Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: A Literary Analysis

757 Words4 Pages
Christianity has been around for thousands of years found in England in the second century A.D. and later in Anglo-Saxon England around 597 (Goodson, 2011). For people of this time who were familiar to paganism, Christianity created an organized, unwavering faith that everyone could believe in. Many stories and legends told and written after Christianity was evident connect to the different events that occur in the Bible. However, pagan mysticism still lingered in some of the minds of many establishing some events in the Bible that may not be entirely true. The Old English poem, Beowulf and Middle Age poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight both exhibit a message to depend on God or be forsaken by drawing on mysticism and Christianity. Beowulf…show more content…
The character, Sir Gawain was a devout Christian and constantly tried to follow his Lord’s ways in everything he did. The principles of a knight’s chivalry and Catholic morals were evident on Gawain’s shield; the pentangle reminding him of the five values most important to knight, as well as a painting of the Virgin Mary on the inside. Throughout the poem these values are tested, especially when Gawain rests at the Green Castle before meeting the Green Knight and must resist temptations from the host’s wife. The three occurrences between Sir Gawain and the lovely mistress represent Jesus Christ’s three refusals of Satan; however Gawain is not flawless like Christ and later gives into temptation bringing the story of Adam and Eve to life. Eve persuades Adam to give in to temptation and eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, and Gawain, like Adam takes the gift. Gawain later fails to keep his promise with the host by hiding the green girdle from him and only bestowing a kiss. When it is finally time to meet the Green Knight Sir Gawain first confesses his sin before he fulfills his promise he made, “Approached a priest privately, and besought him there/To hear his confession and instruct him more

More about Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: A Literary Analysis

Open Document