Fabric And Jewelery In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight :: essays research papers

Erin KilkennyEnglish Comp & LitCathy SeigelMarch 7, 2000Sir Gawain EssayIn literature, insights into characters, places, and even sots are often communicated to the reader by symbolic references indoors the text. This is the case in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In this Medieval romance, the colors and textures of fabrics and jewelry are utilize heavily by the poet not only as a descriptive tool, but also to give the reader information about the characters personalities and roles within the story.The narrative opens with a holiday feast in King Arthurs court. The richness of this dress upting is represented by the decorations surrounding Queen Guenevere expound in lines 76-80. With costly silk curtains, a canopy over,/ Of Toulouse and Turkestan tapestries rich/ All broidered and touch with the best gems/ Ever brought into Britain, with bright pennies/ to pay. These lines also symbolize the queens role in the poem of a stately symbol of chivalric Camelot and as a female id eal. In this setting women are all(prenominal) around, but Guenevere is positioned above them and is surrounded by expensive, beautiful things. She is clearly do superior. The Green Knight then arrives at Arthurs court to ride a challenge for someone to cut off his head and to use up the favor returned a year later. He and his dollar bill are twain entirely special K and are clad in rich attire. The horses saddle is draw as follows, in lines 164-167 About himself and his saddle, set upon silk,/ That to tell of the trifles would tax my wits,/ The butterflies and birds embroidered thereon/ In green of gayest, with many property thread. The Green Knights appearance makes his supernatural qualities apparent from the start, even before he is able to survive decapitation. Though his ornate wearable establishes him as a respectable sawhorse, the fact that he is entirely green is not normal. Green is often associated with creepy, monstrous things, so therefore the knight is giv en a supernatural quality by that color. Gawain, Arthurs knight who takes the Green Knights challenge, is portrayed in different lights as the story progresses. Descriptions of fabric and clothing are integral to this portrayal. When he is departing Camelot to flummox the Green Knight, Gawain is depicted as a virtuous, chivalrous knight courageously facing his fate. His clothing, therefore, is red, symbolizing courage, and bears a gold pentangle, a symbol of virtue. This is described in lines 636-639, On shield and coat in view/ He bore that emblem bright/ As to his word most received/ And in speech most courteous knight.