Is Sir Gawain Essentially a Knight or Essentially Human?

Isaac Atayero

Mr. John Campion

Advanced Placement English Language

10/31/2011

       Knights, like everyone else,were born human and remain human but with courteous virtues. In the poem, Sir Gawain, an extremely courteous knight is faced with a decision that cause him to do a dishonorable thing. Since all knights are fundamentally human, Sir Gawain is essentially a human with knightly features. Gawain is ideally a human because he takes the green belt from Lady Bercilak because he is afraid of death. The knight shows that he is primarily human when he cringes when The Green Giant initially swings for his head.Although Sir Gawain humbly asks for forgiveness, he blames women for tempting men. These acts illustrate Sir Gawain to be human even though he does demonstrate some knightly features.

    Sir Gawain’s shows that he is essentially human when he accepts Lady Bercilak’s belt because of fear of death. Sir Gawain is faced by a series of temptations by Lord Bercilak’s wife to challenge his celibacy as a knight and his truthfulness to Lord Bercilak. Although he truthfully returns all the kisses that he receives from the Lady,he does not share the green belt he receives from the Lady because she tells him that “any man bound with this belt...can never be killed”(1851-1853). Initially Gawain refused  the gift because “by the grace of God...he could never touch either gold or treasure”(1836-1838). Sir Gawain forsakes his vow when given an alternative to death. Sir Gawain also “agreed...to stay silent, to hide the gift from her husband”(1862-1863). In agreeing to do this sir Gawain also breaks his promise to Lord Bercilak and in essence lies to the Lord. Sir Gawain, in all his virtue, becomes dishonest and secretive in the face of death. Both of which are not knightly virtues. Sir Gawain is essentially human although he tries his best to maintain his stance as a courteous and noble knight.

       Sir Gawain demonstrates to the reader that although he is a knight he is chiefly human when he cringes when Lord Bercilak, the Green Giant, pretends to take a blow at him. Sir Gawain accepted the Green Giant’s challenge which was to “give me a well-aimed stroke, and agree to accept another in payment”(294-295). When it came time for Sir Gawain to receive his stroke, he “pulled his shoulders back, just a bit”(2267). This cowardly act performed by Sir Gawain is not something that a courageous and noble knight would do. Lord Bercilak teases Sir Gawain saying “i’ve heard nothing about Gawain the coward”(2273). What Gawain did is very human, not wanting to die, is a very human reaction but a true knight would stay adamant even in the face of death.Although showing up to the Green Giant’s castle is quite courageous, flinching is not. Once again Sir Gawain lets his human traits conquer his knightly virtues thus validating that he is essentially human.

      Sir Gawain testifies that he is essentially human when he blames women for being the cause for mens’ fall. After Lord Bercilak reveals himself to Sir Gawain “winced for shame at the green man’s words”(2372) and then proceed to blame women for “making a man foolish”(2414-2415). Although Gawain later asks for forgiveness, he goes on a minor rant about how “women winning men to sin”(2415-2416). He compares himself to a set of male biblical characters tempted by women and how “women ruined them”(2420).A true knight is supposed to take full responsible, victories, successes, achievements and mistakes. Instead of being answerable for his decision, Gawain attempts to justify his shameful deed by casting blame on a whole species of human beings. That was not a very honorable deed and it was most definitely not a knightly way of responding to such dishonor. This deed attests to the truth that Sir Gawain is partly a knight and chiefly human.

       Knights, in all their courtesy and chivalry, are not perfect and are first of all human. Sir Gawain, a honorable and noble knight, is essentially human with persuasive knightly characteristics. The reader can induce that Sir Gawain is essentially human after reading how he reacts when he is presented with an opportunity to live. One can also affirm that Sir Gawain is predominantly human after reading about him dodging the stroke by the Green Giant and how he dealt with the shame he received for falling for Lady Bercilak’s trick. This further proves to the reader that even the most chaste are  human and human are not and will never be perfect.