Sir Gawain And The Green Knight example essay topic

The Medieval Period, lasting from 1066-1485, saw the emergence of literature in the British Isles. Although there are records of earlier writings-the most prominent of which is the classic epic Beowulf-literature and writing did not become truly popular until this time period. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of medieval literature is the setting. Most classic pieces of medieval literature are set in a world much unlike the one that the writers lived in. These fantasy realms were often perfect lands-with chivalrous knights, beautiful damsels, and magical powers. There were many popular characters which appeared and reappeared, including the ever-popular King Arthur.

Arthurian and other fantasy tales were commonplace in medieval literature, when people wanted to forget the very real horrors of everyday life. With an extremely poor lower class, few sanitation laws, and diseases like the Black Death running rampant throughout villages and countrysides, tales such as these were needed escapes from everyday life. People in this time period desired times of respite, where they could "break free" of the real world and break into a world all of their own. One of the more popular Arthurian legends was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In this tale, King Arthur and his knights are approached and challenged to a test of bravery by a ghostly figure who is referred to only as the Green Knight. The challenge is set forth as thus: Any knight who thinks himself valiant shall be allowed to strike one blow upon the Green Knight with an axe.

But if the Green Knight survives, then one year later that knight must travel to the Green Chapel and allow the same to be done to him. Gawain accepts the challenge, and decapitates the Green Knight. But when the Green Knight takes up his head and leaves, Gawain grows uneasy, as one might well imagine. Yet, being a chivalrous knight, he fulfills the promise he made, and, after nearly one year has passed, he leaves on his quest to find the Green Knight. On the way to the Chapel, Gawain rests in a castle en route and becomes acquainted with many local people. He acquires a green sash from the mistress of the castle, which is said to have the power to save the bearer from death.

He hides this sash from the lord of the castle, and continues on his way. When he finally confronts the Green Knight, he courageously presents his neck as honor required of him. The Green Knight feigns two blows, but on the third he nicks Gawain's neck, drawing blood. Afterwards, the Green Knight reveals himself as the lord of the castle, and says that he knew about the sash.

However, he also says that he could not expect any less of Gawain, who was only human. The Green Knight declares that there is no braver knight in all the land than Gawain. This work has much in it that is representative of the medieval period. The first representative element that presents itself in this piece is the issue of chivalry. Chivalry was a code of conduct in the Middle Ages, which knights and members of noble families were expected to follow. Being chivalrous meant following your conscience, defending moral values, respecting others and their weaknesses, being loyal, brave, trustworthy, and obedient, and waging constant war against the enemy.

Sir Gawain is an idealized example of a chivalrous knight. Even though Gawain fears for his life, he fulfills the promise that he made to the Green Knight that fateful day. However, everyone has flaws, as seen when Gawain hides the sash he was given from the castle lord. Sir Gawain is not the only chivalrous figure in this story. Many would argue that, indeed, the Green Knight is also very chivalrous. Although the green sash was supposed to give Gawain invincibility, it could be argued that all it really gave Gawain was respite from his fears.

If he had so desired, the Green Knight could most likely have decapitated Gawain just as Gawain did to him; but the Green Knight, being good and chivalrous, respected the weakness of his foe, his mortality, and chose not to strike a fatal blow. Many classic works of literature from this era come from oral stories that were eventually written down. In this period, literacy was only commonplace among the upper classes, so many stories were still spread the way they had been for centuries, through word of mouth. The best example of this is the Canterbury Tales; a collection of stories which were originally oral presentations, until recorded by Geoffrey Chaucer in the late 14th century. The framework of this collection of tales is a spring pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Thomas 'a Becket in Canterbury.

It is decided by the host that, in order to pass the time, each of the 31 pilgrims (Chaucer and the host included), are to tell four individual stories. Although that means that there should have been 124 tales in all, only 24 were ever recorded, as Chaucer died before the tales were completed. These tales provide a good account of what life and literature was like in the Middle Ages, since the stories told were told about people from all walks of life. Again, we see the distinguishing characteristics of medieval literature: fantasy realms, chivalry, magic, and the like. In addition, there are also some stories with very strong morals, such as the Pardoner's Tale, which cautions strongly against the consequences of giving in to avarice. The medieval period was an important time for literature in Britain.

The works of this period helped to distract people from their everyday fears; today they also provide us with doorways through which we can see what everyday early English life was like. By the mid 15th century, as this period of British history was coming to a close, Gutenberg finished development of his printing press, thereby giving lower and middle class people their first opportunity to be able to afford to purchase books and other literary works; and expanded literacy in Britain, leading to the emergence of the Renaissance..