Blog #3

Justin Enriquez

British Lit P.6

October 3, 2013

One Character, Same Name, Different Stories

In both narratives, Sir Gawain is utilized as one of the central characters. In both, he is depicted differently and is done in order to convey different ideas and actions the author deems necessary for the narrative. However, there are also similarities between the Sir Gawain's in both narratives. Therefore, I will draw comparisons between the two in order to show the different roles Sir Gawain plays in Arthurian Romance.

The similarities between the two are what I will explain first. Gawain as discussed in class was the best knight in Arthur’s court. Gawain was also the one who often won the girl at the end of the story, but then always appears single again at the beginning of other stories, which gives him a reputation as a philanderer. Gawain’s philandering is limited to relations with unmarried woman, most of which are portrayed as the aggressors in the relationships. In The Green Knight, Sir Gawain is portrayed as a courageous, honorable, loyal, and somewhat truthful knight. Gawain does not back from the Green Knight which is evident in keeping his word with the deal the two had with each other. Gawain is also portrayed as a philanderer due to his relation with the Green Knights wife. Due to his Gawain being untruthful about the girdle this portrays him as being unloyal to the terms he had agreed with the man at the castle which will eventually turn out to be the Green Knight. Similar to the Green Knight, Gawain in Le Morte D’Arthur is also portrayed as a knight in King Arthur’s court. In his first adventure, he fails to show mercy to a knight who asks for it, then kills the knight's lady by accident. Like in Sir Gawain & The Green Knight, Gawain fails at something like he failed to tell the truth about the girdle. Then Gawain promises another knight to help him win his lady, and ends up sleeping with her instead. Again there is a similarity in which Gawain is portrayed as a philanderer.

Differences are that in The Green Knight, Gawain is an overall better knight unlike in Le Morte D’Arthur in which he is a less excelling knight. For example, in the Green Knight, he is able to complete his journey and keep his end of the deal with the Green Knight unlike in Le Morte D’Arthur which he fails time and time again to complete various acts such as showing mercy to a knight who asks for it and then killing the knight's lady by accident.

These help us understand Sir Gawain's role in Arthurian Romance by giving us different aspects on Gawain’s overall traditional character in Arthurian Romance. For example, he is almost always portrayed as a philanderer.