Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Symbolism

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Symbolism
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The Importance of Numbers

• The number 2 The dual nature of God
• Fully God
• Fully human
• The number 3 Trinity
• Father
• Son
• Holy Spirit
• The number 5 Perfect number (32)

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The Pentangle- The Emblem of Truth

• Gawain-
• Perfect in his 5 senses
• His 5 fingers were unfailing
• His faith was fixed on the 5 wounds of Christ (2
  wrists, feet (2), side)
• He embodied the 5 virtues (a) free-giving (or
  generosity),(b) friendliness (or brotherhood)
  ,(c) chastity (or purity) ,(d) chivalry (or
  courtesy) ,(e) piety (or compassion)
• Five Joys the Virgin Mary had in Jesus (These are
  not listed in the poem, but are offered as
  background Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection,
  Ascension, and Assumption)

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Chivalrous Code

• The way in which a Godly man would have lived his
  life.
• He should honor the requests of a lady
• He should always be faithful to the Lord

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Poems structure

• The use of alliteration- the repetition of
  consonant sounds. i.e. Big boys love big bogs
• Bob- 2 beats at the bottom of a stanza
• Wheel- the last four lines with an ABAB rhyme