Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

“High were their hearts in halls and chambers,

These lords and these ladies, for life was sweet.

In peerless pleasures passed they their days,

The most noble knights known under Christ,

And the loveliest ladies that lived on earth ever”

The poet’s depiction of King Arthur’s court is at once complimentary and skeptical. On the one hand, the poet follows the lead of earlier works in depicting Camelot as a place where chivalry attained its highest form, calling the knights the “most noble known.” At the same time, however, he places these knights in a context that suggests their chivalry consists largely of courtly love and, more broadly, aristocratic manners and refinement; they are surrounded by “the loveliest ladies that lived on earth ever” and they live lives of “peerless pleasure.” The passage implies that the chivalry of Camelot is in some sense cut off from the world at large, which raises the question of how it will fare as a code of conduct once Gawain leaves court. 

“[I]n his own hand he had a holly bob

That is goodliest in green when groves are bare,

And an ax in his other, a huge and immense.” 

According to the Green Knight himself, he has brought a sprig of holly with him to Camelot as a sign that he comes in peace, referencing the Christian association of holly's red berries with Jesus’s blood and its spiky leaves with Jesus’s crown of thorns. Its symbolism in the work goes much deeper than this, however. Holly’s ties to the Christmas season originated in pre-Christian paganism, which regarded the plant as a symbol of eternal life thanks to its evergreen nature. In this sense, its appearance here hints at the coming of spring and themes of spiritual renewal and redemption, which the Green Knight’s arrival facilitates. Meanwhile, its juxtaposition with the green ax speaks to the duality not only of the Green Knight, but of nature itself in the work: both deadly and life-giving, pagan and Christian, etc.

“Nay, to fight, in good faith, is far from my thought;

There are about on these benches but beardless children,

Were I here in full arms on a haughty steed,

For measured against mine, their might is puny.

And so I call in this court for a Christmas game.”

The Green Knight is deliberately insulting in issuing his challenge, impugning the strength and skill of Camelot’s knights by calling them “beardless children.” This show of disrespect further establishes the Knight as a figure who exists outside of “civilized” human society. It also implicitly challenges the values of that society; if someone like the Knight can best one of Arthur’s knights at a “game”—that is, a competition that observes chivalry’s established forms and conventions—it suggests that Camelot’s reputation is more a matter of appearance than reality.

“Though high-born Arthur at heart had wonder,

He let no sign be seen, but said aloud

To the comely queen, with courteous speech,

‘Dear dame, on this day dismay you no whit;

Such crafts are becoming at Christmastide,

Laughing at interludes, light songs and mirth,

Amid dancing of damsels with doughty knights.”

Arthur’s response to the episode with the Green Knight is in keeping with the poem’s subtle critique of Camelot. Far from being shaken out of complacency by what he has just witnessed, the king’s first impulse is to fall back on decorousness and custom; he speaks “courteously” and attempts to frame the Green Knight’s appearance and challenge in terms of Christmas tradition. The religious overtones of the word “wonder” make the challenge all the more problematic, implying that the court as a whole is too focused on worldly pleasures and pastimes to notice God’s hand at work.

“And so this Yule to the young year yielded place,

And each season ensued at its set time.”

By drawing attention to the passing of the seasons, the poet acknowledges the natural processes involved in the passage of time. The relationship between human society and nature in Sir Gawain is complex, but part of what some characters find threatening about the natural world is its refusal to abide by human ideas of order (for instance, the hierarchical order of the Great Chain of Being). However, as the above passage notes, nature also has structure and rules—for instance, the progression of the seasons. Ultimately, the poem suggests a parallel between this order and the teachings of Christianity, with the yearly coming of spring mirroring both Jesus’s birth and resurrection.

“Now all these five fives were confirmed in this knight,

And each linked in other, that end there was none,

And fixed to five points, whose force never failed.” 

The poet spends a considerable amount of time discussing the symbolism of the pentangle on Gawain’s shield, enumerating the five sets of five knightly qualities that make the star a fitting emblem. As well, the pentangle’s shape implies that Gawain’s virtues are all linked to one another and that they are mutually reinforcing; it also suggests that there are no chinks in Gawain’s moral perfection. This image of perfection proves to be misleading; not only is Gawain himself fallible, but the chivalric code at times comes into conflict with itself.

“Now with serpents he wars, now with savage wolves,

Now with wild men of the woods, that watched from the rocks,

Both with bulls and with bears, and with boars besides,

And giants that came gibbering from the jagged steeps.

[…]

And if the wars were unwelcome, the winter was worse,

When the cold clear rains rushed from the clouds

And froze before they could fall to the frosty earth.” 

Gawain must overcome multiple obstacles simply in order to find the Green Knight; in leaving Camelot, he exposes himself to the forces of nature, whether in the form of the elements, wild animals and mythical creatures, or simply people who don’t abide by the laws and traditions of “civilized” society. However, while any one of these adventures could conceivably be the subject of a romance, the poet only mentions them in passing, keeping with the work’s overall emphasis on Gawain’s spiritual (rather than physical) journey. The adventures listed above are less important to the poet than the moral test Gawain undergoes at Lord Bertilak's castle and the Green Chapel.

“No sooner had Sir Gawain signed himself thrice

Than he was ware, in the wood, of a wondrous dwelling.” 

The poet frames Gawain’s discovery of Lord Bertilak’s castle as a quasi-miraculous event; not only does he appear to summon it with his prayers, but its appearance—“shimmer[ing] […] amid shining leaves” (772)—is itself magical. The description of the castle as “wondrous” is especially significant, since the same word or variants on it are repeatedly used to characterize the Green Knight’s appearance at Camelot. By associating the two events, the poet not only foreshadows Lord Bertilak’s true identity, but also underscores his role as a godlike figure, whose miraculous interventions in the story break the rules and traditions of human society.

“Now displays of deportment shall dazzle our eyes

And the polished pearls of impeccable speech;

The high art of eloquence is ours to pursue

Since the father of fine manners is found in our midst.” 

The reaction of Lord Bertilak’s household and guests to the discovery of Gawain’s identity underscores the reputation of King Arthur’s court, and Gawain in particular; even in the wilderness beyond the borders of Camelot, people know of Gawain’s reputation for chivalry. At the same time, given what Bertilak later reveals about his mission to put Camelot’s reputation to the test, the emphasis in this passage is on “deportment” and “eloquence” rather than bravery, loyalty, and devoutness implies that Camelot is overly concerned with the outer trappings of chivalry rather than the substance of it. 

“More toothsome to his taste,

Was the beauty by [Morgan le Fay’s] side.” 

Although Lord Bertilak will eventually reveal Morgan le Fay to be the architect of the entire scheme involving the Green Knight, she largely remains a mysterious character; Bertilak’s remark that she wants to upset Queen Guenevere makes sense only in the context of broader Arthurian lore, where the two women are sometimes depicted as rivals. That said, Gawain’s initial reaction to seeing Morgan le Fay in her withered form foreshadows the circumstances of his later lapse into sin; distracted by Lady Bertilak’s beauty and her sexual advances, he neglects to consider the implications of accepting her girdle.

“[T]he food was brought first to that festive board,

And thence throughout the hall, as they held most fit,

To each man was offered in order of rank.” 

As at Camelot, the guests in Lord Bertilak’s castle are seated and served in accordance with their ranks. Bertilak, in other words, is no less observant of “proper” decorum than King Arthur, and the feasting and celebrations at his castle are no less lavish than those at Arthur’s court. The poet’s critique of the latter is therefore aimed not so much at Camelot’s wealth or culture, but rather at their hollowness; unlike Lord Bertilak, who demonstrates his knightly prowess during his hunts, valor at Camelot seems largely relegated to stories and games.

“Whatever I win in the woods I will give you at eve,

And all you have earned you must offer to me.” 

Bertilak’s proposed exchange of winnings hints at his secret identity, as his words closely correspond to the language used earlier by the Green Knight: “[S]eek me yourself, wheresoever you deem / My lodgings may lie, and look for such wages / As you have offered me here before all this host” (395-397). These ideas of reciprocity and exchange are a key motif in the story, in part because they reflect the nature of feudal society. In this society, hierarchical but mutually beneficial relationships existed between king and nobles and also between nobles and serfs. The poet suggests that these rigid rules of exchange are insufficient, in that they fail to capture the relationship between humanity and God.

“‘Now you are taken in a trice—a truce we must make,

Or I shall bind you in your bed, of that be assured.’

Thus laughing lightly that lady jested.

‘Good morning, good lady,’ said Gawain the blithe,

Be it with me as you will; I am well content!

For I surrender myself, and sue for your grace,

And that is best, I believe, and behooves me now.’” 

Gawain and Lady Bertilak banter during the seduction scenes, alluding not only to hunting, but also to combat. The above exchange, for instance, mimics the language a defeated knight would use to sue for mercy. This example of witty conversation is typical of someone of Gawain’s station, and the passage also hints at the true significance of his encounters with Lady Bertilak; it’s during these episodes that the true test of Gawain’s character takes place.

“And you are the noblest knight known in your time;

No household under heaven but has heard of your fame,

And here by your side I have sat for two days,

Yet never has a fair phrase fallen from your lips

Of the language of love, not one little word!” 

In her attempts to lure Gawain into sin, Lady Bertilak invokes the idea of courtly love and frames it as central to knighthood; she implies that, by refusing to woo her, Gawain is failing to live up to the chivalric code. This line of argument is somewhat persuasive to Gawain, who does strive to embody knightly ideals. The problem, as he now discovers, is that those ideals can come into conflict with one another, and Gawain must therefore walk a proverbial fine line in order to avoid insulting Lady Bertilak, on the one hand, and breaking his oaths to Lord Bertilak and God on the other. 

“At last, by a little ditch, he leaps over the brush,

Comes into a clearing at a cautious pace,

Then he thought through his wiles to have thrown off the hounds

Till he was ware, as he went, of a waiting-station

Where three athwart his path threatened him at once.”

Lord Bertilak’s three hunting trips parallel his wife’s three attempts to seduce Gawain, suggesting that Gawain as yet another hunted animal who, beneath his polished exterior, is as driven by instinct as any creature of nature. The details of each hunting scene are also significant for the way in which they underscore different aspects of Gawain’s experience. For instance, the situation of the fox in this passage mirrors the way in which Gawain, having evaded one threat, in the form of Lady Bertilak’s sexual overtures, is taken unawares and succumbs to another: her offer of the girdle.

“She released a knot lightly, and loosened a belt

That was caught about her kirtle, the bright cloak beneath,

Of a gay green silk, with gold overwrought,

And the borders all bound with embroidery fine.”

The girdle, which Lord Bertilak later reveals to be his own, bears a striking resemblance to the Green Knight’s attire, which had “butterflies and birds embroidered thereon / In green of the gayest, with many a gold thread” (166-167). Its color is also significant in light of its later function as a visible reminder of Gawain’s misstep; as the color of the natural world, green also represents the physical or animal side of Gawain, which is what leads him astray.

“He wore a rich robe of blue, that reached to the earth

And a surcoat lined softly with sumptuous furs;

A hood of the same hue hung on his shoulders;

With bands of bright ermine embellished were both.”

The poet mentions the color of Gawain’s robe on the third and final night of his deal with Lord Bertilak, which is the only time the color blue explicitly appears in the work. In medieval art, the Virgin Mary was often depicted wearing blue, so the color of Gawain’s clothing may be an ironic commentary on his interactions with Lady Bertilak; although he has remained sexually chaste, he has succumbed to a different sort of temptation by accepting the girdle.

“‘Can this be the Chapel Green?

Alack!’ said the man, ‘Here might

The devil himself be seen

Saying matins at black midnight!’”

The fact that the story’s climax takes place at a chapel is significant, since it speaks to the fact that Gawain’s quest is primarily an internal and spiritual one. Gawain assumes that only a devil would worship at the Green Chapel, revealing himself to be a product of the highly cultured world of Camelot. Because he believes in the inherent goodness of civilization, he assumes that the natural world is bad, so the fact that the Chapel is cut into a hill and “covered with coarse grass” (2181) strikes him as “hideous” and even evil. Gawain soon learns, however, that humans ignore their place in the natural world at their peril, since it is this neglect that makes them susceptible to sin. The Chapel’s rustic appearance is symbolic of the relationship between humanity’s spiritual and physical selves; salvation is possible if the human connection to nature is openly acknowledged.

“Yet you lacked, sir, a little in loyalty there,

But the cause was not cunning, nor courtship either,

But that you loved your own life; the less, then, to blame.”

Lord Bertilak views Gawain’s actions more leniently because they stem from a fear of death. In fact, as the Green Knight, the lord mocks Gawain for flinching from his ax, noting that the movement is at odds with the behavior expected of a knight in battle. In the above passage, however, he claims to understand Gawain’s slip not as a calculated act of sinfulness, but an act of self-preservation. In a world where all people are susceptible to sin, an instinctive misstep is more excusable than a fully knowing one.

“You are so fully confessed, your failings made known,

And bear the plain penance of the point of my blade,

I hold you polished as a pearl, as pure and as bright

As you had lived free of fault since first you were born.” 

Gawain’s growth as a character requires him to fail the Green Knight’s challenge; in failing, Gawain becomes aware of his own weakness. The above passage underscores this point, framing it in the Christian language of redemption, while also highlighting the Knight’s role as a godlike figure with the power to absolve Gawain of his sins. 

“But if a dullard should dote, deem it no wonder,

And through the wiles of a woman be wooed into sorrow,

For so was Adam by one, when the world began,

And Solomon by many more, and Samson the mighty.”

Gawain’s lament about Lady Bertilak is not entirely fair, given that she acts on her husband’s orders. As this passage highlights, however, Lady Bertilak’s involvement in the challenge draws a parallel to the Christian story of the fall; just as Eve persuaded Adam to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, so Lady Bertilak persuades Gawain to take the girdle. What’s more, she is able to do so precisely because of Gawain’s susceptibility to sin and his mortality. As he says a moment later, “[I]ts [the flesh’s] tenderness entices the foul taint of sin” (2438).

“[Morgan le Fay] guided me in this guise to your glorious hall,

To assay, if such it were, the surfeit of pride

That is rumored of the retinue of the Round Table.” 

Lord Bertilak repeats his earlier words as the Green Knight: his challenge is a means of testing King Arthur’s court and its glorious reputation. Bertilak implies that Gawain’s failure proves that King Arthur’s court is too proud; he gives Gawain the girdle, he says, so that Gawain will remember the importance of humility. As well, the girdle serves as a reminder that even those who most nearly embody a human code of conduct like chivalry are still fallible.

“[T]he court all together

Agree with gay laughter and gracious intent

That the lords and the ladies belonging to the Table,

Each brother of that band, a baldric should have,

A belt borne oblique, of a bright green,

To be worn with one accord for that worthy’s sake.” 

The court’s response to Gawain’s trials is ambiguous. The girdle is above all else a symbol of human frailty, but the lords and ladies adopt the girdle themselves as a way to honor Gawain for his adventures rather than for his character growth. The fact that their actions stem from “gracious intent” implies that they are still bound to a hollow code of chivalry that values tradition and appearance over character.