tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5265338262162763789.post4850247917944761390..comments2012-04-23T16:06:28.738-05:00Comments on Wilbur Blog: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and January 1Gregory Wilburhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11339940711740974557noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5265338262162763789.post-27594806008580532202007-01-14T00:55:00.000-06:002007-01-14T00:55:00.000-06:00This is an old post, so I'm not sure you will read...This is an old post, so I'm not sure you will read my comments, but I think you misread Sir Gawain. First point in his favor; His hope in temptation is grace from the Queene of Cortaysye. Second, he only reaches the castle because he prays that he not profane a High Feast day by not celebrating the sacrament. Third, he does not fall prey to the lady's seduction. Forth, even when tempted, he calls on Mary for help. Five, he goes to confession.<br /><br />Based on this if he is a hyporcite, he is a stunningly great one--he goes to a false confession, he receives the Sacraments falsely, he does not really place his faith in the Virgin etc.<br /><br />But what of his receiving the girdle, and subsequent deception of the lord? First, by the time he deceived the lord, he was in a position (after Confession) where he could either violate the silly game, or violate his solemn oath to the woman. This of course came about because of a fault, but though the fault was confessed (note his rejoycing following confession) the practical problem would not have disappeared. Even after confession and repentance, he was faced with breaking his word to the lord or to the lady. Moreover, as Tolkien points out, Gawain violates a silly game for the sake of the woman. When the lord returns, he makes the <i>correct</i> decision.<br /><br />In light of this his fault was not treachery against the lord (treachery is too strong a word (in ME it was not as strong)), but was only valuing his own life too highly. But not even that. He did not merely value his life too highly. He also valued the lady, and was unwilling to treat her rudely. (Note his earlier refusal to be coarse.) And to be rude to the lady, would have been to treat Mary's kind rudely. It would have been to profane the Virgin he was dedicated to.<br /><br />But he did value his life too highly. Granted. But it is a dull satire that says "someone with this philosophy is not likely to be completely perfect." And moreover, he values his life far less than you or I would (when he goes to meet the knight his faith is in Christ, not the girdle), and he is more chaste than you or I.<br /><br />And the fruit of his fault is betrayal of his lord. True, but only with a weakned sense of betrayal. He cheated at <i>Pictionary</i>. But he did not do this intentionally, but only as it were acidentally, and when faced with a choice, only to perserve a higher good. Likely the priest could have explained this to him if he were in doubt.Colin Clouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11836100534647181995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5265338262162763789.post-77670892852467563942007-01-04T16:13:00.000-06:002007-01-04T16:13:00.000-06:00This redemptive poem is in opposition to the popul...This redemptive poem is in opposition to the popular but immoral chivalric code practiced among the elite in the royal court during this time. The critics don't get the redemptive meaning here just as they miss the point of "The Passion".Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07513416200548067318noreply@blogger.com