When analyzing poetry from the Middle Ages, one of the best examples of Feudalism is found in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. This is a poem that is full of elements of exchange and communal living, which come across directly in the way the story is told, and also in the story itself. The first thing to be realized is that Gawain has no stated author, and that
nothing is known about the author except for what can be inferred from the works” (Sir Gawain, 201).
There was a lack of individual identity in the Middle Ages, with much less emphasis being placed on singular people. Therefore, the fact that the author is not stated here is emblematic of Feudalism in that the community is much more important than the individual.
This is a theme that is explored throughout the story as well, with the community always being the main emphasis rather than the individual. An example of this plays out in the first few pages, when the Green Knight makes his way to Arthur’s court. The Green Knight challenges Arthur to a contest, to which Arthur submits to, only to be saved at the last second by the knight Gawain offering up himself in place of his king. Two important things are at play here. The first, is that Gawain is communally bound and actually wholeheartedly accepts the idea of laying his life on the line to defend Arthur. He makes this clear in the line
May this melee be mine” (211).
Additionally, in this scene Arthur is stripped of some of his agency, in that his community is expected to stand up for him so that he doesn’t have to assume any real danger in this situation.
Not only are communal themes present here and throughout, but also the economic side of Feudalism is seen. The entire premise of the story is based on the exchange of a blow for a blow, with both its exposition and climax being the confrontations with the Green Knight. On top of this, some smaller scale moments of exchange are seen in Bertilak’s castle, between himself and Gawain. This exchange is highlighted by Bertilak when he says
Here’s a wager: what I win in the woods will be yours, and what you gain while I’m gone you will give to me” (227).
This is a great example of a Feudal exchange as both parties have agreed to give goods to each other without the intermediary of money.
Essentially, there are many great examples of Feudalism in Gawain and the Green Knight, and the poem offers a colorful look at the system in action. That being said, there are a few elements in the story that point to the idea of political and economic systems constantly evolving and changing. While most transactions in the poem tend to be the exchange of goods, there is actually a reference to money within the first few pages, in the line
beyond what pennies could buy” (79-80).
Because of this inclusion, it would seem that some money was used at the time that this poem was written, so the story isn’t purely feudal. This again, points to the fact that change occurs gradually, and it is near impossible to isolate one prevailing system at any given point, because they all contain elements of past and future systems.
Works Cited
“File:Gawain and the Green Knight.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 7 Jun 2018, 18:43 UTC. 25 Nov 2019, 10:20 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight.jpg&oldid=305107331>.
“File:Gawains return.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 4 Nov 2016, 17:48 UTC. 25 Nov 2019, 10:30 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Gawains_return.jpg&oldid=211952584>.
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, by Stephen Greenblatt et al., W.W. Norton, 2018, pp. 201–256.