From first glance, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight may seem unassuming. As part of one of the many tales including King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, it is easy to assume the contents of the piece: chivalry and courtly life. It is not a stretch to assume that the piece would paint the king and his court of knights in a positive manner. However, this is not actually what the author may present. Even though there are multiple ways to read literature, and thus an argument could also be made opposing this one, one thing that the author presents is a more negative depiction of King Arthur and his court of knights, some critics even suggesting that some of Arthur and the knights’ actions in the story are acts of “moral oblivion,” a condemnatory suggestion (West, 3).
King Arthur’s Portrayal
From the beginning of the poem, the author makes subtle jabs toward King Arthur and his table of knights, at one point describing Arthur as “almost boyish in his love of life,” which would imply immaturity (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 86-87). Traditionally, a king is regarded as a strong and charismatic leader, one who has the ability to effectively rule over his people and protect them from threats. But by saying he had a boyish love of life, the author suggests that Arthur may not be as fit to rule as he would usually be depicted, which calls into question Arthur’s nobility as well (West, 7).
Another section in which Arthur’s authority is called into question is when Gawain is about to leave for his journey. Instead of consoling his nephew or giving him advice, “sounds of sadness and sorrow were heard” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 558). During the Middle Ages, men are thought to be logical and rational, while women are seen as emotional and irrational. Here, however, King Arthur seemingly weeping over the idea of his nephew not returning suggests that the author is weakening the audience’s perception of Arthur by making him appear more “feminine.” Clearly, from a modern perspective this is not as effective, however back then, it could have been very effective in swaying the public’s opinion of the usually bold and fearless King Arthur.
Some critics also point to the opening stanza of the poem that recounts the tragedy of Troy. The author made a very deliberate decision to begin the poem with the falling of Troy, a classic story of failure and deception. Directly following the fall of Troy, the author describes Arthur as the “most regal of rulers…who I heard is honored above all” (25-26). Considering this line follows the opening stanza, this has led some critics to “read this appellation ironically in light of the poem’s preamble” (West, 5). Could this be how the author wanted readers to view Arthur as well?
Portrayal of King Arthur’s Court
As mentioned in the previous essay, kings do not rule their kingdom by themselves. On the contrary, many have court advisors and ambassadors to help them. King Arthur has his gaggle of knights who, in most modern renditions, are depicted as brave and chivalric. Yet, when the Green Knight makes his way into the hall, “several of the lords were like statues in their seats, left speechless and rigid, not risking a response” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 241-242). Despite the brave façade that many of the knights and people of the court would put on, once they face a mysterious stranger they quickly retreat and hold their tongues,
“stunned and stilled by dread” (246-247).
The Green Knight himself takes to taunting Arthur’s knights once none step forward to accept his challenge, saying “Where’s the fortitude and fearlessness you’re so famous for?” (311). The Green Knight can be seen as a potential voice of the public in regard to their thoughts of monarchs and royal life at court. This pulls down the façade that kings and their knights are fearless and bold. By showing how neither the knights nor Arthur were willing to take up the challenge, the author voices commentary on the monarchical system.
Something that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight does really well is point out the more human aspects of Arthur and his knights, people who were previously regarded in overwhelmingly positive descriptions of bravery and chivalric actions. By pointing out Arthur’s humanity—that he is not quite so special as people may have thought—also calls into question his God given right to sit on the throne.
Further Reading:
The Divine Right to Rule: Past Perceptions of Monarchy
The Faerie Queene: Spenser’s Ode to Queen Elizabeth I
Works Cited:
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Middle Ages, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, vol. A, no. 10, W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 2018, pp. 201-256.
West, Kevin R. “Tokens of Sin, Badges of Honor: Julian of Norwich and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” Renascence: Essays on Values in Literature, vol. 69, no. 1, 2017, pp. 3–16. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=2017393254&login.asp%3fcustid%3ds8474154&site=ehost-live&scope=site.