Sir Gawain: Eternal Jewel

Sir Gawain Was Correctly Depicted in Gawain’s ‘Eternal Jewel’

In the beginning portion of the critical essay, “Gawain’s ‘Eternal Jewel’”, the critic states that the poem “is richly drab with the constant dread of the main story,” (Anon., “Gawain’s ‘Eternal Jewel’”, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 129). This is partly explained by the critic because of the cheerful yet devilish nature of Sir Gawain’s opposition, the Green Knight. The author of the poem portrays the part of the Green Knight very well, in testing the hero of the poem, Gawain. I am in complete agreement with the critic on the fiendish nature of the Green Knight, for playing such a devilish trick on Gawain in the first place. No person should have experience such a thing as this, an unknown test of morals and principles.

The critic quotes Sir Gawain as being “a knight of luminous chivalric purity” (‘Eternal Jewel’ 130). He says also that Gawain is more focused on the moral quality of truth, as apposed to courtesy. This quality of truth in the poem is meant as ‘good faith’. The good faith of Sir Gawain can be easily seen while he and the Green Knight reaffirm their agreement;
“‘Let us affirm our pact freshly, before going farther.
I beg you, bold sir, to be so good
As to tell me your true name, as I trust you to.’
‘In good faith,’ said the good knight, ‘Gawain is my name,
And whatever happens after, I offer you this blow,
And in twelve months’ time I shall take the return blow
With whatever weapon you wish, and with no one else
Shall I strive.’ ”

(Brian Stone, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, 35). From this passage, Gawain is projected as being a noble character, true to his word, and good in faith; just as the critic affirms. Sir Gawain expresses his truthfulness through the use of the Pentangle, which he has deliberately placed on his shield. The pentangle represents the fact that the bearer of the symbol is faultless in his five senses, his five fingers, faithful to the five wounds that the Lord received on the cross, the five joys of the Virgin Mary, and the five virtues of truth. Sir Gawain has portrayed these characteristics throughout the poem, just as the critic has pointed out.

“It is quite a different matter on the morning of the first hunt, when the Lady visits his bedchamber. Her offer of her body, and her inference that if Sir Gawain is true to his reputation, he will accept it, is suggestion indeed. Sir Gawain’s response shows that on this occasion he is not suggestible at all and that his courtesy and tact can preserve his ‘truth’ for him” (‘Eternal Jewel’ 133). Although the Lady was merely testing Sir Gawain, he was unaware of the situation, and thus found a polite way to get past the subject. Sir Gawain used his courtesy, of which he is known for, to love-talk his way out of a situation in which he didn’t want to be in; offending the Lord that was allowing him to stay in his castle. I share the same insight on how Sir Gawain escaped the three temptations presented by the Lady. Sir Gawain used the chivalric nature in which he was raised, to his advantage several times throughout the poem.

“The fifth five I find the famous man practised
Were—Liberality and Lovingkindness leading the rest;
Then his Continence and Courtesy, which were never corrupted;
And Piety, the surpassing virtue. These pure five
Were more firmly fixed on that fine man
Than on any other, and every multiple,
Each interlocking with another, had no end”
(Stone 46).

The critic tells of Sir Gawain as being an individual containing identical characteristics as those listed above. I too believe Sir Gawain to be the noble knight presented in the poem. The critic mentions that it has been noted that Sir Gawain is nowhere in the poem described, although the critic and I share the same opinion in that Sir Gawain is described thoroughly throughout the poem through his actions, and even the symbols he uses to represent himself, as observed in the above citation.

Works Cited

Stone, Brian. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. London: Penguin Books, 1974.