Analysis Of Sir Gawains Character Essay - 1100 Words

Analysis Of Sir Gawains Character In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain, nephew of the famed Arthur of the Round Table, is seen as the most noble of knights who is the epitome of chivalry, yet he is also susceptible to mistakes. His courtesy, honor, honesty, and courage are subjected to various tests, posed by the wicked Morgan le Fay. Some tests prove his character and the chivalrous code true and faultless, like the time he answers a challenge although it might mean his death, or remains courteous to a lady despite temptation. Other tests prove his character and the chivalrous code faulty such as the time he breaks his promise to his host, and when he flinches from a harmless blow. The first test to his†¦show more content†¦More proof of Sir Gawain’s chivalrous and courageous character is evident when he arrives at Bercilak’s court. The people are honored that their guest is Sir Gawain, the most honored of all the knights on earth, even though Gawain describes himself as young and untested. They whisper to each other that Gawain, whose â€Å"courage is ever-constant† and â€Å"custom-pure,† will demonstrate and teach them his â€Å"command of manners† and â€Å"love’s language†(SGGK l. 912, 924, 927). The conversation of the household serves to provide proof of his Gawains fine character. The next test of his character comes during his three-day stay at Hautdesert castle. His courtesy and honor are tested when the host’s lady pursues Gawain in order to fool him into action that will destroy his knightly ideal. She tempts him with â€Å"bosom all but bare†(SGGK l. 1741). With another man’s wife pursuing him, Gawain must be courtly and polite to the lady yet must deny her advances. She claims that since â€Å"he won her favor, he should claim a kiss from her as accords with the conduct of courteous knights† (SGGK l. 1489-1491). Gawain must abide by his morals and abstain from adulterous actions, while being a courteous knight. He is forced to make a choice to be courteous to the lady, thus dishonoring his host, or be discourteous and honor his host by not committing adultery with his wife. By choosing to return each of the successive kisses received, Gawain is able to pass the first test posed byShow MoreRelatedThe Code Of Chivalry And The Fu ndamental Thoughts And Actions Of Human Nature1499 Words   |  6 Pages Sir Gawain†¦ Chivalric? By analyzing Sir Gawain’s attempts of following the Code of Chivalry and the fundamental thoughts and actions of human nature helps to further analyze Gawain’s character. 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One reason is that theRead MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight3517 Words   |  15 PagesKapelle Medieval Literature 16 April 2015 Sir Gawain’s Performative Identity and Antifeminist Diatribe in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Medieval scholars continually inspect the particularities of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (SGGK) within the context of the preexisting Gawain literary tradition, and the issue of Gawain’s sudden antifeminist diatribe repeatedly comes to the forefront of these textual investigations. Often, literary critics claim that Gawain’s antifeminist outburst is common for theRead More Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay1991 Words   |  8 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight - Character Analysis of Sir Gawain The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell is a medieval romance poem written by an anonymous author. Sir Gawain is one of the major characters in the poem. He is a very likable personality. Sir Gawain represents an ideal knight of the fourteenth century. Throughout the story, we see Sir Gawain portrayed as a very courteous and noble knight, always trying to help King Arthur. The characteristics of Sir Gawain like kindness, generosity