Middle English Analysis on the Example of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Introduction

The English language, like many other languages, has its own history. It can be shaped in points on division into several periods. It is necessary to admit that English originates from the Anglo-Saxon people who came to the Albion after the Celts settled the land. In this respect one should bear in mind the strict division of the English language into Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English. Each of them designates particular events and changes that were apparent in the historical cut. In this respect, the paper is devoted to the research provided in terms of the Middle English (ME) period which is indicated to be between 1100 and 1500. The trendy influences and changes in the structural estimation of the language are depicted in the example of the book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which represents the language in its poetical and literature outlook with points on the morphology, phonology, orthography, and diction of the language at that period of time.

General estimation

The poem under analysis is the representation of the Middle English language maintained in the form of narrative and some points on difficult versification and style of it. Alliteration is seen in it, but actually before analyzing the linguistic aspects of the verse, one should note that the work is a vivid description of the Medieval England of the Arthurian epoch when knights, brevity, honor, and courage were obvious for representatives of Anglo-Saxon people. Here the emergence of an unknown green knight is depicted to be the core of the problematic features of great splendor in the poem. In this respect the nephew of King Arthur, Sir Gawain takes up the challenge coming from the Green Knight. The story renders the reality of that time and that every event. Nonetheless, it is vital to approach the poem with particular enthusiasm as for the linguistic concernment and analysis of the poem.

Morphology

The morphological change in the English language in its Middle period presupposes the appearance of several suffixes and prefixes which made language with more identities to the grammatical categories of parts of speech, gender. Furthermore, the words and the nouns began displaying their state of materiality and process with such suffixes as able, -ness, -ful, and others (Moats, 1999). In this respect, the poem has many features where new suffixes appear. For instance, the line Þe borne blubred Þ as hit boyled hade is, first of all, translated into Modern English as burn bubbled; boiled (Treharne, 2004, p. 642). Here the inflectional suffix ed can be outlined. Moreover, its significance became vital for the representation of the Past tenses and Participle II. Moreover, the morphology and its development during the whole poem is considered with the influence of French lexical units (almost 62% of the whole text) with their direct relation to the Latin language from which English borrowed at this period more than 50% of words (Glenn, 1970).

Line number 2220 shows the appearance of some new elements in morphology: And with quettyng awharf, er he wolde ly¶t which is grinding; returned; come down (Treharne, 2004, p. 643). Here the Latin impacts are felt in emergence of the suffix ing for description of Participle I and other ing forms which were developed later. All in all, the poem represents rather distinctive morphological changes due to the process of communication and constant conquests.

Phonology

In this very period the language was peculiar in its Germanic relation. This is why many sounds were described due to the word combinations which were particular for the German language. One of them is gh which should be pronounced in some respect to the middle sound between modern sounds g and a modern k (Menzer, 2009). In this respect, one element from the title of the poem should follow this phonological pattern, namely the word knight  knight. In the first graphical representation letter k should also be pronounced.

Þene herde he of Þat hy¶e hil, in a harde roche
Bi¶onde Þe broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse (Treharne, 2004, p. 643).

In the above-represented excerpt, the ending vowel e can be sounded if it fits the rhyming of the poem (Menzer, 2009). Thus, the similarities with the Germanic hade also contemplate pronunciation of this word with sound e in the end. All in all, some rules of pronunciation presupposed the reading of words in the way they were graphically depicted.

Orthography

The orthographical peculiarity of letters in the Middle English can be compared by linguists today in some points with the transcriptional representation of sounds. This idea can be simply assumed when looking at the poem. The orthography is particular in such combinations of letters as are changing into in words like why, who, what (Everson, 2007). Such Cornish orthography was dominating since the early Middle English period. In the poem it is vital to admit such peculiarities in orthography on the example of the following line: Who sti¶tlez in Þis sted me steven to holde (Treharne, 2004, p. 643)? However, in line 2244 the process of replacement or substitution of letters has apparently an old outlook: Nwe ¶ere (New Year) (Treharne, 2004, p. 644). Furthermore, the orthographical composition provided in the poem describes the manner of particular rhyming of the words and phrases in it.

Dictionary

The dictionary of the Middle English is peculiar for its urge in borrowing foreign words. The period actually begins with the event of 1066 when William the Conqueror began Norman invasion of England and also French words appeared along with the genuine graphical implementation of Latin terms. For example, in 2177 there are two examples of French loans which are obvious in the following representation riche and braunche (Treharne, 2004). The Latin approach is seen in the line 2179 on the example of word Debatande (Treharne, 2004). In fact, the dictionary of the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is full of French and Latin words in most cases.

Conclusion

The poem under analysis shows the representation of the Middle English language in terms of its four main constituents, such as: morphology, phonology, orthography, and dictionary. The medieval story about the deeds of sir Gawain provide a scope of linguistic features which distinctively depict the peculiarities about the epoch before the Great Vowel Shift and root changes of the English language and its spread throughout the world. The Germanic origin of English showed also its ability to borrow new words for new implementation. It is not surprising why the English language is Lingua Franca today owing to its long history of loaning new words and changing in turn the structure of the language.

Reference

Everson, M. (2007). On and in Cornish orthography. Web.

Glenn, J. A. (1970). Notes on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Web.

Menzer, M. J. (2009). Middle English Vowels (Before the Great Vowel Shift [c. 1400-1500]). Web.

Moats, P. (1999). Language Structure. Web.

Treharne, E. M. (2004). Old and Middle English c.890-c.1400: an anthology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

The Peculiarities Of Language In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Throughout the poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet uses similar language to describe the two challenges Sir Gawain must face. The poet uses “covenaunt,” “fayth,” and ‘grene” to showcase the connection between these two challenges. Sir Gawain deals with challenges of character and psychological strength while dealing with the Green Knight and the lord, and the poet makes use of their precise language choice to illuminate the correlation.

The word “covenaunt” can have many different meanings in Middle English, but most of them include a bond, agreement, or promise that connects two or more individuals. The Gawain Poet uses the word “couvenaunt” when explaining the two challenges to show one of the true meanings behind said challenges: to test Gawain’s character and his loyalty to the lord and Arthur. Gawain’s character is called into question during his two challenges with the Green Knight and the lord. The quotes “[c]lanly al the covenaunt that I the kynge asked / [s]af that thou schal siker me, segge, bi thi trawthe / [t]hat thou schal seche me thiself, where-so thou hopes / I may be funde upon folde, and foch the such wages / [a]s thou deles me to-day bifore this douthe ryche,” (393-397) and “[and] thou knowez the covenauntez kest uus bytwene / [a]t this tyme twelmonyth thou toke that the falled / [a]nd I schulde at this Nwe Yere yeply the quyte,” (2242-2244) are a perfect starting point to explain how and why The Gawain Poet uses symmetrical diction to emphasize the interrelation between Gawain’s challenges. The Green Knight is very focused on Gawain’s character and, ultimately, sets up the tests to challenge the “covenaunt” of Arthur, Sir Gawain, and the Knights of the Round Table, thus making it clear to connect them with the multiple uses of the word “covenaunt” throughout the Fitts.

The poet helps show the similarities by connecting them with their uses of the word “fayth.” “Fayth,” in Middle English, means “confidence in a person with reference to truthfulness,” according to the Middle English Compendium. This helps show how Gawain’s psychological strength is tested when the lord brings him presents from his hunting expeditions; he must refrain from telling the lord that his own wife is giving him the kisses, while still graciously accepting the game the lord brings to him. “‘Madame,’ quoth the myry mon, ‘Mary yow yelde / [f]or I haf founden, in god fayth, yowre fraunchis nobele / [a]nd other ful much of other folk fongen bi hor dedez,’” (1263-1265). His psychological strength is also tested when he steps up and recognizes himself as the one who must accept the Green Knight’s challenges, instead of King Arthur. This challenges Gawain’s psychological strength because he believes he is unfit to fight but chooses to in order to protect his King. “‘In goud faythe,’ quoth Gawayn, ‘God yow foryelde! / Gret is the gode gle, and gomen to me huge / [t]hat so worthy as ye wolde wynne hidere / [a]nd pyne yow with so pouer a man, as play wyth your knyght,’” (1535-1539). The poet uses the word “fayth” in these two instances to marry the importance of the challenges and show the connectivity.

The reoccurrence of green, or “grene” in Middle English, throughout this poem emphasizes the connection between Gawain’s challenges by showing the audience that there is an obvious connection between the Green Knight and the lord. Gawain chooses to keep the token of the green girdle that the lord’s wife gave him, in order to save himself from being killed by the Green Knight. “Ho lacht a lace lyghtly that leke umbe hir sydez / [k]nit upon hir kyrtel under the clere mantyle / [g]ered hit watz with grene sylke and with golde schaped / [n]oght bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngrez,” (1830-1833). The poet’s use of “grene” here proves to be an unmistakable call to the “grene” of the Green Knight. “And al grathed in grene this gome and his wedes / [a] strayte cote ful streght, that stek on his sides / [a] meré mantile abof, mensked withinne” (151-153). This is so significant to the poem because the girdle is Gawain’s last test from the lord – a test in which he fails. When Gawain goes to the Green Chapel, the Green Knight notices the girdle and speaks on Gawain’s mistrust; however, he notes that Sir Gawain values his life and his honor, and that is why he chose to wear it for the Green Knight to see. Ultimately, Sir Gawain’s life is spared, but his dignity is not.

The Gawain poet’s diction and precise language throughout the poem allude to connections of the challenges. The uses of “covenaunt” show that the bond and honor of Sir Gawain and Arthur are tested in the first challenge, and the honor and bond of Sir Gawain and the lord are tested in the second. The repetition of “fayth” helps the author convey that the trustfulness of Sir Gawain, both to the lord and to Arthur and the kingdom, are matters to be approached in both challenges. Lastly, the reoccurrence of “grene” throughout the poem, and throughout the two challenges, helps show the readers and audience the similarities between the Green Knight, the lord, and the challenges Sir Gawain must face.

Sexual Politics Of Romance In Twelfth Night And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Today, our society is accustomed to vast changes in perspective of sexuality and new challenges of sexual norms. It appears these perspectives are new, but these changing perspectives can be traced back to the Middle Ages. These topics are illustrated through many works of literature. Two texts that best exemplify topics of sexual politics are Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Both works were transformative of perspectives on these topics in their respective publication periods. Their impact is just a small part of a transcendent movement of change. Twelfth Night and Sir Gawain can be examined for a comparison of similarities relating to the topics of sexual politics in romance.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight displays an intriguing point of view on sex parallels with regards to subjects of sentiment and sexuality. The story delineates preliminaries of adoration through the vehicle of language games and verbal jousting. A typical paired in an affection joust is that men normally claim to oppose ladies’ enchantment. Gawain’s character is extraordinary and runs contrary to the natural order of things of this standard by being truly uninterested in wronging the Lord. Gawain must oppose her tests while staying courageous, “I’ll contentedly attend whatever task you set, and in serving your desires…” (Greenblatt, pg. 229, 1214-1215). Lady Bertilak attempts to seduce Gawain, “Bide in your bed – my own plan is better. I’ll tuck in your covers corner to corner, then playfully parley with the man I have pinned” (pg. 229, 1223-1225). As promised, Gawain resists through dignified joust, “That lovely-looking maid, she charmed him and she chased. But every move she made he countered, case by case” (pg. 230, 1259-1262). This addresses the liminality between truth and trial of enticement exemplified by Gawain’s adventure. While his character is depicted as a decent man who respects women and the faithfulness of marital relationships, he assumes a typical gender role. There is disintegration from this role when Gawain makes his bet with the Lord to trade every one of their rewards along his voyage. His character’s reintegration into the gender role comes when he reunites with the knights and Lord. It appears to be evident that the tests were ineffectual, and the roles returned to normal. It is possible that a romance story could include these tests of gender binaries and avoid the relapse, furthering character development through assertive challenges of the norm.

The theme of sexual politics can be exemplified in Twelfth Night by examining the relationship between Cesario and Olivia. Olivia who had before precluded the affection from claiming Orsino, suddenly gets herself frantically enamored with Cesario, the page boy who is actually Viola. In any case, it turns out to be very certain that Olivia finds in Viola some natural ladylike characteristics with which she experiences passionate feelings for. Even though the content subverts such potential outcomes by advising us that Olivia’s is uninformed that Cesario is really a female however Olivia’s fascination for Viola stems precisely from the more ladylike attributes. Olivia’s words enable an advanced crowd to peruse her as suspecting or in any event, realizing that Cesario is in truth a female, yet deciding to adore him/her in any case. Olivia’s portrayal of Cesario’s excellence both in the third demonstration and in their first experience, adulates ordinarily ladylike characteristics yet inquisitively doesn’t scrutinize Cesario’s sex. Olivia’s examination of adoration to blame, “A murd’rous guilt shows not itself more soon / Than love that would seem hid” (pg.774, 144-145) further makes us wonder whether Olivia is blameworthy about her homoerotic interests. In addition, when Olivia announces that ‘Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide’ (pg. 774, 149), she may be alluding to same-sex love which in those occasions were viewed as against all rationale. The unconventionality of Olivia’s fascination towards Viola makes her state that she has fallen into ‘abatement and low price’.

Viola also shows homoerotic interests for Olivia. Although this part of her character is maintained a strategic distance from in many readings of the play, a close examination of the content can uncover that Viola also displays gay interests for Olivia. As the mediator between Orsino and Olivia, Viola ends up being a more effective man than Orsino. Viola fills the role of Cesario that she seduces Olivia. Viola is very straightforward as she lifted Olivia’s veil during their first meeting. She is likewise found energetically lauding Olivia’s magnificence, “But, if you were the devil, you are fair” (pg. 754, 237). In a play where the hints of homoerotic interests are found in bounty, it would not be too fantastical to reason that every one of these viewpoints point to the homoerotic side in Viola.

The examples of Gawain’s fluctuation of gender role and Cesario and Orsino’s relationship make a solid contrast to help examine the theme critically. The reluctance of reintegration on the part of Gawain’s role is interesting and almost challenge Viola’s actions with her alter ego. This is an interesting point they both support the theme in different ways. The story of Gawain’s journey goes against the grain of chivalry and while also once challenging the male gender role. The issue with Gawain is that reintegration back into the norm at the end of his story; the disintegration is almost rendered pointless by this. The character of Cesario is the similar in the fact that there is a switched gender role. Viola reverts to her own persona by the end of the story, but it can be argued that Cesario was an effective man as any other.

Works Cited

  1. Greenblatt, Stephen, et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. W.W. Norton, 2018.

Milestones in the English Literature: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Literature in British has been used to shape society for over one thousand and five hundred years ago. The literature has involved different styles of presentation ranging from poems to modern best-selling books. The British Literature study is a journey that starts with a battle on an Anglo-Saxon and is continued by modern writers as they tackle contemporary issues that affect the society. Along the course of the study, one interacts with the works of legendary writers like Robin Hood and King Arthur who are an important part of the British culture due to their power to captivate. A variety of literature pieces have changed the perspective of society and left an influence on the readers. Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Chaucer’s Tales are such works that have shaped literature with their unique style where the various audience has been the target and has been used to guide society.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has participated in literary traditions in a unique manner where most audience would recognize the work instantly. The authors of the middle age used to apply established materials for their work (Joseph, p. 259). This tale can be read as a story of adventures and magic or as a teaching of morals. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight literature is classified into a genre known as romance. The context is not related to love stories as it does in various European languages in Latin especially the Roman Empire. Popular tales have applied romance languages, especially French. Therefore, romance is a tale of adventure that involves knights on a journey to pursue a particular goal. This tale has employed the use of fantasy and magic to bring out different characters and meanings to society. Hardships are represented by battles with monsters and dragons, visits to mysterious places, and trials to break curses and spells. The literature has also used symbolism where beautiful women are used as initiators of an adventure for them to be rescued or be won over by men.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight have used the old English where the alliteration and repetition of consonants have been used to connect the two halves in the poetic lines. The level of sophistication can be overlooked since the poem has structured the stanzas using rhyming words (Joseph, p. 261). The conclusion of alliterative lines is marked with a word or a phrase that comprises two syllables as well as a quatrain which when combined are known as ”the bob and wheel”. This technique helps to spin the content and the narrative in a complex manner. A sense of suspense is created by this technique that leaves the readers guessing of what will happen in the next episode.

The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is told in four parts. A feature used in ancient folklore and romance, where three narrative strings are connected to bring out a collective meaning. The first narrative is found in the ancient folklore derived from pagan myths that involve agricultural seasons of crop planting and harvesting (Armitage, n.p). The heroes are temped of their loyalty, honesty, and chastity in the second and third narrative which is a style found in the romance of middle ages. All these three plotlines are separate but connected and intertwine amazingly.

The subject matter used in this poem cuts across society’s beliefs and practices that are experienced in everyday life. For instance, we find that there is a narrative of hatred that is expressed by Morgan le Fayes towards Arthur and Camelot which is his court (Armitage, n.p). The enemy of the round table who appears as a legend and a sorceress is Arthur’s half-sister. Ancient readers knew the role Morgan played in the fall of Camelot. A depiction of the social model of operation is brought out portraying how hatred can result in jealousy and falling of kingdoms.

A historical frame is seen in the second frame of the poem. The myth of Britain’s lineage that is found in the city of Troy is used to begin and end the references through Brutus who was the founder of the Trojans (Joseph, p. 269). From these references, we see the root of the Arthurian romance as traditional literature which is old and more elevated as compared to courtly literature where England and Rome were linked in the fourteenth literature. Thus, we can conclude that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem presents to us the transfer of culture from classical antiquity to mid-age England. An ironic tone is applied in the poem as well as elevation of the legends that hail from his country and its history, in particular, the Arthurian romance.

The theme of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight comprises an open-ended poem where relativism is its character that allows the reader to enjoy the freedom of choice. This is found from the argument ”it is not firmly placed in the perspective of the perspective of absolute values”. The argument points out the poem to be transgressive writing in that it counter runs the expectations that stem from pervasive mid-age philosophies in art. Interpretations of the Green Knight are critical and divergent which is interesting to support the reading. John Speirs explains that he saw Green Knight as a god’s descendant while L.D Benson describing the same character as a combination of a Green Man and woodwose. The Green Knight is a center of controversy and different people interpret differently the exact meaning of this character. Death, devil, and Christ are all interpretations from different people, hence the theme of the poem has been designed to include all the societal superpower beings where humans have minimal or no power. The knights of Camelot are challenged for a beheading game by the Green Knight. This character can be described as ambivalent. The character is represented as half-giant even though he does not share traits that are associated with giants described in medieval romance. His body is well proportioned and his dress code suggests he belongs to the courtly culture.

In a recap, the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has been used to transfer the culture from classical antiquity to medieval England. British literature has been used to study literature where it has it started with Anglo-Saxon to modern literature. The story has also used adventures and characters with unique characteristics in a creative way. Fantasy in the poem is seen in that the characters do not resemble the normal known giants where they are green in appearance- the Green Knight- while others are a sorceress. The poem structure has been built with alliteration and repetition of consonants to connect the two lines of the poem. Agricultural seasons have been incorporated and mixed with the context to bring out the bigger picture of the social setting. Heroes pass through hardship by having to win battles and adverse adventures to become victors. These are the same hardship that is associated with humans in their struggle to survive. Sir Gawain and the Green Night poem has been a piece that has revealed diverse writing styles that employs different tools in literature in expressing societies’ problems.

Works Cited

  1. Armitage, S. ”Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: an Introduction.” The British Library, 31 Jan. 2018, www.bl.uk/medieval-literature/articles/sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-an-introduction.
  2. Joseph, St J. ”(PDF) Perspectives in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Medieval Transgressive Text?” ResearchGate, 1 Dec. 2016, www.researchgate.net/publication/334430071_Perspectives_in_Sir_Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight_A_Medieval_Transgressive_Text.

Original Meaning Of A Romance In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

Romances are now commonly seen as simply love stories, but the original meaning of a romance is the story of a near perfect hero who goes on a quest. Even though all romances contain the of the same elements, often they differ completely by the way the author writes the story. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade show many romantic similarities that include: an evil enemy, supernatural elements, near perfect heroes, and female figures; but the differences are how they each face their tests, and how they accomplish their quests.

First off, both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain face an evil enemy, which is not just an actual person or entity, as much as their own personal character flaws. Indiana Jones has a real evil enemy which starts out being the Nazis, but eventually he realizes that his perseverance, that is almost blind and overpowering. this becomes an evil that he has to overcome. Towards the end of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade he is reaching for the grail and is in danger of falling into an abyss and dying and he says, “I can get it. I can almost reach it, Dad…” And Dr. Jones, his father, says: “Indiana… let it go.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Because he decided to leave the grail, his dad was able to pull him up out of the abyss, they managed to escape and live. But the strong perseverance almost cost him his life and it wasn’t worth it just to get the grail. Like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sir Gawain also starts out with an enemy, the Green Knight, who eventually becomes just an object to reveal the true enemy, a cowardly and disloyal attitude. “Cursed be cowardice and covetous both, villainy and vice that destroy all virtue!” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) says Sir Gawain when he realized that the true enemy is “cowardice and covetous.” The fact that both stories contain a physical evil enemy and also a character flaw which becomes an evil they must overcome, is a similarity between “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Secondly, the romances contain supernatural elements such as: the Holy Grail, and a mysterious knight who gets beheaded and still lives. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” there is a knight dressed totally in green, the Green Knight, who comes into the castle when King Arthur and his knights are sitting at the round table and allows Sir Gawain to swing at his neck with an axe if the Green Knight can swing at his neck with the axe a year later. Sir Gawain agrees and later in the story the Green Knight says: “My head fell off at my feet, yet I never flickered.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) The Green Knight had his head chopped off and it didn’t even harm him, he just picked up his head and rode off. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana meets an old knight who warns him about the mythical Grail and says: “But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) What the knight meant by that is that while the real Grail will give you everlasting life, one of the false grails will make you die quickly. Both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” contain supernatural elements that show they are romances.

Another similarity between both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain is the fact that they both are near-perfect heroes and have character flaws that they deal with in the story. Indiana Jones is a near-perfect hero who is facing an evil enemy and his father refers to both of them being good guys in the story when he says: “My son, we’re pilgrims in an unholy land.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Because they are pilgrims in an unholy land that means that they are the guys doing the right thing. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Sir Gawain is a near-perfect hero but has a definite character flaw. The Green Knight says to him: “I’m convinced you’re the finest man that ever walked this earth.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) This was right after Sir Gawain’s test, which he failed, but despite his character flaw, the Green Knight still says that to him. That is how Sir Gawain and Indiana Jones are both near perfect heroes.

Yet another similarity is that both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain deal with a female figure that is somehow part of their test. Indiana Jones has a difficult test because he and the female figure, Elsa, both want to keep the grail, but cannot because the knight told them not to take it past the seal. Indiana says: “Elsa don’t cross the seal. The knight warned us not to take the grail from here!” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Indiana could have just said, “OK, Elsa. We got it, lets go!”, but he told her not to take it past the seal and that shows that the female figure was important in his test. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, there is a female figure who is also part of his test. The female figure in this story is also an important part of Sir Gawain’s test. She is the wife of a lord who Sir Gawain stays with, but the lord is actually the Green Knight who is using his wife to test Sir Gawain. “My own wife gave it to you, as I ought to know. I know, too, of your kisses and all your words and my wife’s advances, for I myself arranged them.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) This is where the Green Knight tells Sir Gawain of how he used his wife to test his loyalty. This shows that both romantic stories have female figures and how they are involved in the testing of the heroes.

So even though Indiana Jones’ test and Sir Gawain’s test both involve female figures and are tests of their a part of their character, only Indiana passes his test. Sir Gawain has a very difficult test, which he almost passes, except for the third part of it. The Green Knight explains it to him: “And so for the first two days, mere feints, nothing more severe. A man who’s true to his word, There’s nothing he needs to fear; You failed me, though, on the third Exchange, so I’ve tapped you here.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) The Green knight was telling Sir Gawain of how he passed the first two tests by giving him the kisses he received, but failed the third by not giving him the sash that his wife gave him. But unlike the Sir Gawain, Indiana Jones passes his central test. He realizes that the grail is not the most important thing and then gives his father his other hand, and is pulled to safety. “I can get it. I can almost reach it, Dad…” Then Dr. Jones says: “Indiana… let it go.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) That is where Indiana passes his test, when he turns from the grail and gives his father his other hand so he can be pulled to safety. So even though both Romantic heroes did have central tests of their character, only Indiana passed his.

Finally their quests differ in that Indiana starts to look for his father than for the grail, but Sir Gawain is just looking for the Green Knight to let him take a swing at his neck. Indiana Jones goes on the quest to find his father and to find what his father was looking for. In a certain part of the movie Indiana is telling Elsa, quite angrily, about their quest so far: “Listen. Since I’ve met you I’ve nearly been incinerated, drowned, shot at, and chopped into fish bait. We’re caught in the middle of something sinister here, my guess is Dad found out more than he was looking for and until I’m sure, I’m going to continue to do things the way I think they should be done.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) That sounds very dangerous and he seems quite unsure of what exactly he is looking for. But on the other hand Sir Gawain has figured out where he is going and he knows he has to be there by a certain day. “You’ve timed your travel, my friend, as a true man should. You recall the terms of the contract drawn up between us: at this time a year ago you took your chances.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) Sir Gawain knows exactly what he faces unlike Indiana Jones, who has a new danger around every corner. That is how Indiana Jones’ quest and Sir Gawain’s quest differ from each other.

So even though there are many similarities, such as an evil enemy, supernatural elements, and female figures, there are also differences. Both have totally different tests, and different quests. Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain both face an evil enemy who is actually just an object to reveal the real evil; which are their character flaws. There are supernatural elements in both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” such as the Holy Grail that gives eternal life and a Green Knight who gets his head chopped off and isn’t even harmed. In both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” Indiana and Sir Gawain are near perfect heroes, that have a character flaw that they have to deal with in the story. There are female figures, such as Elsa in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and the Green Knight’s wife in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” that are important in the central test of both Indiana and Sir Gawain. But one of the differences between the two stories is that even though both heroes have female figures and other things in their tests, only Indiana passes his test, while Sir Gawain is disloyal and fails his. The last difference I explained was the differences in Indiana’s and Sir Gawain’s quests. Indiana’s quest is very unpredictable and he is unsure what he is looking for, but Sir Gawain’s quest knows exactly where he is going and knows exactly what, or who, he is looking for. In spite of the similarities and differences in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” both stories contain elements that allow them to be classified as romances.

The Dismal Lives Of Temptresses In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight And The Miller’s Tale

Women are often portrayed as temptresses in medieval literature such as in the works of “The Miller’s Tale,” by Geoffry Chaucer and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” by, Gawain Poet. In literature, women are often blamed for the downfall of the strong man in the story throughout all history. In both of these stories women are viewed as objects of affection. Temptresses in these stories are made up of the same components and have similar men who think they deserve any woman they choose.

In the story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” by Gawain Poet is a tale about a Green Knight who starts a game with Sir Gawain, leading him to go on a trip to finish the game. When Sir Gawain arrives at Lord Bertilak’s castle he meets the Lady Bertilak, he viewed her as an object of beauty, “she who was fairest in face, form and looks.”(Gawain Poet 40) In this story the Lord Bertilak tries to control his wife, much like in “The Miller’s Tale.” The lord leaves the queen alone often so she is left to fill the absence of love in her life. The Lady Bertilak finds comfort in Sir Gawain’s presence rather than her husbands so she does anything to be closer to him. Bertilak has a certain willingness to leave his wife alone with Sir Gawain which is particularly interesting. At the end of the tale, although it is Sir Gawain who did not follow the rules, Lady Bertilak is blamed by Sir Gawain for his failure to win the game with Green Knight, “but no wonder if a fool finds his way into folly and be wiped of his wits by womanly guile.”(Gawain Poet 253) Lady Bertilak is said to have seduced Sir Gawain but her husband didn’t care how lonely she was when he leaves her to hunt. The women have similarly poor marital structures throughout these tales and are forced to do what they have to, to find someone who they feel cares for them in the way they need.

In the story “The Miller’s Tale,” written by Geoffry Chaucer is about a jealous carpenter and his wife who starts an affair. Similar to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the temptresses have wealthy husbands in the story John is “a rich gnof that gestes heeld to boorde”(Chaucer 284) married to Alisoun. Alisoun was “wilde and young, and [John] was old,”(Chaucer 285) leading him to have possessive tendencies. Alisoun is a beautiful women that many men are drawn to but they try to buy her love in some way “and for she was of twone, he profred meede.”(Chaucer 288) Jealousy among the spouses of the temptresses plays a role in both stories, when Alisoun and the scholarly Nicholas begin their affair she tells hims him that her husband is so jealous that, if they don’t keep their relationship private, “[Alisoun]woot right wel I nam but deed.” (Chaucer 286) Alisoun is feeling so caged in her marriage that the chivalrous sight of Nicholas causes her to begin her affair. Men in this story, such as Nicholas and Absolon can’t take no for an answer and keep demanding a change in Alisoun’s response to their confessions of love. Absolon continues his efforts in gaining Alisouns affection by showing up to her house and urges her for a kiss, without one he wouldn’t leave, “woltou thanne go thy way therwith”(Chaucer 295) she states after agreeing to a kiss. Alisoun is pressured by mostly all the men in her life and after time it becomes very hard not to give in to the men’s demands. When Alisoun tricks Absolon because she doesn’t want to kiss him, she sticks her butt out of the window, so he seeks to get revenge on her even though it was him who could not leave her alone. She didn’t return her love for Absolon but that does not give him the right to try to hurt her with a hot iron.

Both women crave a strong male in their life because of their husbands control on them. The attempt to have relationships with other men is because their husbands are absent most of the time as well as jealous. Both women seen as damsels in distress but prove that they are smarter than given credit for. Self control of the men in both tales is lacking, Sir Gawain couldn’t stay away from the queen and her gracefulness and Absolon and Nicholas both wanted to win Alisoun over even though she had a husband. Both women were like minded, attractive, and knew how to get what the wanted.

The characters in each story embody misogynistic stereotypes about women suggesting that they are nothing more than their beauty. The temptresses have husbands that make their lives equally feel a void that the women need to fill. The “temptresses” in both of these stories live remarkably identical lives, with beauty unlike others to possessive natured husbands. The women aren’t really temptresses but are just misunderstood because of their marriages.

Women’s Role in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a complex poem with plot lines that can surprise the reader, from a beheading of a literally green knight to attempted bedroom seductions, to grand feasts in King Arthur’s court. Upon first glance, the poem may seem to simply be about a knight named Sir Gawain who goes on a quest to complete a promise he made to the Green Knight. A grand feast, great hunts, intimate bedroom encounters and battles of strength and honor fill the pages. However, when the reader delves deeper, it is apparent that the poem contains many misogynistic elements. This is because of the time period that it was written in, the middle to late 14th century. This time period was marked by the Black Death, the 100 Years War, and the Western Schism, when the Roman Catholic Church had two rival popes. This was a time of significant social stress in which women were clearly not viewed as the social equals of men. During this period, it was very common for men to harbor anti-feminist attitudes toward women. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the author’s treatment of three female characters, Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur; Lady Bertilak, the Lady of the Manor and hostess for her male guest, Gawain; and Morgan Le Fay, the old, haggard protege of Merlin the wizard, reveal the misogyny of the late middle ages. Through the actions and attitudes of the male characters, the author characterizes women as objects, deceivers and scapegoats.

To fully grasp the meaning of this poem, knowing the cultural context is important. For Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, learning about how women, particularly women of the nobility, were treated in Medieval times is essential. The vast majority of women during this period were peasants. The predominant Christian faith reinforced the view that women were inferior. The writings of Apostle Paul emphasized a husband’s control over his wife and, by extension, his daughters (Bovey 1). Women lived lives narrowly defined by their roles in childbirth, daily routines in the home, and assisting in the fields, particularly during the harvest. The next most numerous class of women were those of the town. They, too, had significant domestic duties, and they also played an important role in the success of their artisan or shopkeeper husband. Neither group of women had any meaningful rights, and they were generally subservient to their husbands (Bovey 1-3). Their sexuality was mostly centered on their role in reproduction. Prostitutes, fairly common during this period, provided sexual gratification for males outside the confines of the home. In short, women during this period had to listen to their husbands. They had to dress in the attire the husband wanted, say what the husband wanted, and were generally seen but not heard. They could not make decisions by themselves and had to rely on their significant other. Helen Jewell, writer of Women in Medieval England, states that “in archival records women tend to be under-represented because it was normal for the male head of a household to be the recorded taxpayer, or the nominal tenant of land” (Jewell 1). This means that women in the medieval period had lower status and power than men.

The female characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight were women of the nobility. While certainly living better lives than peasant women or townswomen with respect to material possessions, leisure time, and comfort, female nobility lived restricted lives, both socially and legally. As Howard Bloch explains in “Medieval Misogyny,” women faced more severe punishment for adultery, did not enjoy men’s rights to possess and inherit property, nor did they enjoy the same rights as men to bear witness, represent themselves, serve as lawyers or judges, or bring suit (Bloch p. 8). Bloch also states, “If man’s desire is an ornament, or for that which is secondary, is analogous to man’s desire for woman, it is because woman is conceived as ornament” Bloch pg 12). Meaning, noblewomen were viewed as ornaments, valued for their appearance and indulged with decorative clothing and accessories to enhance their visual desirability

Queen Guinevere, from the start of the poem, is portrayed as a passive character, not only in the court, but also to her husband, King Arthur. When Guinevere is first introduced in the poem, the author describes her almost like she is the “trophy” of the court. The author wrote, “With Guinevere in their gathering, gloriously framed/ at her place on the platform, pricelessly curtained, by silk on each side…” (lines 74-84). This quote shows that Guinevere has no true role in the court other than being Arthur’s token to be looked and stared at by the other members. Arthur saw the women as a worthy reward. “The lord squeezed Gawain’s arm and seated him at his side,/ and called for the ladies to keep them company” (line 1083). This shows Arthur’s willingness to use ladies to bestow favor. In medieval times, all women wanted to be able to have a voice, to speak, but the author removes Guinevere almost entirely from the story line. The author completely suppresses Guinevere’s voice in the text, further illustrating the anti-feminist view of women as voiceless. Men did not want to listen to their spouses; instead, they wanted to be the ones in control and making the decisions. If a woman wanted to speak, she sought permission from her husband. In the entire text Guinevere is seen as a powerless lady who has no control. For example, near the end of the poem when it is revealed that Morgan Le Fay was in control of the entire plot, the Green Knight tells Gawain what had been happening. The Green Knight says, “She (Morgan Le Fay) guided me in this guise to your great hall/ to put pride on trial, and to test with this trick/ what distinction and trust the Round Table deserves./ She imagined this mischief would muddle your minds/ and that grieving Guinevere would go to her grave” (lines 2456-2460). Notice how the Green Knight tells Gawain that Morgan wanted to make Guinever “go to her grave.” This shows that Morgan saw Guinevere as nothing but a powerless woman and that it would not matter if she made her die. This also could be some form of female rivalry, that Morgan wanted to kill Guinevere because of her affair with Lancelot, and the affair’s threat to Arthur, Morgan’s half-brother. This further shows Guinevere as an object of jealousy, and a powerless woman, and Morgan as a woman scorned.

When Gawain first meets the two main female characters, Lady Bertilak and Morgan Le Fay, he tends to only focus on their outwardly appearance. When Lady Bertilak is introduced at the feast table, he is immediately taken by her beauty. The author states that Gawain thought that, “she was fairer in face, in her flesh and her skin, her proportions, her complexion, and her port than all others, and more lovely than Guinevere to Gawain she looked.” (lines 943-945). Here Gawain is acutely focusing on her physical attributes, which is extremely demeaning to her character. Lady Bertilak is an object to be admired, adorned with pearls described as “on the kerchiefs of the one many clear pearls were, her breast and bright throat were bare displayed, fairer than white snow that falls on the hills.” (lines 954-956)

Lady Bertilak’s entire role during this poem is entertain, charm, and seduce Gawain; the only reason she does this is because she was instructed to do so by her husband. When Gawain is sleeping in his bedroom, Lady Bertilak sneaks into his room and begins to tempt him. She states, “Good morning, Sir Gawain,” said the graceful lady,/ “You sleep so soundly one might sidle in here/ You’re tricked and trapped! But let’s make a truce,/ or I’ll bind you to your bed, and you’d better believe me.” (lines 1208-1211). At first glance, this may seem like the author has switched positions, now portraying Lady Bertilak as a powerful woman making it seem as though she is in charge. On a closer look, the reader knows that she is doing this because her husband instructing her to do so. According to Heng, “the Lady’s project is to appear as only one act in a grander, vaster design overseen by a male supervisor, with its crucial preeminence accordingly withheld” (Heng 508). Meaning, Lady Bertilak, despite her stealth-like entrance into the bedroom and her rather assertive initial actions, is a sexual object, there to fulfill her husband’s expectation that she fulfill her role as a Lady, available to her guest. She pursues this interaction as a noble act of hospitality, and despite the courtly nature of her actions, and her teasing and seductive actions, she is fulfilling a widely accepted gender role expected of noble women: to be an object of men’s desire. Her conversation with Gawain has significant sexual undertones and some hints at prostitution. Lady Bertilak tells Gawain, “You are welcome to me indeed, take whatever you want” (line 1235). In summary, Lady Bertilak is offering her body to Sir Gawain because she is expected to fulfill this seductive role and ultimately serve her husband’s task.

The other woman with Lady Bertilak is Morgan Le Fay; the author makes it clear that the reader knows Morgan is not nearly as beautiful as Lady Bertilak. In fact, the way the author describes her is extremely degrading. This makes it seem as though women are nothing other than objects to look at; the two women were even compared in the poem, to see which one is better than the other. The poem states, “For if the one was winsome, then withered was the other” (line 951). This apparent objectified comparison of Lady Bertilak and Morgan Le Fay is another clear example of misogyny. The comparison is also apparent when the author states, “But unlike in their looks those ladies appeared, for if the younger was youthful, yellow was the elder; with rose-hue the one face was richly mantled, rough wrinkled cheeks rolled on the other.” (lines 950-953) The women were objects to be compared in the most blunt and graphic manner.

Morgan le Fay, receives the harshest, most misogynist portrayal in the poem. Her mental strength and her mystical powers provide the greatest threat to the men of this myth. If a male character had her characteristics and acted as she did, they would be described as bold, or a “mover and a shaker.” The poem portrays her as old and ugly, unlike Queen Guinevere, described as an object of beauty. The poem states that Gawain thought, “Her trunk was square and squat,/ her buttocks bulged and swelled./ Most men would sooner squint/ at her hand she held” (line 966). She is portrayed not only as old and ugly, but meddling, petty, and malicious. In describing Morgan’s role in the story, Lord Bertilak says, “Bertilak de Hautdesert hereabouts I am called, by the might of Morgan le Fay that in my mansion dwelleth, and by cunning of lore and crafts well learned.”

Morgan le Fay does indeed play a key role in the story, acting as the instigator of the visit of the Green Knight, but her actions are not portrayed as a positive, admirable action. The motivation for her actions are presented as petty. She is described as creating this entire scheme to stir up trouble in the court. Denver Ewing Baughan, author of “The Role of Morgan Le Fay in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” observes that, “Morgan le Fay’s plan, as stated by Bercilak (the Green Knight), was twofold: it had as its purpose the frightening of Guinevere and the shaming of Arthur’s court.” (Baughan 242). Her actions reveal a case of resentment and petty female rivalry, not a bold action. Another critic, Catherine Batt, states, “The ‘testing’ of Gawain has been incidental to a plot the central purpose of which was to terrorize Guinevere” (Batt 137). This furthers the point that Morgan is devious in her motives and in fact is motivated by her resentment of Guinevere. Her actions bear the mark of female guile, not the exercise of power. In the Arthurian world view, power is the province of male characters; Morgan’s powers are portrayed as manipulative, vengeful, and evil. Any man with similar powers would be celebrated as a “wizard,” as Merlin was both by name and by profession. The main character, Gawain is described as “mighty in arms, courageous of heart true to his word, faithful to his duty, pure of body and of mind, courteous in even the most trying conditions, fine of spirit and ideal, devout of act” (Wells 56). A reader of this poem would be hard-pressed to find such a positive description of actions taken by any of the three main female characters.

At the end of the poem, when the Green Knight tells Gawain about the entire scheme he has been a part of, Gawain quickly shifts all the blame onto the women in the story. Gawain says, “But it’s no wonder whenever a women outwits/ A man.” (lines 2414-2421). Notice how the lady becomes a scapegoat for Gawain to lay all of the blame onto. He begins his rant by claiming that women are the ones to blame going all the way back to when Eve bit the apple and committed the Original Sin that all humans inherited. Gawain states, “But it’s no great wonder whenever a woman outwits/ A man and leads him away to mourning or to madness/For Adam himself was led astray by a woman” (2414-2421). Gawain goes as far as to compare himself to other biblical figures such as Solomon and Sampson. He says that even if these “perfect” men were deceived by women then it is almost impossible for him not to be. He says, “And Solomon by several, and so too was Samson/(Who was doomed by Delilah), not to mention David/Who was blinded by Bathsheba and suffered a bitter fate/These were all laid low by women’s lies. What great luck /If a lord could simply love them and not believe them!” (2414-2421). Gawain here is trying very hard to push the blame away from him and onto someone else. He cannot take responsibility for his failure to complete the game, laying blame on the devious workings of Morgan Le Fay. Gawain laments, “She put this magic upon me to deprive you of your wits in hope Guinevere to hurt, that she in horror might die aghast at the glamour that gruesomely spake with its head in had before the high table” (lines 2459-2463). Of course he is correct in identifying Morgan Le Fay’s central role in the games, but he clearly cannot accept responsibility for his own actions. Gerald Morgan, writer of “Medieval Misogyny and Gawain’s Outburst against Women in ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,’” says, “Gawain is not only humiliated by this realization of his sinfulness but also frustrated and embittered by the thought that his own virtues have made their contribution to that downfall.” (Morgan 276). This means that despite his chivalrous and honorable behavior throughout the entire poem, his true feelings about women all come out in this rant. In short, Gawain’s rant provides another example of the negative, misogynistic attitudes held by men of the medieval period. Howard Bloch, in his article “Medieval Misogyny,” explores anti-feminism in a wide range of medieval literature. He cites several examples of women as idols, concluding that, “It has been argued that the adoration of women, whether the Holy Virgin, the courtly lady, or the prophetess, is but another form of misogynistic investment.” (Bloch 8). He is saying that even when women are idolized, they are objectified.

Literature can provide deep and nuanced insights into a culture or a historical period. The Arthurian literature captures a time of gallantry, romance, intrigue, and mysticism. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight provides the reader with a rich and complex tale of honor, bravery, and mystical adventures. On other levels, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight captures beliefs, attitudes, and values that illustrate how women were viewed in late 14th century England. The three main female characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are Guinevere, King Arthur’s wife; Lady Bertilak, Lady of the Manor in which much of the action takes place; and Morgan Le Fay, an older, physically unattractive enchantress. Each represents at least one negative characterizations of women in medieval times. These three women are portrayed in ways that showcase misogynistic attitudes toward women: the trophy wife to be seen and not heard, the seductress serving her husband’s interests, and the unattractive, dangerous woman instigator and manipulator. It would take a very different view of these three females in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to attribute any positive values or capabilities such as independence, competence, and leadership. It is not surprising that the most powerful and capable female character is portrayed as old, mischievous and the least attractive. These three female characters exemplify the negative attitude towards women in the Middle Ages, showing that even the advantage of beauty, social status, or magical powers were not empowering factors for women.

Growth and Development of the Main Character in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The mid to late 14th century fable, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by Greg Chaucer, illustrates the development and growth of the main character, Sir Gawain. In the fable, Sir Gawain voluntarily takes the place for his king when it was believed the king would face death. The story starts with a mysterious Green Knight and his horse galloping into the court, challenging any person to a game. A “lucky” contestant is given one chance use an ax against the Green Knight. If the Knight survived, exactly one year later he will do the same to the contestant from the year before. By accepting his fate, showing bravery, and learning from his mistakes, Sir Gawain manages to gain experience in his growth and maturity. After the game had been announced and a few moments of silence later, the Green Knight breaks through the reticence by mocking the other knights, calling them “bearded children” (57), meaning they are weak and cowardly. Subsequently, the righteous King Arthur agrees to face this challenge, and before he can continue on with his choice, noble Sir Gawain easily takes his place. Arthur’s life is more precious than his, so to portray his courage, he steps forward. This is the first act of bravery emitted from Gawain, and he does so without hesitation. A quick movement of blade, and the Green Knight’s head is cleanly removed off his shoulders. To the crowds surprise, the green man does survive, and the he stands and displays his head like a trophy. Gawain is aware of the consequence for complying to this game; he must face the Green Knight exactly one year from the day, to accept his destiny that lie ahead. Within this text, we can see Gawain’s first act of gallantry, and his compliance to the deal he had made. Already, he is starting to mature and find that in order to be a faithful knight, he must follow through with his choices. This experience would demonstrate

The mid to late 14th century fable, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by Greg Chaucer, illustrates the development and growth of the main character, Sir Gawain. In the fable, Sir Gawain voluntarily takes the place for his king when it was believed the king would face death. The story starts with a mysterious Green Knight and his horse galloping into the court, challenging any person to a game. A “lucky” contestant is given one chance use an ax against the Green Knight. If the Knight survived, exactly one year later he will do the same to the contestant from the year before. By accepting his fate, showing bravery, and learning from his mistakes, Sir Gawain manages to gain experience in his growth and maturity.

After the game had been announced and a few moments of silence later, the Green Knight breaks through the reticence by mocking the other knights, calling them “bearded children” (57), meaning they are weak and cowardly. Subsequently, the righteous King Arthur agrees to face this challenge, and before he can continue on with his choice, noble Sir Gawain easily takes his place. Arthur’s life is more precious than his, so to portray his courage, he steps forward. This is the first act of bravery emitted from Gawain, and he does so without hesitation. A quick movement of blade, and the Green Knight’s head is cleanly removed off his shoulders. To the crowds surprise, the green man does survive, and the he stands and displays his head like a trophy. Gawain is aware of the consequence for complying to this game; he must face the Green Knight exactly one year from the day, to accept his destiny that lie ahead. Within this text, we can see Gawain’s first act of gallantry, and his compliance to the deal he had made. Already, he is starting to mature and find that in order to be a faithful knight, he must follow through with his choices. This experience would demonstrate that his actions had consequences, and he must do the right thing and accept them.

Next, we see Sir Gawain’s growth and maturity by his decision to make the journey, face his fate, and join the Green Knight. A year prior, the Green Knight had explained to him that he must venture to a Green Chapel, hidden inside of the woods, where he would allow one hit from the green man. The Green Knight had declared to him before, “The Knight of the Green Chapel, I am well-known to many, Wherefore you cannot fail to find me at last; Therefore come, or be counted a recreant knight” (224-226). Sir Gawain, not taking this lightly, starts his journey eleven months later. From this, it is clear that Sir Gawain showed courage and did not take the title as a ‘coward’. He exhibits his maturity by following through with his actions, and not backing down from danger when it is present. He knew he had to face his fate, so he would do it audaciously.

Lastly, we see Gawain reach his final point of growth by the acknowledgment of his decisions. His endeavor to the Green Chapel led him to a castle, where a man and his wife offered to house him for three nights. During these nights, the man, Bersalek, tells Gawain that he must give him whatever he receives during his stay. For the duration of his stop, he acquires kisses on the cheek from Bersalek’s wife, and so after dinner Gawain gives kisses on the cheek to Bersalek. On his final night, the wife gives Gawain a green girdle, meant to keep him safe from harm while he accepts the hit from the Green Knight the next day. At dinner, Gawain does not give Bersalek the girdle, and did not follow through with his promise to give him what he received. The next day, when Gawain meets the Green Knight at the Chapel, he still has the girdle with him. The Green Knight, taunting Gawain for flinching when he takes a swing, finally slightly scrapes his neck, and Gawain jumps back. The Green Knight then exclaims that he was Bersalek and he gave him the girdle. He told him that Gawain did not keep his promise, and was unfaithful because he was selfish and kept the girdle so he would not be killed. Gawain, feeling very regretful for his actions, apologizes to the large, green man. With this, the Green Knight can see the sorrow of the ashamed knight, and he forgives him. Displayed in the text, Sir Gawain reached maturity by facing his mistake and feeling disappointed in himself. He made a wrong decision when being selfish and keeping his safety, when he should’ve been brave and kept his word with Bersalek.

Within the tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the main character, Sir Gawain, deals with the choices he made and faced the consequences of his actions. Gawain begins a knight in King Arthur’s castle, and through his adventure he changes to a courageous man in the end. He confronted his demise by meeting the Green Knight and expecting to meet his end. By accepting his fate, showing bravery, and learning from his mistakes, Sir Gawain manages to gain experience in his growth and maturity.

Representations Of Women In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

To what extent would you argue that representations of women are inherently misogynistic in one or more of the literary texts on this module from Shakespeare onwards. In answering the question you should also make specific reference to examples from earlier epic, biblical, and/or Romance traditions?

The representations of women in The Odyssey, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are easily contextualised by the periods in which the texts were written and set. In Ancient Greek and Fourteenth and Sixteenth-Century British societies, women had no voice or power, which is evident especially in The Odyssey where Penelope is not able to tell her suitors to leave; she has very little authority even in her own household. However, women in the texts can be seen to have some agency, or at least an element of it as they make use of that which they have.

Overall, I will explore the thesis that while there are some underlying themes of female agency and power, ultimately the texts are still predominantly misogynistic in their presentation and representation of their female characters. Furthermore, at the end of the narratives, order is seen to be restored with men once again having the power and agency, women in their rightful place (contextualised by the times which the texts were published). In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, “social and conceptual hierarchies are firmly established, only to be more strikingly breached and confused before the eventual clarification and restoration of order” (Walters, 2002) The Femme Fatale character is a common occurrence in all genres of literature and can be conceived as being a misogynistic representation of women; they seduce the hero to bring on his downfall.

While the texts at their roots are misogynistic, there are some elements of feminism, for example the inverted gender roles, predominantly in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but also in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most notably, in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, positions of power are inverted because gender is inverted; the women do not conform to the societal norms of the time (James, 2013). For example, at the end of the poem, Morgan le Fey is revealed to be the orchestrator of the plot,” she guided me” (Unknown, Armitage, 2007, line 2456), though it is Lord Bertilak who is presented as this throughout the text. This itself is inherently misogynistic because the true mastermind of the plot, a woman, is kept a secret.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream presents a patriarchal society in which both male and female characters negotiate masculine control (Stephens, 2011); on one hand, we have Titania who appears to have some element of power in her relationship, and it is Oberon who is shamed almost for his infidelity, as Titania notes his playing “Pipes of corn, and versing love/ to amorous Phillida” (Shakespeare, 2.1.67-8), while she remains unchallenged for her own adulteries at this point. Furthermore, stereotypically, in literature the man is supposed to persue the woman, however it is Helena who chases after Demetrius, “The more I love, the more he hateth me”, while he resists her. This inversion of gender roles in the human world of the play implies Helena’s own distaste for the patriarchal ideology, as she willingly goes against it in the interest of her own desires. Her stubborn nature, and that of Hermia, is arguably the reason for the subversion of the hierarchies, as the faerie world mirrors that of the human world (Stockard, 1997), which does connote some misogynistic blame on the two girls.

Female agency is another element of a feminist reading which can be applied in the texts, for example, the way in which Bertilak speaks presents her to be intelligent with the ability to play and manipulate into doing she wants. In the seduction scenes, Lady Bertilak has the agency compared to Gawain, she has the most dialogue, showing her to have power over him in those moments. It is in those moments where he is the prey, he is weak and unable to “love our ladies without believing their lies” (Unknown, Armitage, line 1421). Furthermore, Morgan Le Fay being the orchestrator of the plot shows her agency over the entirety of the poem and of the characters.

Much like in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, we see Titania show her own agency in her relationship, as she says herself that she had “forsworn his bed and company” (Shakespeare, 1600, 2.1.62). This implies the paradoxical nature of the faerie world compared to that of the humans; Theseus and Hippolyta’s relationship is the antithesis and has a completely different dynamic. Theseus took her as a war prize, “I wooed thee with my sword”, (Shakespeare, 1600, 1.1.16) when he defeated her tribe, implying that she is simply an object to him, over which he has complete control and power.

In The Odyssey, Penelope is able to use what little power she does have to her advantage by using stereotypical feminine skill of sewing to avoid remarrying as she “undid her work” on the tapestry, having promised to remarry once it was complete. The cunning this shows, which mirrors that of Odysseus, supports the thesis of Penelope being presented as being just as important as Odysseus in the text (Murnaghan, 2009. Penelope has some agency because she was left in charge of their home when Odysseus went away, but even then, the agency is limited by her lack of voice, which she herself recognises “They’d never feast here again, if I could stop them” (Homer, Book 4, page 58). Penelope, though in charge of her home is unable to make the suitors leave out of fear of humiliating them. Female agency is not common in old texts, so by there being elements of it in these three texts, it is something of a feminist anomaly, however it can be argued that this agency that the women appear to have in the text is only that which has been allowed by the men in the stories.

Despite the elements which appear to empower the women in the texts, it is crucial to remember the times in which they were written and the attitudes that influenced the texts. For one, the power Titania appears to have over Bottom, “Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no” (3.1.139) is simply her being manipulated by Oberon; if she successfully manipulates Bottom, then she herself has manipulated. Oberon is the true villain in the play, with just his own interests in mind as he drugs Titania so that in the end, “I then did ask of her her changeling child/ which straight she gave me” (4.1.58-9). In the very first act, the audience is witness to the ideas of the patriarchy of the time, when Hermia must follow her father’s order as “your father should be as a God” (1.1.47), and that any disobedience in the matter would result in her death (1.1.44). However, by advising her of marriage rather than allowing her father to lay down the law, Theseus actually grants Hermia the status of a speaking subject, which the law would deny her (Desmet, 1998). This offers a contradiction to Theseus’ own societal ideals and the misogyny of the text, however, she is still answerable to the male dominated society as does still only have a limited voice and is simply an objects or “estate” (1.1.98) to her Egeus; she is left with little option but to either die or become a nun if she refuses to marry Demetrius.

While, in the Odyssey, Penelope is left in charge of the home in Ithaca, she has no real authority nor voice, Telemachus himself disrespects his mother, during Book 1, “Making decisions must be men’s concern, and mine in particular for I am master in this house”, which is representative of the societal beliefs of the time. If the father was absent, the oldest son would become the head of the household, not the mother despite her being the parent; males held more status in society than women. The single appearance of Guinevere in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is telling of the attitudes and expectations of women during the fourteenth century; she is “gloriously framed…pricelessly curtained” (Fitt1, line 74-5). She is described through metaphor as a work of art, so she is beautiful, but also an object. During this time, she says nothing, implying her lack of voice in society despite her a queen, representing the lack of female voice during the fourteenth century. Furthermore, the representation that it is Calypso keeping Odysseus from his home of Ithaca, shows the power that she holds over him, though she is a Goddess so it is to be somewhat expected. This is misogynistic because it villainises the woman more than it does Poseidon who is the real reason he is unable to return home. She is an example of the Femme fatal character as she wants him to marry her and tries to make Odysseus forget about him home and son.

The femme fatale trope is a common form a misogyny in literature because the women are characterised as using their beauty to seduce the male characters to their downfall. Morgan Le Fay is a key example of one; in the King Arthur myth is the one who arguably defeats him. Furthermore, in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Lady Bertilak is the temptress who tries to seduce Gawain in order to defeat him: “the three serial temptations pose no physical danger to Gawain, but spiritual peril”, if he gives into temptations, then his soul is damned due to committing a mortal sin (Francis, 2016). This representation of Lady Bertilak is sexist because she is commonly referred to as the “beautiful woman” (Unknown, Armitage, 2007, line 1010) in the text, which itself dehumanises her and makes her more of an object of desire than anything else; her only role in the text is as the seductress, or a pawn in Morgan’s le Fay’s plot.

Femme fatales also appear again in The Odyssey, the Sirens use their song to lure men to their deaths, however in this case, Odysseus and his men are able to outwit them and, while Odysseus’ “heart was filled with such a longing to listen” (Homer, book 12, page162) that he demands to be set free, the group all resist the call of the sirens. This representation of women as femme fatales imply the true misogyny of the texts because the power that this role gives the female characters can only be used to the detriment of the male protagonists.

The structures of the actual texts are also supportive of the thesis that the texts are inherently misogynistic, most tellingly in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the play, everything is turned on its head, and there is a “disruption of masculine discourse” (Desmet,1998) leading to the women of the play to seemingly have power over the men. However, in the end, when the drug is out of the systems of all affected, proper order is restored and hierarchies are structured as they at the beginning, with the men having authority and power in both the human and faerie worlds. In the Odyssey¸ Odysseus’ return to and self-reveal in Ithaca symbolises and end to the chaos which occurred during his absence, with the end of Penelope’s authority over the home. Odysseus holds more authority due to his gender and so the suitors leave his home for him, when they would not when Penelope was alone. However, Sr Gawain and the Green Knight is slightly different in its resolution; Sir Gawain dies and Morgan le Fay is technically left in power as in Arthurian myth, she later plots in the death of King Arthur. These examples are misogynistic as they imply that chaos takes over when women are in power and order is only restored once men have power and authority in society.

Through the debate of the essay, I can conclude that the texts are inherently misogynistic despite the elements of power the female characters have in the texts. The power and authority given to the female characters are only that which they have been allowed by the men, it is not their own power; Lady Bertilak was sent by her husband to seduce Gawain, and Hermia’s voice is only that which she was granted by Theseus in Act 1. Penelope’s authority, thought largely ignored despite it, is only hers because Odysseus left her in charge, but the suitors have little respect for her anyway and refuse to leave until he returns. The representation of women as femme fatales villainises them as they are unable to use the power the roles gives them for anything other than bringing on the downfalls of male characters. Finally, the texts imply that chaos occurs largely when women are allowed some power, that there is order without the patriarchy.

Bibliography:

  1. Desmet, C. (1998). Disfiguring Women with Masculine Tropes: A Rhetorical Reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Critical Essays, 299-329.Francis K. H. So (2016). The Benign but Bleak “wyldrenesse” in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Medieval and Early Modern English Studies, 24( 1), 17- 35.
  2. Francis K. H. So (2016). The Benign but Bleak “wyldrenesse” in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Medieval and Early Modern English Studies, 24( 1), 17- 35. Francis K. H. So. (2016). The Benign but Bleak “wyldrenesse” in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Medieval And Early Modern English Studies, 24(1), 17-35. doi: 10.17054/memes.2016.24.1.17
  3. Homer, The Odyssey, 2003
  4. James, M. (2013). Displaced Blame and the Feminine Threat: Gender Conventions and Gendered Authority in the Romances of Chrétien de Troyes and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Masters). California State University San Marcos
  5. Murnaghan, Sheila. (2009). “Penelope’s Agnoia: Knowledge, Power, and Gender in the Odyssey.” In Lillian E. Doherty (Ed.),Oxford Readings in Classical Studies: Homer’s Odyssey, pp. 231-244. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  6. Shakespeare, W. (1600) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2002 edition
  7. Stephens, P. (2011). Master Mistress: Gendered relations in a Midsummer Night are Dream, Cymbeline, and the Sonnets. Shakespeare beyond English, 29-317.
  8. Stockard, E. (1997). ‘Transposed to Form and Dignity’: Christian Folly and the Subversion of Hierarchy in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Religion & Literature, 29(3), 1-20. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40059709
  9. Unknown, Armitage, S, (trans). (2007) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  10. Walters, C. (2002), ‘Introduction’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 9-19

Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

During medieval times knights follow a code of courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak, this way of life is referred to as chivalry. In Literature, This way of life was shown in texts like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Le Morte d’Arthur where characters used chivalry to accomplish tasks and save lives. In literature, characters created and ended conflicts using chivalry.

Chivalric values in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight create conflict between characters but also solve them. The conflict starts when the Green Knight arrives at Arthur’s party; he does not fight them but instead mocks their age “Nay to fight… but beardless children.“(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 57). The Green Knight calls the Knights ‘beardless children’ meaning that they are young and because of his chivalric values decides not to fight them. This creates a conflict between them because the Knights may be young but they are very experienced and battle-tested. This tension continues with the Green Knight mocking the Knights For not taking his challenge “Overwhelmed with a word of one man’s speech, For all cower and quake, and no cut felt!”(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 90-91). The Green Knight mocks the Knights because they do not take a challenge. The Knights not taking the challenge goes against chivalric values. The lack of Values angers the Green Knight. The conflict comes to an end when Arthur speaks up and takes the challenge himself. “Sir, now we see you say but folly… No guest he is aghast of your great words. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 98-100). Arthur taking the challenge makes the Green Knight calm down so the conflict is resolved.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain represents chivalrous behavior in his actions. His first chivalrous action was when he stepped up and take the challenge to save King Arthur”I beseech before all here, That this melee be mine…

During medieval times knights follow a code of courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak, this way of life is referred to as chivalry. In Literature, This way of life was shown in texts like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Le Morte d’Arthur where characters used chivalry to accomplish tasks and save lives. In literature, characters created and ended conflicts using chivalry.

Chivalric values in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight create conflict between characters but also solve them. The conflict starts when the Green Knight arrives at Arthur’s party; he does not fight them but instead mocks their age “Nay to fight… but beardless children.“(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 57). The Green Knight calls the Knights ‘beardless children’ meaning that they are young and because of his chivalric values decides not to fight them. This creates a conflict between them because the Knights may be young but they are very experienced and battle-tested. This tension continues with the Green Knight mocking the Knights For not taking his challenge “Overwhelmed with a word of one man’s speech, For all cower and quake, and no cut felt!”(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 90-91). The Green Knight mocks the Knights because they do not take a challenge. The Knights not taking the challenge goes against chivalric values. The lack of Values angers the Green Knight. The conflict comes to an end when Arthur speaks up and takes the challenge himself. “Sir, now we see you say but folly… No guest he is aghast of your great words. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 98-100). Arthur taking the challenge makes the Green Knight calm down so the conflict is resolved.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain represents chivalrous behavior in his actions. His first chivalrous action was when he stepped up and take the challenge to save King Arthur”I beseech before all here, That this melee be mine… the loss of my life would be least of any. (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 115-129). Sir Gawain taking the place of Arthur shows that Gawain cares about the people. He takes his place because he knows that his death would be less impactful than King Arthur’s. His chivalrous behavior continues when he follows the challenge and meets the Green Knight at the Green Chapel“ Friend mine It seems your word holds good”(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 333-334). Sir Gawain follows the challenge and his word by meeting the Green Knight when he agreed to. This is an example of chivalrous behavior because he follows his word and does not waiver. Although Sir Gawain was Chivalrous, he is not the only character that follows the same code. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the Green Knight’s Chivalrous behavior teaches the reader a valuable lesson. His chivalry begins when he decides not to fight the young Knights when he first meets them’ “Nay to fight… but beardless children.“(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 57). His judgment possibly saves the lives of Arthur’s Knights and himself. This teaches the reader to follow your will and not do things that you feel are wrong. His chivalrous behavior continues when he spares the life of Sir Gawain and leaves him with a small nick “True men pay what they owe; No danger than in sight. You failed at the third throw, So take my tap, sir knight.”(Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 444-447). The Green Knight purposely misses Sir Gawain because he passed his test. The Green Knight’s actions teach us that if you follow your word you will earn the respect of people, and they possibly will then help you when you need it most.

Chivalry in Le Morte d’Arthur Causes conflict but also solves them. The conflict starts when Sir Gawain confronts Arthur in a dream and tells him not to confront Mordred, but Arthur thinking he was better decided to fight him anyway. Arthur’s stubbornness ends up killing him and his friends. “…for if you do, not only will yourself be killed but all of your noble followers too”(Malory 209). Gawain is being chivalrous because he decides to tell Arthur to not fight Mordred, but he decides to fight him anyway and it ends up costing his life. The conflict was ended when Sir Bedivere threw Arthur’s sword into the water as he wished “ Sir Bedivere wrapped the girdle around the sheath and hurled it as far as he could”(Malory 212). Sir Bedivere ends the conflict by doing what Arthur wished, which makes him happy just before he dies. Arthur represents the ideals of chivalry in Le Morte d’Arthur. When Arthur shows the ideals of chivalry when he comforts Sir Bedivere after his brother Lucas dies “Sir Bedivere, weep no more… for you can save neither your brother nor me”(Malory 212). Arthur comforts Sir Bedivere because he sees that he is upset about his brother’s death, this shows that Arthur is caring and that is a characteristic of chivalry. This action of putting himself last and putting other people in front of him shows that he is a good king and follows the code of chivalry. Although Arthur is chivalrous he is not the only character that these characteristics. In Le Morte d’Arthur Sir Bedivere shows chivalrous behavior because he is loyal to the king until his death “My lord as you command it shall be done”(Malory 212). Sir Bedivere’s willingness to do what Arthur asks hin is a sign of chivalry because he does what he asks.

The code of chivalry is followed by many people including knights. In books Like Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Le Morte d’Arthur characters like Sir Gawain, the Green Knight, Arthur, and Sir Bedivere followed that code, and it created and ended conflicts. If you act with kindness you will get kindness.