In various genres of arts, color is one of the most prominent features that symbolize different aspects of human life. Various artists use colors in different ways to express some meaning or emotions. In the medieval poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, the unknown poet employs the use of color as a literal strategy to create and express some concealed meanings (Borroff, 1967. Specifically, the poet uses green, gold, and red colors to symbolize different aspects as well as create contrast in the story line. Nevertheless, green is the most prominent color that the poet uses throughout the story, which implies that it must have special meaning or important information about the various objects and subjects in the narrative.
Color green plays the central role in the poem, especially because the main character is associated with it. Green Knight, the main character has an axe, horse, and skin and all of them are green in color. The character is described as having an entire green color, contrast to the color of common people as the poet says, “…all green was this man” (Borroff, 1967). The actual name of the character “Green Knight” is not provided, but throughout the poem, the person is described as “green” and thus the color green describe the person himself.
In the medieval times, colors had some special meanings and the poem reflects the common themes of the time. For example, green color was used to describe the power of nature, young age, and the power of some wild animals and plants. The Green Knight appears to the closer to nature than the other people in his society. Indeed, he has some superficial powers not common to other people (Borroff, 1967. For example, when Gawain cuts off his head, he does not die but takes the head and goes away with it. From a closer examination, it is possible that the Green Knight resembles plants and their behaviors. If the head of most plants is cut off, they do not die but continue flourishing as long as the stem and roots are working and the appropriate environment is provided.
In the same way, color green is used to describe youthfulness. Young people are energetic and agile and are able to survive certain environmental conditions or stresses that older people cannot endure. The Green Knight is a young, agile, and energetic nobleman. Few powers can undermine his abilities and powers in the environment, including Sir Gawain. Even after his head is cut off, he does not bow down to external forces but continues to thrive as he is still a young and energetic individual.
In addition, it appears that color green is a symbol of victory and honor. In the poem, when Sir Gawain secretly receives a green and golden belt, he gains power over the Green Knight. However, this victory does not last long because he later discovers that the belt was Green Knight’s possession, which brings shame to Sir Gawain. After the defeat of Dir Gawain, other knights decide to make and wear green belts as a reminder of victory and fair play (Borroff, 1967. Consequently, color green is used to symbolize honor and victory in the poem.
It should be noted that the contrast between green and red colors is a representation or symbolism of the conflicts between the various characters and themes in the poem. For example, there is a conflict between wild and chivalry, which represent the chaotic powers in nature (Borroff, 1967). These powers reside inside the personality of knights and every nobleman should struggle with the internal conflict that the two powers present. In the medieval times, the society expected the nobles to confront the wild in them and emerge as honest and conveyed individuals.
Reference
Borroff, M. (1967). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Norton.