Paganism in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Symbolism of Paganism in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Some of the most perplexing and captivating folklore of Britain literature relevant till to date are in the period of fictional of King Arthur of Camelot and his knights. One of the most interesting stories, the medieval poem, known as “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” trace back to this period. Rituals of paganism are revealed in this poem enabling the reader to have a view of various aspects of those periods through the symbols of paganism mentioned in the poem. The writer begins by giving the reader an overview description of the celebrations meant to mark the end of the year. The poet reveals symbols of the luxurious details of decoration, arms, and attire which all have a significant meaning in the pagan world (Martin 2009). There is the matchless beautiful Queen Guinevere, King Arthur, the noble knights seating around them and Arthur’s relative including Sir Gawain. The critic learns that Arthur prefers to begin his feasts after being entertained with a great tale or a marvel. It is the process that another important symbol of paganism burst into the hall. The stranger is fascinating through his appearance physic. The giant-like man is entirely green wearing rich green and gold clothes. He holds a branch of holly on the one hand and a frightening battle ax on the other. His horse is equally green.

The Green Knight represents a pagan spirit symbol of vegetations, very similar to trees which can sprout when cut and grow into different directions. When vegetation is cleared, it can regenerate and regain its previous look. While human beings fear their inevitable death, nature continues to restore and sustain itself. When he enters the hall, everybody silently stares at him with astonishment. He offers to play a game with one of the knights who could volunteer to strike him on the spot with the return of the same in a year and a day’s time, but none of the knights is willing to take the challenge as the game somehow suggests certain death to whoever takes the challenge. Arthur eventually agrees to play the game, but Gawain pleads to take up the boon instead. After the court’s agreement, the terms of the game are restated, and Gawain is handed with the battle ax. Gawain cuts off the stranger’s head in one blow, but to everyone’s astonishment, the Green Knight does not die (Rinallo 2009). Ironically the body picks up the head which addresses Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel for revenge in the next new year’s morning. Not only is the stranger entirely emerald green but also stays in a Green Chapel. The pagan faith is closely connected to nature and their gods who are believed to dwell in woods. Moreover, the image of the Green man up-to-date, head covered with green leaves is a mystical symbol used to decorate ancient buildings.

When the Green Knight burst into Arthur’s hall, he carries on his hand a branch of holly and a battle ax on the other hand. The ax and branch of holly are very significant in the pagan world as they symbolize the dual function of the universe. The branch of holly represents the stranger’s civilized wish for peace that overshadows his potential for destruction. This can be interpreted as the Green Knight’s intentions for peace. Despite the tricky challenge he pauses to Arthur and his knights, the holly branch foreshadows that no harm will occur to either him or the other who will take the challenge. In addition, given that the festivities are taking place during the winter, the holly also represents nature’s ability to survive even in harsh conditions. This shows that the Green Knight has the favor of nature on his side; he is also very powerful representing the eternity of life. On the other hand, the ax symbolizes that the Green Knight understands the regulations of the society despite his close relation with nature. Made by man, the major role of an ax is to bring death and destruction. Gawain takes the ax cuts the stranger’s neck knowing that he would die, but unfortunately for Gawain, the Green Knight does not die meaning that Gawain will have to honor the deal as agreed. In the end, the ax represents something rather different: honesty and forgiveness. The Green Knight understands the reason why Gawain refuses to give up the sacred belt. In the castle, after Gawain presented his quest, Arthur orders his people to wear a scarf around their necks to honor Gawain. The significance of these tools shows the Green Knight exhibition of both natural and created beings.

Gawain’s two-sided shield is meant for protecting him in the journey to the Green Chapel. The pentangle on the shield is primarily a knot with no end since the five-pointed star is endless. In pagan tradition, especially in Celtic and German culture the pentangle represent mystical magic as well as pagan rituals. The pentangle in paganism, mostly referred to as pentagram is a symbol used to represent various modern pagan traditions. The pentangle in the poem also signifies truth. Truth in this context shows honesty, faithfulness, and honor. These virtues are important to the chivalric code, and they are meant to aspire all knights to uphold to them. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight emphasize the pentangle. The number five represents five groups of five a factor that forms the subject of chivalric truth. The first group is a symbol of the five senses which makes up a good knight with the ability to rely on his senses in the battlefield. It also represents the aspect of the truth of the suggestion that a knight can conceptualize the real world around him. The second group represents the five fingers which are very important to every knight. They show the readiness of a knight to serve his master. The pentangle is mostly seen as pagan due to the significant role that pagan mythology, Celtic plays in the poem. It resembles the cycle of the years as the poet describes as something with neither beginning nor end. The same way the circularity of the years is superior, the endless pentangle on Gawain’s shield shows the eternity of nature.

The green girdle depicts elements of nature owing that it is from the house of the Green Knight (Bertilak). It reinforces the personality of the Green Knight and also depicts aspects of witchcraft. Gawain accepts the girdle after the wife of the castle’s lord convinces him that the pagan magic has the power to protect him from death when he meets the Green Knight. The girdle’s color also symbolizes the power of nature which thrives through the dreading conditions and probably Gawain believes that through the magic he is going overcome the blow just like the Green Knight did. The girdle as a symbol of nature is bound to human existence and proves that no human experience can elevate him beyond his existence. Gawain accepts the girdle due to fear of death which marks the end of human existence. The girdle also depicts the power of romantic love which forces Gawain to act against the virtue of a knight. The castle’s lady lures Gawain into sexual enticements which further emphasize the sense of deception when he hides the girdle from the lord. At some point when the girdle fails to protect Gawain, it portrays weakness of human being in trying to protect their life and choose to wear it as a reminder of his faults to caution himself to be careful not to fail again. Contrariwise its meaning transforms to acceptance and unity and brotherhood as displayed when Gawain goes back to his territory. At this point, it symbolizes the nobility of his quest although he cannot achieve perfection as that of the Green Knight.

The recurring colors of gold, red and green in the description of the Green Knight are symbolic in the pagan culture. Green, red and gold color occurs in triplet the same way as the holly, and the ax occurs in dual. In pagan’s culture red represent a range of factors such as danger, anger, passion, and romance (Battles, 2012). After Sir Gawain spends three nights in a lords place, he is given a guide to show him the course to the Green Chapel. At this time Gawain is on his red tunic which represents vitality and enthusiasm. Lust, love, and passion are commonly represented by the red color. When Bertilak’s wife set to lure Sir Gawain into her lustful desires, she wears a red gown which finally helps her to fulfill her course partially. The red fox hunted by the Green Knight symbolize aggression as it spills much blood on the ground. The gold color is normally associated with cheer, wealth and optimism. In medieval times gold was often referred to as man’s most precious ownership and the final possible attainment in gaining wealth. The gold color in this concept represents the social power in the figure of the Green Knight. Green symbolizes the natural world which is an earthly feature (Battles 2012). When the Green Knight bursts into the hall at the beginning of the poem, the author describes him as emerald green suggesting that he is one with nature. As the poet describe weather, seasons and activities, the green color remains constant unbound by other forces of nature but with its sequence of death and regeneration.

The concept of number three in the poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is used symbolically to add meaning between different scenes and represent the nature and paganism culture. The elements include Green Knight, a green sash and Sir Gawain’s shield. The Green Knight in the poem represents a symbol of himself. He serves as a combination of foreign vs. familiar and good vs. evil. His stature is both powerful and threatening, and the green color glows as nature itself. When he first appears in the poem, he carries a holly branch and ax as a representation of peace and conflict. In the pagan culture, the universe sustains itself and all its elements. Nature holds power to give birth to new elements and also destroy them. The Green Knight stands for the earth for its familiar and strange nature; peace and conflict; safe and threatening aspects which work antagonistically to form the universe. In the beginning, he poses as threatening to cause death and harm to Sir Gawain but in the end, he comes up as reinforcement of Gawain character to become a better person. The green sash symbolizes Sir Gawain’s cowardice because he is going to encounter the Green Knight the following day. The sash presumably meant to keep him alive comes out as a test in the story. At the end of the story, the sash is worn by Arthur’s knights in remembrance of Gawain’s dedication and lesson learned during the journey to the Green Chapel (Saunders 2009). Sir Gawain shield is another symbol with the pentangle. The endless knot on the pentangle symbolizes the endless cycle in which nature takes its course through death and rebirth. Nature influences its element in destruction and regeneration. When Sir Gawain think that he is approaching his end in the hands of the Green Knight, it turns out to be his new beginning.

The power of three is also represented in a magical three stages. Sir Gawain goes through three stages in his course: the three seduction occurrences by Bertilak’s wife, three hunts and three ax swings by the Green Knight (Battles, 2012). Gawain’s seduction by the castle’s lady is closely linked to his host’s hunts. During the first hunt, the lord hunts a deer which is easy prey to catch. On the other side, Gawain easily escapes the ladies trap. The lord ignores the buck as it passes since it is not allowed to molest a male deer as it is also a crime for a lady to molest a man. In the second day, Gawain is also able to resist the lady’s attempt to seduce him. Owing to his fear over death, he is easily convinced that the green girdle offered on the third day would protect him from death. In the Green Chapel, the Green Knight purposely misses Gawain to represent the first two attempts he is able to escape the lady’s trap. On the third time, he taps Gawain’s neck leaving a scar which reminds him of his failure to keep up the deal (Battles, 2012). The significance these threes in paganism symbolizes that almost everything in the universe occurs in triplets: the three trimesters before the birth of a child; child, woman, and man; earth moon and the sun.

In pagans’ culture humanity is viewed as part of nature and is only understood within the context of the natural world. Therefore the physical traits of human are significant: pain, sexuality, senses, and pleasure. In pagan culture, the role of human being involves appreciating the limits set by nature such as death sickness and loss. Magic rituals and mythology provides human with insights into divine and deepen their experiences. In the poem, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," the poet uses symbols reflecting the pagan mythology and culture (Battles, 2012). The green girdle given to Gawain is meant to protect him from death. He thinks the magic in the girdle will offer protection. The desire for pleasure lures Bertilak’s wife to seduce Sir Gawain to have sexual contact with her. The Green Knight represents both parts of human and nature. On one side he can interact with human beings at the same time possessing nature’s power to regenerate himself when cut the poet also uses other symbolism to depict pagan culture such as the colors in the poem, concept of number and the Gawain’s shield.

References

Battles, P. (Ed.). (2012). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Broadview Press.

Martin, C. G. (2009). The Cipher of Chivalry: Violence as Courtly Play in the World of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Chaucer Review, 43(3), 311-329.

Rinallo, D. (2009). “Living a Magical Life”: Sacred Consumption and Spiritual Experience in the Italian Neo-Pagan Community. ACR North American Advances.

Saunders, C. (2009). Religion and magic. The Cambridge Companion to the Arthurian Legend. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 201-18.