Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Christianity
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight:
As one goes through life they are both outwardly and inwardly affected by their religious beliefs and code of conduct. The code of chivalry and courtly love was based on ones honor, and the keeping of it. This can be done by three ways, being chivalrous to your king, being chivalrous to god, or being chivalrous to women. These three things are also a general fit to Christianity. These beliefs and way of keeping oneself affects Gawain and his journey through out the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Specifically Christianity affects Gawains view of himself and how he should be, adding to the pressure of succeeding and the keeping of his honor.
Gawains view of his situation is ultimately altered by his belief in Christianity. He proclaims faults of his own as sins and not mistakes. “God requite you for it! Not for the glorious gold shall I wear it, nor for the stuff nor the silk nor the swaying pendants, nor for its worth, fin workmanship or wonderful honour; but as a sign of my sin I shall see it often”(111-112, 98, 2430-2433). This quotation from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight illustrates how Gawain thinks of his mistakes more as sins; also it illustrates Gawains belief in Christianity with being covetous as one of its main sins. Gawains journey is affected by his belief in Christianity, simply by him going to mass everyday. “Privily approached a priest and prayed him there to listen to his lifes sins and enlighten him on how he might have salvation in the hereafter” (91, 75, 1877-1879). “So, harnessed as he was, he heard his mass as it was offered at the high alter in worship” (43, 26, 592-593). In both quotations Gawain is praying and observing worship. Biblical characters are held as what is righteous and good. The Virgin Mary in particular is talked of in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. “With joy the two contended in talk of true delight, and peril would have impended had Mary not minded her knight” (87, 70, 1766-1769). This quotation taken from the third bedroom scene in the third fit both states that Gawain is a knight belonging to his faith and shows how Gawains Christian ideals saves him from dishonoring himself.
The symbols that represent Gawains altered view and beliefs are scattered through out the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. One symbol is the pentangle: a five pointed star from Solomons time, given to Solomon to control demons. “Why the pentangle is proper for this prince of knights.