The Story we didn't read but should have

I am of course talking about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the story I happened to have done my paper on.

One word: Chivalry.

What is chivalry, exactly? is it merely just saving damsels in distress or fighting for the love of a particular noble lady? Is it protecting the weak and fighting for honor?

From a medieval romance's prospective, chivalry is acknowledging God as the giver of all of the traits that create the chivalristic attitude such as grace, mercy, strength, chastity, and honor. According to the unknown poet who wrote Sir Gawain, God doesn't want martial prowess or strength... he wants humble and contrite hearts who acknowlege His prescence and gives all glory to Him.

I mean think about it. In the beginning of the tale, King Arthur's court, the "height" of chivalry and noble attitude, focused more on the merriment and wordly pleasures than giving their God the solemnity and praise He deserved on Christmas... and when the Green Knight comes with a challenge for Arthur's knights and they, in their cowardly pride, sit and quake with fear?

I think not.

The Green Knight exposes the facade of Arthur's court for what they really are.. having strayed the path of chivalry--and at that, strayed from God. Only Gawain is pure enough--and humble enough-- to take on the challenge.. but even Gawain strays from the true Author of chivalry but finally realizes that he can't match magic against the one true God.

So true chivalry comes from God, not from a noble attitude created by lofty nobles... I learned quite a lot from this story...