the proper way to solve problems.

To extend Walkers point that this challenge serves to test the courts nature, it is also a

method of reformation. The method by which the Gawain poet implies is the best way to solve

problems is through courtesy. Typically, courtesy played the role in chivalry of containing the

blatant violence that the system perpetuated, but courtesy was still unable to be separated from

the physical violence (Walker 120). Although the two were thought to be inseparable, the plot

structure indicates a sense of detachment of these two things through the parallels of the hunting

that Bertilak does and the bedroom scenes that involve Gawain while he is Bertilaks guest in his

kingdom. These two actions in the poem are linked through the pact that the two make. Whatever

Bertilak wins on his hunt will be given to Gawain and whatever Gawain receives in the castle

will be Bertilaks. In each exchange, Bertilak holds up his end of the deal by bringing back a

boar, a deer, and a fox. Gawain fulfills his side of the deal on the first two days by exchanging

the kisses that he received. However, on the third day Gawain is given kisses and a girdle but

only exchanges the kisses. The reason for this is that Gawain is told the body which is bound

within this green belt, / as long as it is buckled robustly about him, / will be safe against anyone

who seeks to strike him (Sir Gawain 1851-1853). Knowing that he faces impending death,

Gawain breaks his promise to Bertilak. As Gerald Morgan indicates, Thus Gawain is taken in

the trap, for from the contradiction of the promises thus made to the lady and the lord there is no
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escape (Morgan). His warrior code calls on him to refuse death by any means necessary;

however, the moral aspects of chivalry indicate that he should never break an agreement that he

has made. The paradoxical situation that is presented by the Gawain poet depicts the

impossibilities of following both responsibilities.

The Gawain poet then shows that if Gawain were to have fully followed the notion of

courtesy instead of clinging to the girdle for dear life, then he would have been able to survive

the beheading game unscathed; instead he left with a scar on his neck. Since Bertilak and the

Green Knight are actually the same person, he knows that the girdle Gawain has belongs to his

wife. Knowing that Gawain didnt fulfill his promise on the third day but still sought out the

Green Knight and fulfilled his promise the first two days, Bertilak only decides to scar Gawain

with his axe. He then explains to Gawain that the beheading game was actually just testing his

loyalty and courtesy. The Green Knight would have left Gawain completely unharmed if he

wouldnt have broken his deal with Bertilak. The Green Knight even tells Gawain, it was

loyalty you lacked: not because youre wicked, or a womanizer, or worse, but you loved your

own life (Sir Gawain 2366-2368). This subverts the traditional knightly ideal that the warrior

code and prowess came before the other aspects of chivalry. The Gawain poet actually shows

that loyalty and courtesy were the qualities of chivalry that solved the problem that the Green

Knight posed. Gawain was unable to defeat the Green Knight through battle, but because he

acted in a courteous manner and was loyal to the Green Knight he was able to survive, thus

solving the problem of what appeared to be imminent death and indicating that violence can be

avoided entirely as long as perfect courtesy is practiced by knights. Although Gawains method

of problem resolution isnt the same as other romantic or traditional heroes because he doesnt

use prowess to solve it, his resolution is heroic nonetheless.

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Subverting Prowess with Loyalty

In chivalry, loyalty was one of the most important qualities. Gervase Mathew, author of

Ideals of Knighthood in Late-Fourteenth Century England, points out that loyalty is also much

more complex than prowess. Prowess could easily be identified by a knights handling of a

sword but loyalty was much more intricate and more significant. It is the quality of the soul

(Mathew 68). The reason for this is because loyalty came in many more forms. It came from a

knights pledged word to a lord, it could be stem from the social constructs of taking proper care

of a guest, it could come from fealty to your lord or a lord that is hospitable to you, it could even

come from a personal relationship to a friend or lover. The Gawain poet addresses these

complexities and uses them to revise the chivalric hero.

In accordance with Mathews point, the Gawain poet portrays loyalty as being more

intricate and more significant than physical prowess. The competition with the Green Knight

required Gawain to seek out the green chapel where he could be found, and along the way to it,

Gawain scraps with serpents and snarling wolves, he has to come face to face with bulls and

bears or the odd wild boar, and he has to do so in the dead of winter which was worse than the

battles for Gawain (Sir Gawain 720, 722). Gawains journey shows that he, like any good knight,

is a skilled horseman. Medieval literature scholar Alan Markman furthers this idea by saying,

His many days in the saddle, and especially the concern for his horse which Gawain evinced as

he appraised the care shown to Gringolet by his host's men, illustrate almost too well the

horsemanship expected of the knight (576). Despite possessing this skill, the Gawain poet

undercuts the importance of it through the depiction of one of the most important qualities of

chivalryloyalty. In fact, Markman writes that loyalty is the human trait which underlies and

informs all the virtues we see in Gawain (586). While also incorporating courtesy as one of the
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human traits that underlies everything that we see in Gawain, it is important to add that those are

the two traits that also motivate all of Gawains actions in the poem. It is Gawains duty to fulfill

the agreement that he has with another knight or lord, and Gawain proves himself to be

incredibly loyal by enduring this arduous journey. He was journeying to what he thought was

impending death, yet he held the code of chivalry in such high regard that he was able to survive

despite knowing that he was going to face a man who is:

the worst in the world,

he is brooding and brutal and loves bludgeoning people.

Hes more powerful than any person alive on this earth

and four times the figure of any fighting knight. (Sir Gawain 2098-2101)

Although Gawain possesses the physical skill to survive the journey leading to what seems to be

impending death, the Gawain poet shows that the more admirable aspect of this journey is his

willingness to adhere to the standard of loyalty that motivates him to make it in the first place.

Gawains willingness to finish the beheading game by finding the Green Knight also

shows his loyalty when he leaves Hautdesert with the guide who is taking him to the Green

Knight. The guide tells Gawain that he wont tell anyone and that Gawain should take another

path in order to save his own life:

I shall swear by God and all his good saints,

And on all earthly holiness, and other such oaths,

that your secret is safe, and not a soul will know

that you fled in fear from the fellow I described (Sir Gawain 2121-2125)
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What he is suggesting is a direct breech of loyalty since Gawain wouldnt be fulfilling his

promise to the Green Knight. Scholar Larry Benson suggests that this poem, is an excellent test

of loyalty, but it tests that virtue mainly on the basis of the heros courage and fortitude (42).

This scene is a prime example that signifies how interconnected courageousness and loyalty are.

Not only does Gawain have to be brave enough to face the Green Knight, he also has to be loyal

to the point where breaking his code of honor is worse than dying.

Another scene that also revises the chivalric hero by downplaying the importance of

prowess is when the Green Knight first arrives in Camelot. Regarding the beheading game,

Benson makes the point that the test is conducted not in the realm of violence and high romantic

adventure but in that of courtesyhere the necessary virtues are those of the hall and bower

rather than of the battlefield (42). When the Green Knight first arrived in Camelot, he instilled

fear into the Knights of the Round Table, including Gawain and King Arthur. While they were

hesitating to respond to the challenge of the beheading game, the Green Knight questions the

Knights of the Round Table when he scoffs, Wheres the fortitude and fearlessness youre so

famous for? And the breathtaking bravery and the big-mouth bragging? (Sir Gawain 309-312).

Here, the Green Knight questions the virtues and bravery of all of the knights; however, it is

important to note that he doesnt question their prowess and strength. This is significant because

it reiterates Bensons idea that this game is not meant to be for a battlefield. This is also

significant because it means that Gawain knows that he isnt going to be fighting back. He

knows that it isnt going to be a battle to see who the better knight is like the typical challenges a

heroic knight would face. Rather, Gawain has to follow the chivalric aspects that the Green

Knight questioned upon his arrival in Camelot of loyalty, courage, and courtesy in order to fulfill

this journeynot his physical prowess.

 Busch 19

Another way that the Gawain poet promotes the standard of loyalty over physical

prowess is through the setting. The standard plot of a chivalric romance was that a knight would

leave the court on a quest in an effort to gain a ladys favor and would compete in a tournament,

defeat another knight, or slay a monster of some kind on her behalf. This structure is significant

because the Gawain poet modifies this poem slightly. The focus in this poem is on what happens

to Gawain inside of Camelot and inside Bertilaks castle, not what happens outside of the court

like other chivalric romances. This indicates that the events taking place inside of the court are

actually more important than the events that happen outside of it. Furthermore, the Gawain poet

draws parallels between Gawain facing temptation inside the bedroom scenes with the hunting

happening outside the castle that Bertilak does. The Gawain poet depicts these scenes in a

manner in which the difficulties that each person goes through are similar. In drawing these

parallels, it indicates that hunting, a task involving physical prowess, is not any more important

than Gawain avoiding the temptation of Bertilaks wife because it was Gawains duty according

to chivalry to show unwavering loyalty to any Lord who offers food and shelter to him. Gerald

Morgan argues that the notion of equality between Gawain and the lord is sustained in the

actual exchanges of the winnings themselves on the three successive evenings (Morgan).

Morgan also notes that it is believable to the reader that these kisses could even be superior to the

animals. If there is a notion of equality between the kisses that Gawain gives in exchange for the

animals, then this same principle can be applied to the actions that each undergoes to achieve the

rewards. This means that Gawain resisting the temptation to sleep with Bertilaks wife can be

seen as superior to Bertilak hunting. The task that requires loyalty to a lord is seen as superior to

a task involving prowess.

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Conclusion

Just as all heroes that came before Gawain and all that come after, he is the living

embodiment of the culture that contextualizes him. However, his heroism is also a critique of the

society that surrounds him. The Gawain poet indicates that there is something fundamentally

wrong with the practice of chivalry in the 14th century. The fact that prowess was the most

central aspect was a flaw. Rome, Ancient Greece, Troy, and others were all civilizations that

valued prowess above all else and all were unsustainable. The intention of chivalry was to force

knights to show courtesy not only towards other great warriors but also to the poor, the weak,

and especially to women in an effort to create a sustainable culture. However, the intention

wasnt realized through its implementation. This led to very thoughtful, intellectual people, such

as the Gawain poet, worrying that a culture that values prowess and violence above all else

would lead to chaos. These people argued that chivalry (reformed to their standards) was the

great hope, even as they sensed that unreformed chivalry was somehow the great cause for fear

(Kaeuper 29). Chivalry needed to return back to its ideals and move away from how those ideals

were originally implemented. The revisions that are made in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight of

the diminishing of prowess and the subversion of both courtesy and loyalty served the purpose of

correcting the flawed practice of King Edwards Order of the Garter as well as the incomplete

depictions of how chivalry should have been practiced in other chivalric romances.
 Busch 21

Works Cited

Arnold-Baker, Charles. "Garter, Order of The." The Companion to British History, Routledge,
Routledge, 2nd edition, 2001. Credo Reference,
http://ezproxy.loras.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routcbh
/garter_order_of_the/0?institutionId=4043.
Benson, Larry Dean. Art and Tradition in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New Brunswick,
N.J, Rutgers University Press, 1965.
Bishop, Lloyd. The Romantic Hero and His Heirs in French Literature. New York, Peter Lang,
1984.

Clein, Wendy. Concepts of Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Norman: Pilgrim,
1987.

Gardner, John. The Complete Works of the Gawain-Poet. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1975.
Ingledew, Francis. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Order of the Garter. University of
Notre Dame Press, 2006.
Kaeuper, Richard W. Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe. Oxford, Oxford University
Press, 1999.
Ker, W. P. Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature. Macmillan, 1897.
Kerney, Martin Joseph. A Compendium of Ancient And Modern History. 16th. ed., Owen, Kurtz
& Co., 1859. HathiTrust. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/umn.319510024099169.

Markman, Alan M. The Meaning of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. PMLA, vol. 72, no. 4,
1957, pp. 574586. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/460169.

Martin, Carl Grey. The Cipher of Chivalry: Violence as Courtly Play in the World Of Sir
Gawain And The Green Knight. Chaucer Review, vol. 43, no. 3, 2009, pp. 311-329.
Mathew, Gervase. Ideals of Knighthood in Late-Fourteenth Century England. Twentieth
Century Interpretations of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; a collection of critical
essays, edited by Denton Fox, Englewood Cliffs, N.J, Prentice-Hall, 1968, pp. 61-73.
Morgan, Gerald. "The Action of the Hunting and Bedroom Scenes,' 'The Definition of Gawain's
Sinfulness,' and 'The Judgment of Gawain's Conduct." Classical and Medieval Literature
Criticism, edited by Lynn M. Zott, vol. 54, Gale, 2002. Literature Resource Center,
ezproxy.loras.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.loras.edu/ps/i.do?p=GLS&
sw=w&u=lorascoll&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CH1420046054&asid=bb07d422b0c89f5
e6655e021c6835d96. Originally published in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the
Idea of Righteousness, Irish Academic Press, 1991, pp. 106-169.
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Putter, Ad. An Introduction to the Gawain Poet. Addison Wesley Longman Inc, 1996.
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. Stephen
Greenblatt. Norton, ed. 9 vol. 1, 2012. 183-237.

Staley-Johnson, Lynn. Regenerative Time in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight, edited by Marie Borroff and Laura Howes, W.W. Norton &
Company, 2010, pp. 158-173.
Walker, Greg. The Green Knights Challenge: Heroism and Courtliness in Fitt I of Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight. Chaucer Review, vol. 32, no. 2, 1997, pp. 111-128.

Reflection
The Capstone process has been a very rewarding one, despite how stressful it was at

times. The process really started for me during my sophomore year when I fully committed to

being an English major. One of the first English literature classes that I took was Medieval and

Renaissance British Lit and I was so fascinated by what we were reading, including Gawain and

the Green Knight. This was the class that sold me on being an English major and I havent

looked back since.

My favorite things about the Capstone process were how in depth I was able to study

something that I truly enjoy and am passionate about as well as how it culminated everything

that I have learned in the English major into one essay. I have been fascinated by the concept of

heroism since I was little. I loved stories about superheroes, warriors performing great feats in

battle, and especially stories about knights going on quests. I also always thought about the

concept of heroism because sometimes a hero is someone who defeats a great enemy and saves

the day, but other times a hero can be a regular person that someone might look up to. Writing

this paper allowed me to analyze in great detail the concept of heroism and do so by going into
 Busch 23

depth about a story of one of King Arthurs Knights of the Round Table, something I have

always been extremely passionate about, which made this experience extremely satisfying.

As far as the culmination of the major goes, I have learned a variety of things from the

classes I have taken and I really enjoyed putting all of them on display at once. Each class that I

have taken has taught me a very specific skill. Literary Studies with VanLaningham taught me

the fundamental components of being an English major. The classes that I have taken with

Kanyusik taught me how to analyze a text in relation to its genre. British literature classes I have

taken with Auge have taught me how the historical context can shape a work of literature, and

American lit from 1820-1860 taught me how literature challenges societal norms. These are by

no means all that I have learned about the English major during my time here at Loras; however,

these are the things that stick out to me when I think back to those classes. Furthermore, I feel

that all of these skills are put on display throughout my Capstone. I discuss how this poem

revises the genre it belongs to, how its historical context influenced and is reflected in it, and

how this work challenges the societal norms of the time period to evoke change all while

following the fundamental skills of the English major that I have learned.

More specifically, one of the major things that I learned in being an English major was

the importance of structure. In Literary Criticism as well as reading Moll Flanders in 17th

Century British Literature, I remember discussing how the structure of the plot of a work is

extremely important to understanding the meaning of a work. I was able to apply this notion to

my Capstone because I spent a great deal of time focusing of the structure of my argument

before even writing a word down on the page. I even got to the point where I was writing the

first and last sentence of each paragraph before the rest of it to make sure that each point I made

built directly off the prior one to ensure that my argument was structurally sound.
 Busch 24

Although at times I felt overwhelmed with all of the sources I had to read through,

insecure about the analysis I was doing, and discouraged by how difficult it was for me to get the

essay organized before I wrote, this was overall a satisfying process for myself. I always felt

deep down like an English major and I think this essay is the proof to both myself and others that

I am an English major without a doubt.