Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is an epic poem where the protagonist illustrates knightly virtues through overcoming the trials sent to him by the Green Knight. The trials, or tests, focused on five areas of knightly virtue: friendship, generosity, chastity, courtesy, and piety. This paper will explain how the five knightly virtue tests were implemented in the poem and explore how sir Gawain dealt with them.
Firstly, Gawain’s friendship was tested by his response to lord Bertilak’s hospitality. Despite Lady Bertilak’s attempts to seduce Gawain, he remains truthful to the owner, who accepts him as a guest. Lady Bertilak is described by Gawain as “more beautiful that Guinevere,” which emphasizes the fact that he was attracted to her (Winny 53). Thus, lady Bertilak’s romantic attempts towards Gawain can also be perceived as a test of Gawain’s chastity. Chastity presented an essential factor for knights during the time of King Arthur. Therefore, by staying true to lord Bertilak, Gawain also demonstrated his commitment to the ideals of chivalry.
Next, considering the aspect of courtesy, Gawain’s desire to defend the honor of King Arthur through a fight with the Green Knight presents one of the examples of Gawain’s courtesy. Moreover, Gawain remained faithful to the promise to fight once more after a year had passed and did not run away. Gawain’s initial acceptance of the Green Knight’s offer can also be seen as an example of generosity since he worried about his King and uncle, Arthur. Lastly, Gawain continued wearing the sash that Lady Bertilak gave him to remind him of his past sins, which is a manifestation of piety.
In conclusion, this essay explored the five knightly virtue tests in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The tests in the poem show how high the standards were for knights and why they often became protagonists of heroic stories. In Gawain’s case, even though he did not remain completely faithful to all knightly virtues, he ultimately survived the trials and demonstrated his loyalty to the King.
Work Cited
Winny, James. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Facing Page Translation. Broadview Press, 1992.