Compare and contrast Sir Gawain with either Beowulf or the Knight from The Canterbury Tales. What makes them heroic in a traditional or an nontraditional way?
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Character Analysis Paper
As you were reading your assigned work, you had probably been engaging in an informal character analysis without even knowing it, whether from your own opinions, text you selected to highlight, or notes that you wrote. With a little guidance on what to do with those various notations, writing a character analysis should not be a problem!
Choose a character from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and conduct an in depth analysis of that character using evidence from the text. Use a minimum of 5 quotes using proper MLA format and the quote sandwich technique. Keep the analysis to a maximum of 1,200 words.
Things to pay attention to in your character analysis:
1. Pay attention to the character’s ethics
2. Decide whether the character’s actions are wise or unwise
3. What is the character’s motivation?
4. Consider the effects of the character’s behavior on other characters
5. Look for repeatedly used words that describe the character
6. Be aware of items associated with the character
7. Read between the lines
8. Is the character “flat” or “round”
9. Consider the historical time period of the character
10. Finally, what does the author think? Look for the author’s own judgments about the characters they have created.
I think that Gawain and the Knight from the Canterbury tales are relatively similar because they are both thought of as "ideal" knights. They are both very careful about how they approach chivalry - they basically try to be as chivalrous as possible. Gawain fails a test and finds his flaws, whereas the Knight in the Canterbury tales is not tested, so it's unknown whether or not he has flaws. In addition, the narrator in the Canterbury Tales is not objective, so it's impossible to tell whether or not the Knight is truly ideal.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would consider these two people heroes in a more traditional way. They're both knights, and knights are often considered heroes. In addition, we know that the Knight from the Canterbury tales is courageous, and Gawain supposedly never fled from a foe on a battlefield. Overall, both strive to uphold their honor and abide by the Chivalric code. Maybe in a less traditional manner, neither actually fight for the love of a lady (they don't go into battle declaring their undying love). Still, I'd say that Gawain and the Knight from the Canterbury Tales are mainly heroes in a traditional sense.
Beowulf and Sir Gawain have similarities as well as some differences. They both have large amounts of courage, going into battle no matter what. Even though they may feel scared on the inside, they never back down; it’s better to die than to be a “caitiff coward”. However, I do think that Beowulf has more “cojones” than Sir Gawain, because Sir Gawain does show signs of fear before visiting the Green Knight, this fear makes him violate the contract that he had with Bertelack, in turn violating one of the virtues of his Pentangle. Sir Gawain also violates his Chastity and Courtesy virtues in the castle. However, I think that reason why Beowulf didn’t have such problems restraining himself was because, back then there were no knights and the rules weren’t as strict as in Sir Gawain’s time. Lastly, the main difference between Sir Gawain and Beowulf is that Beowulf already has a well-built reputation before he attacks Grendel; he is well known for his super human strength and the true motive of his attack can be argued: Did he attack Grendel because of the money? Or was it just because he wanted to help the Danes? Sir Gawain, however, wasn’t the greatest knight in Arthur’s court when he struck the Green Knight and is clear that his true motive was to gain some respect.
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ReplyDeleteThere are many similarities and differences between Beowulf and Sir Gawain. Both Beowulf and Gawain are very brave, and willing to face danger to protect others. In the beginning of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain accepts the Green Knight’s challenge to the “Beheading Game” in order to protect King Arthur. Similarly, Beowulf agrees to battle Grendel and the dragon in order to protect the Danish people. Both men are also well liked and honored in society.
ReplyDeleteThere are also several differences between Beowulf and Gawain. First, Beowulf is more boastful, overly confident, and seems to risk his life for personal interests as much as he does for the good of society. The primary reason Beowulf endangered his life in his battles with Grendel and the dragon may really have been to receive fame and fortune. This over confidence may have been the reason he was defeated by the dragon in the end, while Gawain was less confident and survived the Green Knights “blow”. Beowulf is also regarded as a celebrity in Beowulf while Gawain is just your average, chivalrous knight.
Sir Gawain is also more humble and pacifist than Beowulf, and tries to please everyone. Sir Gawain fights many emotional battles as he tries to please people (while Beowulf only fights physical battles) like when he has to choose between chastity and courtesy when he faces the “temptations game” with Lady Bertilak.
I agree with Steve that Sir Gawain shows more signs of fear than Beowulf when he faces danger. In the beginning of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight he is hesitant to behead the Green Knight, and only manages to do it with the encouragement of King Arthur. At the end, when Gawain has to face the Green Knight once more, he is even more fearful, since he knows he will die, and has to ask the Green Knight to get on with it several times.
I believe that Sir Gawain and Beowulf have many similarities but that they also have differences that set them apart from each other. Both Sir Gawain and Beowulf are protectors of their people, whether it be the court of Camelot or the Danish. They both also have courage that sets them apart from other people in society, a courage that pushes them to fight in battle or sacrifice themselves.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, I believe that Beowulf and Sir Gawain have more differences, mainly because one follows the code of a chivalrous knight, while the other follows a code of the warrior. Beowulf had to prove himself in order to get to the top, being boastful and overly-conspicuous about his strengths. Gawain, on the other hand, was placed in the Knights of the Round Table by blood. Sir Gawain also seems quite aware of this; he is not very boastful, but is more timid and realizes his flaws by the end of the text. We also do not see a romantic side of Beowulf as we do for Gawain, for Gawain is tempted by many "sins" of the pentangle while Beowulf has no present temptations, since his time was not a time of Courtly Love. I would also regard Gawain as more human, for he has present and practical human flaws that the author of Beowulf does not express.
I would definitely consider both of them heroes int he traditional sense. Although I do not believe chivalry is completely dead, I do believe it has a much different, modern form that is very distinct from the chivalry of Sir Gawain. I also believe Beowulf to be a traditional hero because he is heroic due to his supernatural strength and ability to fight, both which are qualities that are not really needed to be a hero today.
I agree with Michaela that the knights of Sir Gawain and of The Canterbury Tales are very similar due to the fact that they follow a chivalrous code. I also agree that the knight in The Canterbury Tales was not tested, and therefore it's hard to decide how similar the knights really were.
I agree with Sarah, one main difference between Gawain and Beowulf is that Gawain seems much more human while Beowulf is portrayed as flawless. Gawain's human-ness made him much easier to relate, the reader could understand his temptation and conflict of virtues. Also, his fear in the face of almost imminent death. Where as with Beowulf we never really got to see his emotions, he was like a mindless hero, with supernatural strength who never displayed fear or sadness or guilt.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Michaela that Gawain is similar to the Knight in the Canterbury tales. They both are brave and chivalrous and share interest in courtly love, but again there is no irony with the Knight in the Canterbury tales where as Gawain has flaws. This makes him, at least in my opinion, easier to relate to than the Knight.
I think Gawain and Beowulf were similar in the sense that they were both heroic, but Lucy makes a very valid point; as a reader, we saw Gawain's fears and emotions far more than Beowulf, who frankly came across as a "supernatural strength" with no evident emotions displayed. Beowulf was depicted as far less human--with no flaws--where as Gawain had several flaws and made mistakes, as well as showed his fear and guilt.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Steve, that Beowulf did not have to adhere to a strict code of virtues, simply because they didn't exist. This allows Beowulf, in my opinion, to be frankly, more barbaric, and in hand somewhat more superior, as he does not have to succumb to emotions of guilt and/or regret, as Gawain does at the end of his time at Bertilak's castle.
Michaela: I agree with all the points that you've made, but you didn't mention how Chaucer's knight was well traveled and had fought in wars all over. Is the something similar true of Gawain? Would this be an important difference?
ReplyDeleteI would say that Sir Gaiwain is different from both charaters. The Knight, in the cantabury tales is always upstanding, and is the perfect knight. Gaiwain, on the other hand has his own failings and mistakes, and throughout the poem/book we can see these quite clearly. The Knight, on the other hand is older, well traveled, and knows allot. Gawain is young, hasn't been to many places, and holds his position based on his family alone. The knight in the Cantabury tales might be an older version Gaiwain.
ReplyDeleteBeowolf, on the other hand, is equally young as Gawain, but more rash. However, he is also braver, and thinks it nothing to risk his life, when Gaiwain is argueably a coward in the end.
I disagree with Lucy. I don't think that Beowolf is flawless, he seems to have many flaws that show up throughout the book.
I think that Sir Gawain was weaker/more scared than Beowulf, yet Beowulf is more prideful and doesn't follow the chivalric code. Yet they are similar because they are both flawed. Sir Gawain was less courageous than Beowulf because when he was under the axe, he glanced up at it and flinched in fear. This showed that he valued his own life, but more importantly showed that he was not by the knight's code courageous. On the other side Beowulf was courageous in that he sought out Grendel, Grendel's mother, and all the horrible beasts of the depths below through which he swam. Overall when compared to Beowulf, Sir Gawain does not match in courage. Next, Sir Gawain followed the chivalric code and was humble, while Beowulf boasted his great deeds and spread them far. This shows that Beowulf was not the godly figure that people in the story perceive him as, and also that Sir Gawain has redeeming qualities. Lastly, both are flawed, as shown above, because it is nearly impossible to be the perfect knight or warrior, and pride or courage, or lack of, shows that Beowulf and Sir Gawain are not perfect.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lucy when she says that Beowulf was portrayed as a hero with supernatural strength, while Sir Gawain was much more human because the author showed his weakness more.
I think that the Knight in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Sir Gawain couldn't be more different. The Knight is soley shown as a personification of the knight's chivalrous code. He is highly experienced, and already has his own squire, he values romance, he shows zero flaws, and overall is the perfect knight and really a flawless human being. However, Sir Gawain is not so. The entire story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight would cease to exist if it weren't for the fact that Gawain screws up and breaks the code when with Bertilak's wife. But even without that there's no way to describe Gawain as a perfect knight. He stands up for Arthur only to prove that he's NOT weak, but the only reason he was in the round table was because he was Arthur's nephew. He's really a child, compared to Chaucer's knight, and comparing the two is like comparing an action movie to a coming-of-age.
ReplyDeleteI really disagree with Michaela and Sarah in saying that Gawain follows the chivalrous code in the same way the knight does... there's a difference between FOLLOWING a code and TRYING to follow it.
I think Sir Gawain and Beowulf both show courage when faced with death and are both viewed as heros. Beowulf because he sleighed Grendel and Sir. G because he offered himself to play the beheading game. However Beowulf possessed some "super-human" strengths, which i think lucy mentioned as well. Sir.G was also being tested where Beowulf went because he wanted to. But both men were protecting people, Beowulf was protecting the Danish people and Sir.G was protecting King Arthur. But Sir. G suffered many emotional battles as well, where as Beowulf dealt little with his emotions.
ReplyDeleteBoth Sir Gawain and Beowulf display tremendous resolve in overcoming daunting challenges in the face of adversity. With the chips stacked against them, they defeat two creatures considered to be unbeatable. However, the stories of Gawain and Beowulf do unfurl in two very different manners. When the Green Knight bursts into Camelot, Gawain promptly shows his courage and perhaps hubris by rising to meet the knight's challenge. Unlike Beowulf, Gawain does this in order to prove himself and cement his name in legend and lore as a true chivalric hero. Beowulf, on the other hand, is already widely considered a hero and claims to be helping out Hrothgar just for the sake of it. Based on their actions and remarks, and on the established virtues of a good medieval knight, both characters do come off as genuine traditional chivalrous heroes. As Katherine mentioned, the two are certainly flawed in multiple senses, but I think that may even enlarge their heroic personas. All it does is show that they are human and that, despite their tremendous force of character, are just like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI think Michaela's comments are very insightful. She points out that, despite not foraying into love or courtship, Gawain and the knight from the Canterbury Tales are both very much reflective of chivalrous virtues. She also makes mention of the fact that perhaps the Canterbury Tales knight's flaws aren't brought to light because he is never truly tested. This is a significant point; just because imperfection is not evident does not mean it does not exist.
The knight of Chaucer's tale and Gawain are similar in that both exemplify chivalry and both represent others; however, they represent completely different things and are used by their authors in very different ways. Gawain represents humanity as a whole, and his failure to follow through with his agreement with the Green Knight reflects that no matter how humanity strives to uphold the chivalrous virtues, ultimately man is fallible.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Chaucer's knight is used to represent the ideal knight. Though he is a soldier, he is a romantic and gentle one who dislikes unhappiness and fighting, who is the peacemaker when the Host and Pardoner fight. He is the ideal of nobility among the pilgrims, and so it is quite fitting that he has an idealized version of love that stands in stark contrast with the Miller's coarse version of it. Overall, he represents the ideal knight in a time when chivalry and knighthood is declining.
Gabe, I think that Gawain and Beowulf are indeed similar in their desires to prove themselves. Remember, Beowulf might indeed have been motivated by a desire to prove himself to others when he agreed to rid the land of Grendel; after all, he did have a bad reputation as youth, leading one to infer that as an adult he wanted to turn that reputation around.
Gawain and Chaucer's Knight are very similar in that they both value and do their best to adhere to a strict code of chivalry. They both focus on specific aspects of this code. Gawain is famous for his courtesy, and both his courtesy and chastity are tested in his tale. Chaucer's Knight also focuses on courtesy, and also idealized love. They are different in that Gawain is exposed as human and faulty while Chaucer's Knight is portrayed as a flawless person. Perhaps this is just because Chaucer's Knight was not tested in the Canterbury Tales, but we don't know for sure. Both are heroic to a traditional way, in that the "classic" hero is brave, chivalrous, and selfless. Gawain offers to take the place of his lord Arthur in the beheading game and follows through with his covenant with the Green Knight, and Chaucer's knight is described as a war veteran that always follows the code of chivalry. However, Gawain's heroics are the focus of his tale, while the heroics of Chaucer's knight are merely noted as background details about his character.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Emma Burnham that "Gawain is just your average, chivalrous knight. " An average chivalrous knight might engage in occasional battles and follow the code, but Gawain followed through with his covenant with the Green Knight knowing that it was most likely that he would die. Although Gawain eventually feared for his life as most humans do, the fact that he risked his life to maintain the honor of not only himself but his lord's court makes him much more than average.
Both Gawain and Beowulf are heroic in the traditional way. However they both contribute to this traditional way of heroism in their own ways. Beowulf for example, is the "he-man" type of hero. He fights big monsters and rescues villages, and while he may not kiss you because its the couteous thing to do, he would certainly kiss a damsel because he felt like it. He's his own biggest interest. Gawain on the other hand is like the traditional courteous knight. The story talks of his following of the five knightly virtues--courteousness, generosity, friendship, piety, and chastity--and how to him, if he didn't uphold one of these virtues, he would be ashamed (as becomes evident after the ordeal with the green knight and the green girdle). Both Beowulf and Gawain are traditionally heroic but in completely different ways. Gawain would do anything to defend his chastity, and Beowulf, well, I'm pretty sure wasn't even close to being chastidious. chastididious? upholding his chastity.
ReplyDeleteSir Gawain and the Knight from the Canterbury tales are both heroic in the traditional way. They both strive to adhere to the chivalric code, and life their lives according to it. However, the Canterbury knight is a much more one dimensional character than Gawain. He is perfect in every respect, and has no shortcomings. Gawain on the other hand, is a hero, but with human flaws. He is terrified of imminent death, tempted by the lady Bertilak, and is determined to prove himself. Gawain is relatable to the reader, whereas the Canterbury knight is strictly an idealized paragon of a knight.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lucy in that Beowulf was presented as a more "flawless" hero than Gawain, and that his emotions were never really displayed, he acted more on physical impulses.
Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf in his namesake poem share many similarities, but also have some differences. To start with they existed in different times, and were part of different warrior traditions. Gawain was part of the christian chivalric tradition, while Beowulf was a pagan warrior. These traditions have many similarities, as they emphasize loyalty, bravery sand the like. The differences are that knight of the chivalric age are expected to act courteously in addition to all the rest, this isn’t something that was expected of Beowulf. But this is only a small point, and not relevant I think to wither either is a hero. They are similar in that they are both heroic, despite their flaws.
ReplyDeleteThe night from the Canterbury Tales and the "legend of Sir Gawain" that is referred to all through Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are extremely similar. Both portray the idealogical image of a knight. The most chivalrous men you can find, men that everyone admires and has heard of, and men for others to strive to become. Once Gawain is tested he is revealed not to be the flawless man everyone believes him to be. This would indicate a difference between the two knights, however, like Michaela said, we cannot truly compare the Canterbury Tale's knight to Gawain because he was not tested as far as we know.
ReplyDeleteSir Gawain and Beowulf are both similar and different in many ways. Both are heroes. Gawain is a hero for following through with the Green Knight's request and for finding his true weaknesses and admitting them. Beowulf is a hero in a very different way — he defeats large beasts to save societies and is almost supernaturally strong. Both are somewhat chivalrous too, in different ways. Gawain is the traditional chivalrous knight, who takes every measure to defend his courtesy and courage, even if it involves almost certain death. Beowulf is chivalrous in that he honors the requests of his host and risks his life twice defeats two evil monsters that have been ravaging the land.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Steve that Beowulf and Gawain had different motives going into battle. Gawain had no promise of money or prosperity, but rather volunteered himself partially because he wanted to show his chivalry, but also partly through the guilt he had, as he was only in Arthur's court because of the relation he had to Arthur. Beowulf, on the other hand, had the promise of money and also had a reputation he needed to protect, so he killed the monsters out of arrogance.
When comparing Gawain to the Knight from the Canterbury tales we see quite a few similarities. Both approach chivalry in a careful manner and from first glance they are both the ideal knights. Gawain tries to act like the good knight and be courageous by accepting the challenge given to him by the Green Knight. While the knight from the canterbury tales is not given a challenge he does tell a romance which also shows his chivalry. As mentioned by Michaela however we see some of the flaws that come with Sir Gawain while the knight from the Canterbury Tales we never see if he has any flaws. Even with these faults both knights try to be as heroic as possible and therefore try and follow the knights code.
ReplyDeletei forgot to comment on another classmates post. I agree with elizabeth in that the Canterbury Knight is perfect and Gawain is not. It's weird that they essentially were the same type of person but Chaucer's knight was able to stay perfect and stick to his codes 100% while Gawain can't manage to uphold the pentangle. Maybe Chaucer's knight faced fewer challenges than did Gawain.
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