Myth and Magic of Gawain and the Green Knight Written by Kimberly Anne
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a classic poem containing courtly love, poetry devices, Celtic myth, and dual thoughts of nature and civilization. Within the poem, ideologies of Christianity, paganism, and a glimpse into loyalty to liege can also be found (Greenblatt). Sir Gawain particularly struggles with nature and the natural world in many ways. The Green Knight himself is symbolic of nature as is Gawain of civilization (George). The Green Knight also represents nature by color, the change of season, and his ease of connection to nature itself (George). Gawain struggles with the concept of nature by trying to maintain control of it throughout his journey. When Gawain leaves Camelot he goes into the wilderness and forests. According to the poem during his travel, no signs of friends can be found (Greenblatt). His journey to the Green Chapel is one example of Gawain struggling with nature and the natural world. Gawain’s natural world is composed of courtly civilization, the exact opposite of the wilderness as described by the poem which the Green Knight represents. Gawain wants to conquer the green knight, which is symbolic of humans trying to control the forces of nature. From the moment Gawain leaves Camelot, he endures a mission illed with battles against non-human creatures and animals (Greenblatt).
“With no friend but his horse through forests and hills” (Line 695)
Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash
This particular line foreshadows what is to come. Eventually, Gawain needs to defend himself against the nature of the wilderness, which is completely unnatural to him. “He trails through bleak terrain. His mood and manner change… it’s no surprise to ind that he faces a foe/so foul or ierce he is bound to use force.” (Line 716) “Here he scraps with serpents and snarling wolves/here he tangles with wodwos causing trouble in the crags/or with bulls and bears and the odd wild boar. (Line 720) “Hard on his heels through the highlands come giants. Only diligence and faith in the face of death will keep him from becoming a corpse or carrion” (Line 723) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a good example of medieval attitudes about the non-human world because a primary theme of the poem is based on relationships between humans and nature. With Gawain establishing warlike control over natural elements, like his battle in the forest for example, the Gawain poet portrays opposing perspectives about the medieval ideas of the non-human world.
The prevalence of these opposing viewpoints (nature versus humanity) demonstrates that medieval thought on the non-human world's role was an inconclusive topic. Gawain represents the mindset that the environment is hostile and must be dominated by ruthlessness. The Green Knight symbolizes a different viewpoint: humans should be environmental stewards, working with and respecting the environment. As a symbol of nature, and a memory of Celtic mythology and paganism, the Green Knight represents nature by his color and by the seasons that go by in between the dual that would take place (George). The Green Knight is a supernatural entity and easily quali ies as a large part of Celtic myth. He is similar to the pagan deity called Green Man (George) (Davidson) (MacCulloch). This fact directly connects the essence of Celtic myth and its relation to nature (Butler). On the other hand, Gawain is a knight of Arthur’s court who represents a far holier and more Christian character than the Green Knight. This is only one example of paganism and Christianity found in the poem (Greenblatt). The symbols of paganism and Celtic myth found within the poem are everywhere. The Welsh and Irish traditions and mythological motifs can be found in Gawain through the journey, they can be found through the creatures mentioned, the pentangle symbol
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