Essay on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Q&A

Submitted By SmexySinowa
Words: 592
Pages: 3

1. Compare the court of Camelot with other mythologized portraits of ancestors. The court of Camelot is much like the gods of Olympus in Greek mythology. King Arthur is similar to
Zeus because both are kings of strong men and women. Like Zeus, King Arthur behaved rashly when the Green Knight insulted his court and offered the beheading challenge. When the Green Knight first entered the court and caused the entire Round Table to go silent in awe, the knights and ladies of the court were silent when he spoke, similar to how the gods of Olympus reacted when there was a confrontation or problem. The gods of the Olympus showed indifference and did not defend their king unless it suited them. The only knight to come forward when Arthur was going to accept the challenge was the noble knight, Sir Gawain. Like Arthur’s court, occasionally, a Greek god stepped in to assist their king, but usually, they remained silent.

2. Was Arthur right or wrong to accept the Green Knight’s challenge? Arthur was right the accept the challenge. As the leader and king of the court, or Round Table, it would’ve seemed cowardice to not volunteer for the challenge, especially when the Green Knight specifically asked for the “captain of the crowd”. Gawain did later take his place, but because he asked if he could. Otherwise, his strong pride competitive nature would not have allowed him to deny the challenge. Also, the Green Knight entered the court and provoked Arthur by mocking him and claiming that his court was cowardly. That statement was a direct challenge and it would’ve looked bad if he did not address the daring remark against him and his court.

3. Why does the Green Knight wait until his head is chopped off to say where he can be found? The Green Knight waits until his head is chopped off to tell Gawain where he can be found to add to the mystery of his strange survival of the beheading. The court did not believe the Green Knight would survive, and when he did, capable of telling Gawain where he could be found, it was even more frightening. Morgan Le Faye did ask for