Introduction
The medieval epic poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” portrays historical authenticity and Christian rituals through the poem’s central character, King Arthur. King Arthur is introduced as “the most chivalrous and courteous knight in Christendom” (The Society, line 54), highlighting his importance as a figurehead and symbol of honor and chivalry.
The feast is a grand display of King Arthur’s wealth, power, and hospitality, emphasizing his chivalric nature and sense of honor. As the host, King Arthur welcomes all who visit his court, regardless of their social status, and treats them with the utmost respect and generosity. During the feast, King Arthur is portrayed as a brave leader, willing to accept a challenge from the mysterious Green Knight. This scene underscores King Arthur’s commitment to the chivalric code, which stresses his sense of honor and bravery.
The New Year’s Feast is a captivating and powerful introduction to King Arthur’s character, emphasizing his importance as a figurehead and symbol of chivalry and honor. His commitment to the chivalric code, bravery, and generosity set the tone for the rest of the narrative and make him a character readers can admire and respect. The first significant scene in the poem that characterizes King Arthur is the New Year’s Feast, where he welcomes all the visitors to his court with hospitality and honor.
When the Green Knight arrives and interrupts the feast, he enters the hall, and the narrator describes King Arthur’s hospitality by saying, “But Arthur would not eat until all were served; his youth made him so merry with the moods of a boy; he liked light-hearted life, and he loved less either long to be lying or long to be seated” (The Society, lines 85-89). This scene highlights King Arthur’s hospitable nature, where he puts his guests first by ensuring they are properly served with much kindness and respect.
Arthur’s Bravery, Commitment to Chivalry, and Influence in His Absence
In the narrative “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” the aspect of King Arthur’s chivalrous nature is witnessed in the New Year’s feast at the beginning of the narrative. As the introduction describes, he is the most gallant and courteous Knight in Christendom. King Arthur’s chivalric nature is shown when the enigmatic Green Knight shows up at the feast and challenges anyone to strike him with his axe if the Green Knight can return the blow in a year. King Arthur, being the bravest and most honorable of the knights, accepts the challenge. This scene showcases King Arthur’s alignment with chivalrous codes, showing that he is willing to risk his own life to uphold his chivalric perception of honor and courage.
King Arthur is not a central character, and his absence is greatly felt throughout part two of the narrative. In this part, the high adventure of the other begins, and his role as protector and patron of the night is evident. During the quest to find the Green Knight, Sir Gawain requests the protection of King Arthur and the other knights. This request emphasizes Arthur’s significance to the knights as a figurehead and authority figure.
Even though he is not physically present in the poem’s second section, his name and influence are still very present. This demonstrates Arthur’s importance to the knights’ welfare and safety as a protector and patron. This scene shows Arthur’s devotion to his knights and willingness to help them succeed even in the riskiest and most difficult situations. This scene contributes to Arthur’s development as an influential and revered leader whose authority extends beyond his physical presence.
Wisdom and Leadership
King Arthur’s wisdom and leadership skills are some of the most outstanding qualities portrayed in the narrative, considering his interaction with the other knights. Sir Gawain offers to take up the Green Knight’s challenge on behalf of the king. King Arthur portrays his wisdom and leadership skills when he intervenes in the beheading game between the Green Knight and Sir Gawain.
The narrator poses a question, “Who can recall any king that ever took such a challenge? When knights were at court for their Christmas games!” (The Society, lines 682-683) After Sir Gawain had made the first strike and had been belittled by the green knight, the narrator says that with great humor, he said to Gawain, “Come, hang up your axe, sir! It has hacked enough for now… Sir Gawain does not relax; if fear becomes too deep, it may divert your tracks from the vow that you must keep” (The Society, lines 475-490). The events in this scene portray the good relationship the king had established with Gawain, indicating how good he was to his servants, how highly he valued the laws of his court, and his willingness to follow the chivalric code.
Arthur as Arbiter of Justice
King Arthur is the center of the action in the poem’s third section. When Sir Gawain arrives at Bertilak de Hautdesert’s castle, the lord and his wife greet him and offer to host him for three days (The Society, lines 2440-2480). The lord goes hunting daily during this time, offering to trade Gawain his catch for anything Gawain has earned at the castle.
Gawain gets a kiss from the lady of the castle on the first two days, but he does not give the lord any kisses when he gives them to buy the game. The woman offers Gawain a green girdle on the third day, promising it will shield him from harm. Gawain accepts the gift but does not exchange it with the lord. King Arthur’s role as a judge and arbiter of justice is revealed in this scene, which also reveals another aspect of his character.
When Gawain returns to Arthur’s court, he admits to breaking the chivalric code and wears the green girdle as a sign of shame. Arthur and the other knights forgive Gawain but insist that he wear the girdle as a reminder of his error. As he realizes the significance of upholding the code of chivalry and holding knights accountable for their actions, this scene demonstrates Arthur’s wisdom and sense of justice.
Admiration and Appreciation for Gawain
Also, in the scene where Gawain sets out on the quest to find the Green Knights, King Arthur’s generosity and willingness to display the virtues of others are shown. King Arthur’s character is defined in this scene by his humility and capacity to appreciate the virtues of others. Arthur expresses his admiration and gratitude to Gawain for his bravery when he asks him to take on the Green Knight’s challenge in his place.
King Arthur says, “Get ready, Gawain, to go as you vowed, and faithfully seek until you find me, good sir, as you have promised in this place in the presence of these knights” (The Society, line 430-475). He shows that he is willing to recognize and appreciate the virtues of others, even if they are greater than his own, by acknowledging that Gawain’s advice is just and that he has great courage.
Arthur’s deep honor and dedication to chivalric ideals are revealed as he recognizes the significance of bravery and courage in a knight. It also emphasizes Arthur’s ability to be a gracious leader who values his knights’ contributions rather than being envious or competitive with them. In general, this scene establishes Arthur as a virtuous and noble leader who commands the respect and loyalty of his knights.
Compassionate Understanding of Human Weakness
The fourth part of the narrative depicts the scene where Arthur is impressed by Sir Gawain’s level of honesty when he confesses to keeping the girdle. When Gawain confesses to breaking his code of chivalry by keeping the girdle given to him by Bertilak’s wife, Arthur does not condemn him but acknowledges the complexity of the situation. He understands that Gawain was motivated by his love of life and cannot blame him.
King Arthur tells Gawain, “I planned that myself! I sent her to test you, and you seem to me truly the fair knight most faultless that ever set foot on earth. Because you loved your own life: thus I blame you less” (The Society, lines 2360-2370). This demonstrates Arthur’s profound empathy and capacity to comprehend his knights’ motivations. It also demonstrates Arthur’s dedication to remorse and reconciliation, demonstrating his belief that everyone deserves another chance. The scene helps to show Arthur as a kind and compassionate leader who cares about his knights’ happiness and well-being even when they make mistakes.
Arthur’s Humility and Desire to Learn
Lastly, Arthur’s desire to learn comes shortly after the scene where the Green Knight reveals his identity as Bertilak. Arthur is taken aback and humbled by his ignorance when the Green Knight reveals himself as Bertilak. He realizes that the Green Knight’s scheme had fooled him and that there was more at stake than he had initially thought.
This moment of realization shows Arthur’s humility and willingness to admit his mistakes and learn from them. Instead of being defensive or dismissive of the Green Knight’s test, Arthur accepts it as a valuable lesson and seeks to apply it in the future (The Society, lines 2495-2530). This scene demonstrates Arthur’s commitment to self-improvement and his desire to be a just and honorable king. It helps establish Arthur as a thoughtful and introspective leader who is open to new ideas and experiences.
Conclusion
King Arthur’s commitment to the ideals of chivalry, honor, and justice makes him an important character in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” Arthur’s bravery, generosity, and wisdom are displayed throughout the narrative as he mentors and protects his knights. He is a complex and multifaceted character who embodies the values central to the narrative.
He is humble, willing to learn from his mistakes, compassionate, and forgiving. Even though he does not appear in the poem’s second section, his presence is still felt strongly, highlighting his significance as a symbol of power and authority. King Arthur’s character generally exemplifies the lasting value of noble ideals, and his example inspires readers today.
Work Cited
The Society. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Free PDF.” Society of Classical Poets, edited by Evan Mantyk, Web.