FREE ESSAY ON THEMES IN SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

THEMES IN SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT

There are many major themes in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", some more present than
others, for instance, honor and pride which lead to manipulation (domination) and
finally, the game itself. These are three themes that get the audience interested in the
story and give them an appetite for more of the story. 
Honor and pride play a big part in the game the Green Knight is playing because it is
what he trusts will cause one of the knights to accept his challenge. The knight insults
King Arthur and his court deliberately to trigger a response, which he gets. King Arthur
is a proud king but this moment in the story is an example of foolish pride on his part.
Before he even knew the clauses of the "contract" with the green knight, who stayed vague
enough to let him believe that he was seeking a challenge, Arthur says: "Sir courteous
knight, if contest you crave, You shall not fail to fight". At this point, the audience
wonders why he uses the word "courteous" as an adjective for this insolent knight who
burst into the dining room armed, on his horse and asked for "the captain of this crowd".
This is the first example of Arthur's foolish pride. He answered this way to save the
face of his knights and his court and it will lead him to trouble. The knight exposes the
rules of the game and the audience wonders who will take on the challenge, why isn't any
of the knight of the round table getting up and accepting the challenge? He goes even
further by insulting the king and his court directly, calling them cowards, laughing loud
to their face until Arthur blushes, - "The blood for sheer fame shot to his face and
pride" - gets up and takes the challenge on himself. Now the crowd is inquisitive. They
wonder what will happen to Arthur because surely there is a catch in the knight game and
Arthur in foolishly falling into his trap. Now Sir Gawain stands and takes Arthurs place
and is asked, by the Green Knight, to swear to seek him out a year from then to complete
the second part of the deal . By making this oath right away without hesitation, he shows
a great proof of honor and pride. He answers right away: "What is the way there? Where do
you dwell?". Of course, now the audience is sitting at the edge of their chair waiting to
see if Sir Gawain's attack will be effective at all against the Green Knight. 
Manipulation and domination and also a major theme in this story because it is what the
Green Knight is counting on when convincing King Arthur and his court to accept the
challenge. He plays on their pride and honor and knows that they will make their decision
based on those two factors, rather that think everything over and make a decision based
on logic. The audience likes this because the Green Knight is an appealing "villain". He
is huge and proud and not afraid of any of the Knight of the Round Table, and he insults
King Arthur to his face, repeatedly from the moment he entered the room. The first
manipulative aspect of this knight is the way he presents himself: fearless, proud,
arrogant, without armor. "A green horse great and thick; A headstrong steed of might, In
broidered bridle quick, Mount matched man aright. This is a form of intimidation and this
is the first step in getting Arthur to accept the challenge. 
Bibliography
No bibliography