Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essays: Triumph or Failure? :: Sir Gawain Green Knight Essays

Sir Gawain Triumph or failure?    Sir Gawain is presented as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry he is loyal, honest and above every(prenominal), courteous. He is the perfect knight he is so recognised by the various characters in the story and, for all his modesty, implicitly in his view of himself. To the others his greatest qualities are his knightly courtesy and his conquest in battle. To Gawain these are important, but he seems to set an even higher(prenominal) value on his courage and integrity, the two central pillars of his manhood. The story is bear on with the conflict between his conception of himself and the reality. When Arthurs court was challenged by the Green Knight, Gawain completely offered to take the cup from Arthurs hands. He showed pride and courage greater than all - by coming forward. The poem is filled with opportunities in which Gawain inevitably was pressure to face difficult decisions. During his travels he had every opportun ity to turn around, in particular when the rain and cold and desolation became fierce. Gawain, however, continued on his way. Three propagation did the lady tempt him and twice he managed to neither offend her with discourteousness nor bear her amorous advances and defile his chastity. In destinies sad or merry, True custody can but try. Tests and decisions are as numerous in some(prenominal) mans life as are the beats of his heart. The consequences follow him forever - he is judged by them and they affect his entire existence. However, judgement should not be passed on a mans single decisions individually, but only by observing how he has chosen to live his life. The circumstances under which each choice has been make should be considered as well. From the start Gawain was facing not only the wrecking of his pride, his good name, and his spirit, but also almost certain death. As a result, he learns an essential, inescapable fact about himself and human nature - there is no shame in being imperfect. The true test of Gawains fearlessness was to bare his neck to the Green Knight and finish their trading of blows. even so with his magic girdle, Gawain flinched the first time. The second and third times he was able to encumber steady and accept fate. After the ordeal the Green Knight ridiculed him for his weakness and fear.