Gawain and the Green Knight: A Reflection of Medieval Society
Gawain and the Green Knight: A Reflection of Medieval Society The story of “Gawain and the Green Knight” is one of the most widely known stories of all time. It is the epitome of the medieval romance story, incorporating elements of chivalry, observance of moral standards, and religious faith. In addition to being a genre defining work, “Gawain and the Green Knight” presents a unique chance for readers to gain an understanding of the period that spawned it. Wilkie and Hurt list the defining qualities of the Middle Ages to be authoritarianism, comprehensiveness, and otherworldliness (Wilkie and Hurt 1283). The qualities of authoritarianism and otherworldliness are relentlessly apparent throughout “Gawain and the Green Knight”, and their prevalence in the story provides a great opportunity to examine the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages was a period marked by intense authoritarianism. All people were forced to abide by strict feudalistic guidelines, and acceptance of the system was encouraged. In “Gawain and the Green Knight”, the authoritarian feudalistic mentality is clear from the very beginning through the author 's portrayal of the court. In the story, King Arthur is clearly situated at the head of the table with his most valued lords at his side. Seated at tables on lower levels are the various retainers of the lords. This hierarchical representation of status from King to Lord to Retainer is the defining feature of Feudalism. The author 's acceptance of this hierarchy further strengthens the role of medieval culture in shaping the work. When Gawain takes the challenge for his lord, nobody in the court is surprised, and in fact, it is seen as the redeeming moment for King Arthur 's court. In this manner, the complete subservience and acceptance of status that goes hand in hand with the authoritarian nature of the Middle Ages is further enforced. For Gawain to not take his King 's place would have been seen as the dishonorable thing to do, as “feudal duty
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