Theme Of Archetypes In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

An archetype, which can also refer to as a universal symbol, can not only limit it to theme, setting, and symbol but can also refer to as a character. A type of archetype can not only represent one character, it can represent many different types of characters. Depending on the story that the author wants to try and portray. In the medieval romance, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles. This story possesses many different types of characters that can all have more than one archetype. Having characters that more than one archetype in this story helps build Sir Gawain’s character and helps guide him through his initial quest and trails that he encounters to face in order to face the Green Knight. There are several different characters in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that aid in the troubles that Sir Gawain faces throughout the story.

In many works of literature, many archetypes (or symbols) are used to help the reader understand the story of a hero’s quest. In the Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, the hero has to go on a fatal journey to uphold the reputation of Camelot. While enduring that journey, Gawain has to conquer many trails. Gawain’s succession of trials leaves the hero, like Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner, a “sadder but wiser man.” With all the trials that Gawins intakes, many archetypal characters contribute to the theme of the story.

The ultimate boon is the girdle that was given to Gawain by the Host’s wife. On the third day that Gawain is staying with the Host he is given a green girdle by the Host’s wife that is said to protect the person wearing it; knowing that he will meet with the Green Knight the next day, he selfishly keeps the girdle without telling the Host. The next day Gawain meets with the Green Knight to complete the challenge that was presented to him in the beginning of the poem. However, since the Green Knight knows that Gawain broke the deal with the Host he cuts Gawain on the third swing of his sword. The three swings symbolize the three days Gawain stayed at the castle. The first two swings don't touch him because he kept his part of the deal. On the third swing he is cut, this symbolizes the third day when he keeps the girdle and breaks his part of the deal.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, many archetypes can be found, like in most works of literature. This literary work included situational and symbolic archetypes as well as character archetypes and color archetypes. Each archetype in the poem aided in Sir Gawain’s development as a character. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles.

Archetypes are universal symbols used in literature to represent fundamental human motifs. In the medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must undergo archetypal situations to succeed in his quest to redeem the honor of Camelot. Gawain embodies the transcendent hero as he further goes into “The Zone of Magnified Power” (Campbell 71) then faces conflict resulting from the threat placed on the society. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles.

Throughout history, archetypes have become increasingly common. In the medieval, chivalrous, romance narrative poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, archetypes are heavily displayed, particularly in the character of the Green Knight- who holds several archetypal roles himself. The Green Knight performs the most crucial archetypal roles in the reading and he plays a pivotal part in perfecting of the hero’s--Gawain’s--moral development and revealing some significant changes that occur in the hero’s character.

With every corner we turn in today’s culture, we become more and more aware of the archetypes that surround us. Archetypes are the works of a typical character, situation, setting, or symbol that can be found in fantasy and reality. An example would be the renowned medieval story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Pearl Poet. The author permeates the story with situational, symbolic, and character archetypes that illustrate the profound life of Sir Gawain. Sir Gawain was apprehensive of his journey at first, but as time passes, he began to make choices that unveils to the audience the true flawed knight that he was.

Even in the middle ages of literature, a story such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight had many aspects of Joseph Campbell’s view of the hero’s journey. In the story of our character Sir Gawain accepts a “Call to adventure” (Campbell 45) and goes on a quest that will go through many of the archetypes. Likewise, there lies one character, The Green Knight, that can be many of the archetypal characters in the cycle of the hero’s journey. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight dramatically demonstrates how a single character can play many archetypal roles.

The Green Knight agrees if Gawain will come to wherever he thinks the Green Knight will be. Of course, Gawain has no clue where he would find him, so the Green Knight says that he will tell him if Gawain can hit him square on the neck. Then Sir Gawain strikes him directly on his neck, and the Green Knights head rolls off. The Green Knight proceeds to pick up his head and leave, while bleeding terribly from the neck as if he were unharmed. Before he leaves, he tells Sir Gawain to come to the Green Chapel when they agreed. So then a year passes before Gawain comes across his second trial. It occurs while Gawain stays in the castle of a hospitable lord before he is to meet again with the Green Knight. During his stay, the lord and Sir Gawain agree to "exchange what each has won during the day" (Ponsor 128). For three days the lord brings back what he has hunted, and Gawain gives him the kisses he has received from the lady of the castle. However, he also received a magical green scarf from the lady on the third day, but fails to exchange it for it is a token of good luck. When Sir Gawain finally meets with the Green Knight, he prepares to be struck with a scythe, but the Green Knight ends up only giving him a minor scratch on the neck. This is because the knight was testing his honor, and he scratched him because he did not maintain his honor on that third day. He was supposed to hand over

Throughout the poem, Sir Gawain, and the Green Knight, the audience discovers that the green girdle is a symbolic object that plays a significant role in developing Gawain’s character. In the beginning of the text, the green girdle represents security to Gawain, but by the end signifies dishonor. The symbolism of Lady Bertilak’s, girdle changes throughout the course of the poem, when she tells Gawain that the green girdle has the power to keep whoever wears it, protected from harm. Gawain views the girdle as his chance at survival and decides not to exchange the girdle with Bertilak, thus breaking the terms of the men's agreement. This symbolizes Gawain’s ambition to stay alive, even at the expense of his code of honor. Gawain realizes his fault, after he fails the Green Knight’s challenge, “for this is my belt you are wearing, that same woven girdle, my own wife gave it to you, I know well in truth...I sent her to test you, and to me truly you seem One of the most perfect men who ever walked on the earth” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 2358-2363). Once the Green Knight reveals to Gawain that he is the host, Gawain curses the green girdle and views it as something that resembles cowardliness and dishonor. Gawain goes back to court and is completely honest about what had happened, then he promises himself that he will wear the girdle as symbol of his dishonour as well as a reminder to himself that

This heroism is symbolized most effectively with his shield, which bears a pentangle. The points on this symbol represent the knightly virtues of franchise, fellowship, cleanliness, courtesy, and pity, and it is said that “For ever faithful five-fold in five-fold fashion/Was Gawain in good works, as gold unalloyed/Devoid of all villainy, with virtues adorned in sight” (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 632-635). The shield reflects the chivalric qualities Gawain possesses without fail, and shows him to be a knight of the utmost honor. The shield also symbolizes piety, which Gawain shows more in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight than in the other stories. On the inner part of the shield is an image of the Virgin Mary, and looking at this image gives him strength (649-650). As much as the shield represents Gawain’s chivalry, it also represents the driving force behind his actions, which is his faith. Of Gawain, it is said that “All his fealty was fixed upon the five wounds/That Christ got on the cross, as the creed tells;/And wherever this man in melee took part,/His one thought was of this, past all things else” (642-645). Gawain uses his faith to fuel his actions, and to early Christian audiences reading this story this would be a clear indication of Gawain’s

Though often extensive detail may be condemned as mere flowery language, in understanding Sir Gawain and the Green Knight one must make special emphasis on it. In color and imagery itself, the unknown author paints the very fibers of this work, allowing Sir Gawain to discern the nuances of ritualistic chivalry and truth. His quest after the Green Knight is as simple as ones quest toward himself. Through acute awareness of the physical world he encounters Gawain comes to an understanding of the world beyond chivalry, a connection to G-d, the source of truth. He learns, chivalry, like a machine, will always function properly, but in order to derive meaning from its product he must allow nature to affect him.

In the beginning of the poem it was clear what the color green symbolized, however as the poem progressed the symbolic nature of the color seemed to divert into something else. In the development of the poem, it appeared that the color green started to represent human fallibility. For instance, as Sir Gawain journeys on his quest to find the green chapel, he does fail his test in one way. The Green Knight tries continuously to form corrupt judgement within Sir Gawain using the impious acts of his wife. Sir Gawain does share kisses with the Green Knights wife, but he always bestowed back what he received, except for one thing. Bertilak’s wife gifts Sir Gawain with a magical green girdle promising that it would protect him from any harm. “For

The colour green in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is another important symbol used in this poem. The colour green is evident in the character of the Green Knight and in the green girdle that Gawain accepted of Lady Bertilak. The connection between the colour of the Green Knight and of the green girdle can be seen as a symbol of the inevitable failure of Gawain. As Gawain accepted the girdle he failed to keep his word to Bertilak and the Green Knight and also failed two of his knightly virtues, chastity and courtesy. The colour green therefore can be seen as a symbol of Gawain’s betrayal in the poem. “Þis is þe token of vntrawþe þat I am tan inne, And I mot nedez hit were wyle I may last; For mon may hyden his harme, bot vnhap ne may hit” (SGGK, 2509-11). This quote discusses the girdles meaning to Gawain once he arrives back to Arthurs court. It is described as a ‘token’ of dishonesty and Gawain believes he must now wear it

In the epic poem of “ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight “, The character Sir Gawain change his personality through temptation. Sir Gawain goes on an epic adventure, he is a knight of his uncles King Arthur's Round Table. A stranger called the Green Knight comes into town challenging people as he goes. Gawain. The Green Knight is a supernatural character who is green from head to to toe. This enormous Green Knight wants to play the beheading game with anyone who will accept the same fate within a year time. With no hesitations , Sir Gawain stands up to accept the game. Gawain cuts the knights head off with one try. Not knowing that the knight is supernatural in all abilities the knight gets up and put his head back on. The Green Knight reminds Gawain of the deal and the meeting place at the Green Chapel. Gawain adventure begins and while doing so he comes across Lord Bertilak's Castle where he stays as a guest with the Lord and his wife. While staying at the castle he accepts yet another challenge with Lord Bertilak. Lord Bertilak challenge conflicted of he would give Gawin whatever he caught during his hunts and whatever Gawain got or received during that day. While the Lord Bertilak is hunting , so does his wife or in other words seduces Sir Gawain. There are three different hunts that took place during his stay. These hunts also represent the three different levels of temptations aimed at Gawain by the Lady Bertilak. Within each hunt their is a short of similarity