Loosening Knots In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

10 Pages 2509 Words

y sense: “faithfulness, fidelity, loyalty, constancy, steadfast allegiance.” The other aspect of the definition connects morality and religion: “conduct in accordance with the divine standard.” These three definitions present morality as an interlocking relationship that entails being faithful and on a humanistic as well as a theological level. One can see how the poet uses the pentangle to illustrate interrelatedness of the different facets of the word trawþe. Lines 627-629 show the other important feature about the pentangle, which is the endlessness; breaking one part of the pentangle ruins the entire symbol. The poet says in lines 626-629 that the pentangle is endless therefore trawþe is endless. The takes the endlessness of trawþe one step further, saying that since Gawain’s virtue is similar to the endlessness: “Forþy hit accordez to þis knyзt and to his cler armez/ For ay faithful in fyue and sere fyue syþez” (ll. 631-632). The history and description of the pentangle as well as etymology of the word trawþe imply that the ideal of perfection is a contiguity of faithfulness with other humans as well as with God or the Virgin.
After introducing the rudimentary features of the pentangle, the poet begins to show the virtues symbolized by the pentangle, which he says Gawain embodies. The poet says that Gawain’s faultless “fyue wyttez,” fyue fyngres” and “alle his afyaunce vpon folde” derive from the Five Wounds of Christ and his “forsnes” derive from the Five Joys of Mary (ll. 640-646). These virtues are linked with divinity; the poet uses the biblical view that man is created in God’s image to explain the origins of Gawain’s physical strengths. The poet also says that the five points of the pentangle each represent a different aspect of the code of chivalry, which Gawain has mastered: “Fraunchyse, Felaзschyp, Clannes, Cortaysye and Pité” (ll. 652-654). These virtues are ...