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Analysis of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight, from lines 566-669
This section of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight concerns Gawain’s preparations as
he leaves King Arthur’s Court to pursue his adventure with the Green Knight; the poet
focuses on the rituals of putting on armour, and the significance of the Knight and
their exploits within a court, as well as images specific to Gawain. In this section the
importance of Gawain’s preparations for his departure are emphasised, but the reader
is also given insight into Gawain’s character, and the elements of his character that
make him the self-chosen knight for this adventure are given greater depth.
Sir Gawain And The Green Knight is written in verse, and divided into
sections, which range from sixteen to twenty longer lines, followed by four shorter
lines. However, there is no strict rhyme scheme and the structure of the verse is not
rigidly metrical. The two ways in which structure is given to the poem which stand
out in this particular section are alliteration, and the division of ideas. Throughout Sir
Gawain And The Green Knight, alliteration is used in almost every line,
Dubbed in a dublet of dere tars,
The (aural) effect of alliteration means that it suits English very well; it helps the lines
memory to roll off the tongue without the aid of a strict rhyme scheme. It also tends
to emphasise the endstopping of lines; each line tends to contain a single image or
idea in this poem, and alliteration makes each line sound contained. The plot of the
poem is also divided up quite strictly between each section of the poem; for example,
from lines 566-669, section one presents Gawain putting on his armour; section two,
Gawain in court; section three, the shield and section four, the pentagle and the
symbolic importance of five. One scene or idea (although they move and permeate
throughout the poem) tends to be focused on strongly in each section.
In the first section there is no description of the servants that bring in the
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armour and dress Gawain; for example, when the armour is brought in (“alle were pay
broght”), the construction is passive, which gives the sense that the armour simply
materialises. There is also a sense of ritual, as Gawain is dressed in armour
methodically from his feet to his head. What is being described is presumably the
unique, particular, peculiar
ritual of dressing that any knight would undergo; it is not actually definitive to
Gawain. What is specific to Gawain however is the quality of the armour. In this
section alone the images of the “gyld gere pat glent”, “dublet of dere tars”, “bright
baunner”, armour “policed ful clene”, “bright stel ringez” and “gold sporez” stand
bright/gold – value, pris, preis, praise – relationship between these
out; the imagery of brightness and shining is emphasised from the beginning of the
section. Gawain embodies that familiar image of the knight in shining armour. His
armour is not merely shining, it is splendid. The “bryght blaunner” and the “knotez of
gold” demonstrate his wealth (although it is elaborated later in the passage that
Gawain is virtuous and so is worthy of such armour). The imagery also emphasises
the way in which Gawain is fortified against danger,
His legez lapped in stel with luflych greuez,
The word “lapped” means wrapped, and it gives the sense that not only is Gawain
Protected/defended or repressed?
impenetrable, but also he is in some way trapped, locked in – other verbs like
“knaged” and “tachched” have the same effect. In fact, the only image we are given
of Gawain himself is of his “thik thrawen thryghez”, which are “coyntlych closed”.
In the second section, the focus moves from Gawain to his position in court
and the ways in which the other members of the court participate in his departure. The
sense of ritual is prevalent in this section, as well as the role of religion as he embarks
on his adventure. In this section Gawain is described at Mass,
Offred and honoured at the heghe auter.
The tense used here is past, but the first section begins with the historic present – the
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poet has moved from creating a sense of immediacy, to the tone of relating a ritual.
The significance of Gawain’s endeavour is made clear, because “the heghe auter” is
emphatic, as well as the sense that Gawain not only gives, but receives honour at the
Mass. The members of the court also have a role to play, as they escort Gawain to
mount his horse; also they are asked for their leave “lufly”, although, as he is already
in his armour, he presumably already has it – this is one of the ways in which a sense
of ritual is created. Other imagery, such as the way Gryngolet is presented to Gawain,
with the saddle, the way Gawain receives the helmet and “hastily hit kisses” gives the
impression of the way in which people behave self-consciously, when they are aware
they are being watched, as one is during a ritual. At the end of the second section, the
poet then returns to describing the band on Gawain’s head in great detail, which
returns the focus to the armour Gawain wears and will use, but this time for more
clearly in relation to what it reveals about Gawain. The band itself is adorned with
but love…
“tortors and trulofez”, which symbolise fidelity, and according to the poet, the band is
“more o prys” than diamonds – clearly implying Gawain’s worth because of the
virtues he embodies, such as fidelity.
The poet moves from describing the band to describing the shield in great
detail
depth. The shield is significant as a focal point for description because it not only
protects Gawain, it serves as a means to identifying him, when he is dressed in armour
from head to toe. The symbols the shield bears, therefore, reveal not only what
protects Gawain, but what he embodies. The poet describes the pentangle on Sir
Gawain’s shield as well as giving background to it.
Hit is a sygne pat Salamon set sumquyle
wisdom and authority
The word “sumquyle” means once upon a time, and it gives the poem a sense of time
– Sir Gawain and The Green Knight begins with reference to the Trojan war, which
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places the story in context and history. It gives the reader a sense of time – although
the story of Sir Gawain is in the past, it is not so far in the past as the story of
Solomon. Solomon’s seal, the pentangle, aligns Gawain with a respected biblical
figure associated with wisdom, and so Gawain is not only wise, he is preserved by
aspirational/inspirational
wisdom. More obviously, the biblical connotations of the pentangle demonstrate that
Gawain is protected by a religious force. The pentangle is “depaynt of pure gold
hwez” and Gawain too, at the end of this section, is described as being “as golde
integrity
pured” – these related images underlining the purity of as well as a more personal
connection to the meaning of the pentangle are further explored in the final section. It
is interesting that poet feels it is necessary to describe the pentangle in such detail,
even though
…Englych, hit callen
Oueral, as I here, the endeles knot.
? I needed to reference my point
here, sorry if it doesn’t really make much sense…
It slightly undermines the poet’s point, in labouring to describe it so fully, it is known
“Oueral” in England – perhaps he is referring to England during the time the period
the poet is set.
The thematic meaning of the number five becomes convoluted in the final
section, as the poet infuses the image with many layers of meaning. Primarily, there
are the physical skills of Gawain, who is “funden fautlez in his fyue wittez” and “fyue
fyngres” – his ability as a knight is “fautlez”. Next, the pentangle symbolises
perfection but compare Luke 6:36 with Matt 5:48, and Mary
Gawain’s faith in the five wounds of Christ and the five joys of the Virgin,
respectively in what faith allows humans to sustain and in what faith gives us.
Finally, the qualities Gawain embodies as a knight, his “fraunchyse and felaghschyp”,
“His clannes and his courtaysye”, “And pité, pat passez alle poyntez”. But, ending on
this point, having divided up the significance of the pentangle, and emphasised the
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value of pity above every other quality, the poet then goes on to reject this idea that
these qualities can be compartmentalised.
Ne samned neuer in no syde, ne sundred nouther
The qualities cannot be “sundred” because they all feed into each other – it is the
assertion that Gawain’s character is the combination of all these elements. It also
stresses the importance of unity of body and soul – it is the combination of his skill as
a knight, but also his faith and characteristics of knighthood. This relates back to the
images of Gawain putting on his armour. His armour is often linked to images of
shining gold, much like his soul which is “as golde pured”. In this way the armour
takes on a secondary meaning; Gawain will not just need physical protection, his faith
and spiritual qualities will be tested too. The images of Gawain being shut into his
armour, becomes images of Gawain shutting out evil, as he prepares to leave the safe
haven of the court.
Which has been challenged by the green knight
The passage ends with Gawain actually leaving – he just rides away, which
seems so simple when compared to all the layers of meaning that have been presented
with his preparations. But the significance of the preparations is made clear. In this
aventure…
excerpt the importance of the expedition in relationship to the court is revealed – the
value that is placed on it by those around Gawain. Gawain’s virtues, particularly his
religious and spiritual virtues are brought to the fore, but also the idea that it is the
combination of his virtues that makes him a good knight. Furthermore the idea that
Gawain will need protection from physical and spiritual harm is fixed in the reader’s
mind, alongside the sense that the journey on which he is about to embark is not
merely a physical challenge but a spiritual journey.
Suggestions…further analysis of language of pentangle, colour symbolism and verse
structure…