Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Character Analysis

The main events that unfold in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight predicate themselves on an initial challenge offered by the titular Green Knight: If any so hardy in this house holdes hymselven, Be so bolde in his blod, bayn in hys hede... And I schal stonde hym a strok, stif on this flet, Elles thou wyl dight me the dom to dele hym an other, [barlay]. (Sir Gawain... Lines 285-286, 295-296) These lines create a frame for the type of hero this challenge needs; is there anyone in King Arthur’s court who is sufficiently â€Å"bolde in his blod† and â€Å"bayn in hys hede† able to answer the Green Knight’s call? To this, as the title clearly suggests, Sir Gawain steps up. At this point in the text, two things are clear. First, Gawain establishes†¦show more content†¦Lines 2257-2258). As explicitly captured by these two lines, Gawain seems entirely unafraid in the moments before the swing of the axe. This state of mind, even though it may be unfairly supplemented by the girdle, technically fulfills the Green Knight’s earlier conditions for the type of person needed for this challenge. However once the ax swings down towards his neck, Gawain momentarily cowers, described as having â€Å"shranke a lytel with the schulderes for the scharp yrne† (Sir Gawain... Line 2267). The â€Å"scharp yrne† of the axe causally forces a shift in Gawain’s psychology, as fear dominates in that moment; the Green Knight immediately recognizes this change, claiming â€Å"‘Thou are not Gawayn’†, while also adding that when Gawain struck him, he â€Å"nawther fyked I ne flaghe† (Sir Gawain Lines 2270; 2274). These particular lines establish a clear power dynamic between Gawain and the Green Knight. The initial terms of the challenge hypothetically propose equal footing between the two—a stroke for a stroke. By referencing Gawain’s cowardice while highlighting his own honor, the Green Knight also undergoes a change in psychology, as he now expresses disappointment and betrayal. These feelings are validated by his position relative to Gawain; he holds the honorable higher ground by upholding his side of the game, while Gawain proves himself momentarily unable to. A few lines later, after the Green Knight mockinglyShow MoreRelated A Character Analysis of Sir Gawain as Present ed In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight1426 Words   |  6 PagesA Character Analysis of Sir Gawain as Presented In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight In Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the character of Sir Gawain is skillfully brought to life by the unknown author. Through the eyes of numerous characters in the poem, we see Gawain as a noble knight who is the epitome of chivalry; he is loyal, honest and above all, courteous. 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