Sir Gawains Green Knight Character Analysis Essay Example for Free

Sir Gawains grand nickname Character Analysis EssayWhy did the author of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight include a persona with a bizarre complexion and magical abilities? Why do most mess do weird things? Unfortunately, there is no obvious reason for the latter however, there are quite a few explanations for the former. The Pearl Poet, as the unknown author is referred, wrote the poem around the former(a) 1300s in Englanda time and place in history in which knights, kings, and castles were non just parts of fairy-tales. One of the most important aspects of English order of magnitude in the late 1300s was chivalry, or the i underwrite traits of a knight, which included courtesy, generosity, and romance. From the poets advanced literary techniques, many scholars consider him to be an educated man who had a purpose in creating such a peculiar character. Bertilak de Hautdesert, or the Green Knight, is a major character in the story for he serves as the opposite to Sir Gawain . His set of circumanstances when deciding the challenges present the protagonist of the story with the main difficulties end-to-end the poem.Although he has multiple personalities throughout the poem (not only is Bertilak this fabled knight with abilities great deal can only dream that they moderate, but also The boniface of the castle that Gawain stays at until the time comes to meet his own doom), which makes him a round character. The Green Knight is also definitely a static foil to Gawain. His entire character does not change throughout the poemhe has almost bonk control of the eventsand presents a contrast for the protagonist of the story. Although Gawain appears to be seen as possessing civilized characteristics, it is actually the antagonist of the story that possesses these traits. The Green Knight is not just a character with magical abilities, for he represents some of the most coveted human qualitiesa friendly, well-rehearsed result to almost every(prenominal) sit uation and a strong thirst to maintain the chivalric duties of society. From the start of the story, it is clear that the Green Knight possesses quite a few superhuman qualities.His description presents him as the toughest knight in existence. Lightning homogeneous he seemed /And swift to strike and stun /His dreadful blows, men deemed, /Once dealt, meant death were d iodine. He is strong enough to carry a helmet-smasher with a four-foot longsighted axe blade. Everything about his description in the beginning points to him being this freak of nature. His green hue, his green hair, the Green Chapel, and even his green horse represent the infixed world. Like a tree being able to grow the same limb multiple times, Bertilak claims the ability to regenerate body parts. As Gawain is pretty sure-footed that he has dealt with this mysterious force by striking off its head, the Green Knight, while bleeding from the deathly blow, picks up his own head and tells Gawain to meet him in a yea r for an equal strike.These magical characteristics set the stage for what seems to be the most formidable foe to the protagonist. As the antagonist to Gawain, readers should be terrified and repelled by the Green Knight, but many people are careworn to this mysterious stranger. For what reasons does Bertilak draw the attention of readers? Is it the same reason that many people are drawn to Iago from William Shakespeares Othello and to the Joker from The Batman Comics, or is there another reason than being pure evil, which he is not, that the antagonist of this story is so popular? There seems to be no stimulus that can anger the Green Knight. It seems he is unaccustomed to any negative feelings such as hatred or revenge. His emptiness of irrittability is seen throughout the poem. In the context of the time period, lordship and chivalry were important aspects of the cultural norm. As a member of the court of Arthur, the kings nephew, Gawain, is committed to following Arthur.When Ga wain enters The Hosts house, he is expected to be loyal and obedient to his temporary lord. Gawain receives kisses from this mans wife. The Green Knight (The Host of the castle) is either unphased by this treason or very good at hiding his emotions as seen by the following quote I pretended one stroke, a threat, a joke, / exclusively left you whole I had the right, /Because of our other agreement, in my castle /You kept it faithfully, performed like an honest /Man, gave me everything you got. /Except that you kissed my wife I swung /For that reason but you gave me support her kisses. /So all you got, for that, was a puff /Of air. /An honest man /Need never fear.No man would consider another an honest man when secretly kissing his wife, and not many people would do well when put in a situation like the one Bertilak is in during the poem. This is just one example of the Green Knights will to respond well to any kind of stimulus in the environment. The stealing of the girdle by Gawa in presents the character foil of Sir Gawain as none other than Bertilak when he does not act violently as a result of Gawains non-chivalric behavior. Using magic would have been rambleing, and cheating was strongly prohibited in the rules of chivalry.Chivalryreaders hear of this word every day when discussing Medieval Europehad a strong influence on knighthood in the society in which the Pearl Poet lived. In the poem, Sir Gawain is supposed to represent this perfect knight, but his foil comes up the victor in almost every test of chivalry that Gawain is put in by the Green Knight. The Green Knight maintains his chivalric duties to society in almost every situation in the story. He might be a superhuman freak of nature who mysteriously appears at just the right time to King Arthurs response for a marvelous story by someone in his court and demands for someone to play a game, but he does all of this in a well-behaved manner that seems to represent the most virtuous knight.As The Hos t, he is also seen as a respectable, noble man who clearly fits the definition of a civilized man. The most important aspect of all his characteristics is the fact that he is this immortal creature that determines the rules, yet he abides by the rules even when his foil tries to cheat and manipulate the circumstances so that he can win. It is this noble distinction that clearly sets the fine line between artificial knighthood seen in Sir Gawain and the real deal seen in the personality of Bertilak de Hautdesert.As is shown in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, misconceptions of reality can pose a threat to the naked eyes perspective. Gawain definitely is not a chivalric knight he steals kisses from a lords wife, he cheats when attempting to use the magical girdle, and he succumbs to his instinctual fear of mortality when put in the events of the poem. The Green Knight, on the other hand, represents not only the divine traits of nature but also the true representation of what a knight should be his well-mannered response to stimulus and his duty to maintain the code of chivalry. Readers should take some time to examine the situation at a microscopic level. Even though he is an immortal force of nature that can design his own circumstances, he abides by the rules set fourth by himself and by society, which is why people are so attracted to him.