Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Essay # 54254

Literature > English
Literature > European (other)

An analysis of the encounters between Sir Gawain and Lady Bertilak.

1,372 words () | 0 sources | 2004 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the encounter between Sir Gawain and Lady Bertilak in Gawain-poet's "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight". It explains how these encounters evoke fault in the chivalric code and portray socially powerful women as an imminent threat to knightly ideals.

From the Paper:

"As the feudalism-based chivalric code governed knighthood during the Middle Ages, it is the premise of the Gawain-poet s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a celebrated romance set in the fabled past of Arthur s court. Sir Gawain, a widely revered knight, epitomizes the chivalric virtues depicted on his shield--piety, chastity, loyalty, courtesy, and humility. Gawain s faithfulness to the principal knightly virtues is challenged throughout the romance. Perhaps the most stirring challenges are Gawain s encounters with the Lady of Bertilak s castle. In wooing him, Lady Bertilak leaves Gawain struggling to uphold the chivalric ideals. Gawain recognizes that as a woman of nobility, Lady Bertilak merits his affection. However, he also understands that he must remain chaste."

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APA Citation:

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (2012, January 15). Retrieved February 13, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Essay-Sir-Gawain-and-the-Green-Knight/54254