Critical Response on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - Literature Paper Example

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a Middle English chivalric romance narrative published in the late 14th-centuary (Morpurgo &Michael 7). It serves to be amongst the most known stories of the Arthurian. Its plot constitutes of two unique types of folklore motifs: the exchange of winnings and the beheading game. It is written in alliterative verse stanzas adjourning with a rhyming wheel and Bob. Several themes are displayed from the poem, to mention a few they include; nature and society, romance, Christianity, chivalry, and loss of innocence. In this paper, a critical response to the two primary themes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem will be discussed intensively in conjunction with their ideal presentation in work.

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Theme of Nature and chivalry

Substantial critics argue out that nature is a representation of violent and chaotic order. It happens to be a confrontation based on the civilization of Camelot in the whole of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The rider and the green horse that initially invade the quiet halls of Arthur are the natures disturbance iconic representations (Morpurgo &Michael 25). Throughout the poem, nature is presented as indifferent, severe and always threatening the court of life and the order of men. Nature ideally happens to invade and disrupts order as seen in the significant narrative events through both the internal nature of humanity and symbolically. At first, the elements get displayed through disruptions caused by the knight and then later when Gawain has to fight the lust for Bertilak wife who is indeed natural from the quote

But no wonder if a fool should fall for a female and be wiped off his wits by womanly guile its the way of the world. Adam fell for a woman and Solomon for several, and as for Samson, Delilah was his downfall, and afterward David was bamboozled by Bathsheba and bore the grief.

Furthermore, it is displayed when Gawain changes his mind concerning his vow to Bertilak by deciding to keep the green light disvaluing virtue over survival. Primarily nature is an underlying force according on the representation of the sin-stained girdle. Forever it is within man and keeps him in a chivalric or imperfect sense. From this point of view, Gawain is part and parcel of the broader conflict between chivalry and nature which is an examination of human order in the overcoming of nature's chaos (Morpurgo &Michael 27).

Theme of Christianity

As much as the narrative seems overtly to portray exciting, and humorous romance, broadly speaking, it is a deep and heartily religious work. As a result of the games and series of tests encountered in the play, there is a demonstration of growth of Gawain as a human being. Gawain does not conceptualize the ideal reasons for such tests until they are over just like any other person would conceptualize (Morpurgo &Michael 40). Only in retrospect that he can comprehend that it is his not his honor, lovemaking or courage getting tested, but it is his humanity, truthfulness, and faith in God that are being tested.

The poem tends to be sophisticated and subtle due to the presentation of abnormal choices confronted by Gawain. He gets faced with the challenge of making a decision several times amongst codes of Christianity, courtesy, and chivalries which are always in conflict with others. He believes in showing chivalric courage when he leaps chopping off the Green Knights head what he displays in a lack of Christian charity and rashness (Morpurgo &Michael 41). He believes in honouring courtesy when he allows Lady Bertilak in his bed. He asserts to save his life when he accepts the green girdle, but in return, the gift marks his lack of faith and fear of death. Lastly, at the end of the day, he does not give the Green girdle to Bertilak hence compromising his promise initial bid.

To sum up, the narrative displays the nature of man which is sinful in even the substantially perfect of knights. Gawain is a character who suffers from typical sin like limited faith, sins of pride and dishonesty. He ultimately gets redeemed by the forgiveness of the Green Knight when he confesses his wrongdoings to the Green Knight (Morpurgo &Michael 61). His sincere repentance and contrition gets marked by his return to Camelot based on this quote, Since fearless Brutus first set foot on these shores, once the siege and assault of Troy had ceased our coffers have been crammed with stories such as these. Now let our Lord, thorn-crowned, bring us to perfect peace. AMEN.

Works Cited

Morpurgo, Michael, and Michael Foreman. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. 2015.