The mores of the Middle Ages in Sir Gawain

1
Courtly love and courtesy

• The mores of the Middle Ages in Sir Gawain

2
The role of courtesy

• Politeness is a veneer over the violence latent
  in human affairs, and courtesy, however frigid or
  strained, acts as a restraining force between
  violent thought and violent act. If courtesy is
  ignored and disregarded, then the rules of
  meditation and measure cease to apply, with
  potentially dangerous results. (Jonathan
  Nicholls, The Testing of Courtesy at Camelot and
  Hautdesert)
• As in Beowulf, social mores established to
  maintain the order of society
• In SGATGK, understanding of social conventions
  important in understanding the weight of specific
  interactions between characters

3
The rules

• Have handouts on both the rules of courtly love
  and also the code of chivalry, which each knight
  would strive to live up to
• Also rules of hospitality, which you should
  vaguely remember from The Odyssey, explain how
  guests should be treated
• All of these are very specific and structured to
  provide a common set of rules for all, no matter
  the kingdom

4
The poem

• The text of SGATGK questions these virtues
• Interactions between Arthur and the Green Knight
  and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight illustrate
  the limitations of this society
• Recognition of elements such as adultery and
  effect it can have on the relationship between
  lord and retainer, yet Sir Gawain is challenged
  by the wife as she is also the hostess

5
Sir Gawain

• Stands apart as a knight
• Arrival of the Green Knight, he is the one who
  re-establishes order and courtesy
• The Pentangle (624-635) an emblem of truth
• Gawain is also Marys knight
• Set up to be the shining beacon of courtesy,
  knighthood

6
Camelot

• Arrival of the Green Knight breaks all rules of
  courtesy (136 onward)
• Comes unannounced
• Does not dismount
• Openly challenges the king, insults his
  masculinity
• Speaks down to the court
• Does not initially reveal his name
• Total contrast to activities in Camelot before
  arrival (37-106)
• - Arthur refusing to eat until others served,
  part of traditional reversal of roles during
  Christmas holiday

7
The courtly collapse

• Green Knight challenges Arthur (289-300)
• Initially, whole court silent unable to respond
  to challenge
• Gawain only one who steps in, returning focus to
  courtesy
• Court responds to Gawains beheading of the Green
  Knight by kicking the head around, very ignoble
• In the face of a threat from the Green Knight,
  courtesy falls apart in Camelot, illustrating how
  thin the veneer of politeness can be

8
Hautdesert

• Gawain lives up to standards of courtesy by
• Announcing his arrival and asking for shelter
• Awaits greeting
• Dismounts and has horse stabled
• Removes his war gear
• Accepts the other clothes from the host
• Has a meal with the household
• Gawain completely accepts the courtesies of the
  household, in part setting him up for his fall
  later on taken in literally and figuratively by
  Bertilak

9
Courtly love

• Gawain, as a knight, fully aware of the rules of
  courtly love
• Offers to be the servant of the ladies, his job
  as a knight
• Restricted by that courtesy as makes him passive
• Wife takes advantage of his role, very hard for
  him to resist, even though he knows if he
  succumbs he is breaking the codes of hospitality,
  honor
• Offer of the gift (garter) is what challenges
  Gawains role as the knight of truth