Essay about Sir Gawain and The Green Knight - 1026 Words

In the Pearl poet’s Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, an epic talk emerges to reveal a man’s journey of honesty, morals, and honor. Sir Gawain accepts a challenge in place of his uncle King Arthur, with hidden tests and viable consequences. As Gawain begins his journey, he proudly upholds his knightly honor and seeks out his own death; however, Gawain gives into his human emotion and is soon distracted from his chivalrous motives. As a result of this distraction, Gawain is marked with a scar to show his dishonest and cowardly deception. This scar is a visible reminder to Sir Gawain that honor and prestige cannot always protect against the desires of the flesh. Gawain pays for his sins at the Green Knights axe (Stone 136). This sin†¦show more content†¦On the King’s second hunt, he seeks larger and more difficult game, causing this hunt to be more dangerous. As the King seeks the boar, his wife once again seeks Gawain. Being as equally resistant as the boar, Sir Gawain begins a dialog in order to distract the King’s wife and narrowly escapes with two kisses. The boar was more resilient and required the king to try harder to kill it, again as the Lady had to try harder to capture the honorable knight. Gawain uses his love talk to avoid her seductions and maintain his honor. And seeing how beautiful she was, And how dressed, and her face, and her body, and her flesh, So white, joy swelled in his heart. With gentle smiles they started to talk, And their talk was of joyful things, they spoke only Of bliss. Words came flowing free, Each was pleased With the other; and only Mary Could Save him from this. That beautiful princess pressed him so hard, Urged him so near the limit, he needed Either to take her love or boorishly Turn her away. To offend like a boor Was bad enough; to fall into sin Would be worse, betraying the lord of the house. God willing, he thought, it will not happen! (lines 1760-1776) The Lady begins her seduction with words; however, â€Å"it is only when her blunt offer fails on the first occasion hat she falls back on the refined technique of â€Å"love-talk† (Stone 120). At the risk of misleading her, Gawain continues to speakShow MoreRelatedSir Gawain And The Green Knight1359 Words   |  6 PagesIn the poem â€Å"Sir Gawain and The Green Knight,† a protagonist emerges depicting an Arthurian knight named Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s nephew, takes initiative by accepting the challenge requested by the Green Knight in place of his uncle. He undergoes a perilous adventure, seeking for the Green Knight to receive the final blow. 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