The Hierarchy in Importance of Promises Made in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
... “…he would not eat…till he had first heard…some far-borne tale.” This is important to develop Arthur’s rightful position as a king because he upholds the custom of royalty desiring the telling of a tale before a major feast. But, before a tale is told the feast is interrupted by a stranger, the green knight, of great stature, “…broad neck…legs so long…buttocks so bulky…largest of men” (109, 110). The stranger “guise all of green” and carrying no shield promptly asks “Where is…the captain of this crowd” (224-225) Arthur soon addresses the stranger, “The head of this hostelry Arthur am I” (252). Arthur then welcomes the knight to stay and tell the court of his adventures. The knight declines and goes on to say how he has heard that Arthur’s Court is the greatest; “Your court and company are counted the best” This shows the knights knowledge of the court and King Arthur and their reputation. The Knight then went on to challenge anyone in the court. “I shall give him…this ax…and I shall bide the first blow, as bare as I sit…in twelvemonth and a day he shall have of me the same” (290-292) Here the knight sets up the first instance where a promise must be trusted; that he will allow a man to strike him with and ax, but in a year the knight will have the opportunity to return the favor. At first no one accepted the challenge, but as the knight taunted the court asking “is this Arthur’s house…whose fame is so fair in far realms and wide,” (309-310) Arthur accepts the challenge. Sir Gawain feels obligated to take the place of his king, due to his knightly duties. “For I find it not fit…when such a boon is begged before all of these knights to take it on yourself” (349, 350). Here Gawain says he understands that it is his duty to take the place of his king, as to save the king from the imminent danger. Gawain must realize that he does not know exactly what he is getting himself, but he does know that it will probably not be safe. Therefore, he makes an evaluation and puts a value on his life, one lesser than those around him, “I am the weakest…and the loss of my life would be the least of any” (354, 356). Knowing of the looming risk of injury or death Gawain upholds his loyalty to king and court and their pride and sacrifices himself to the challenge. Some people may argue that Gawain might think the challenge is silly, and sees no danger in it at all since he knows that he gets the first blow and if it is fatal then, obviously there is no means for retaliation. But, I disagree with this argument, because, due to his statement of personal value I believe Gawain was not the brightest person at court. And, everyone else at court realizes that the rationale of who gets the first blow will not actually be avenged must have been flawed because none of them volunteered to take up the challenge. Gawain probably sees this resistance and realizes that there is a reason to it and that is why he volunteers himself for the challenge. The Pearl Poet probably saw uncompromising loyalty to King and country as the ultimate promise that should not be overlooked because it is that promise which can make a man a hero, or a coward; it is that promise which can give a man his life, or his death; and it is that promise which drives men to make the greatest of sacrifices. Even today loyalty to country is causing the numerous loss of lives throughout the world. I believe it was this form of promise that the Pearl Poet introduced first, because this was the ...