In origin, the term chivalry means “horsemanship”, formed in Old French, in the 11th century, from chevalerie (horsemen, knights), itself from the Medieval Latin caballarii, the nominative plural form of the term caballārius. The code of chivalry, as it stood by the Late Middle Ages, was a moral system which combined a warrior ethos, knightly piety, and courtly manners, all combining to establish a notion of honour and nobility. Over time, its meaning in Europe has been refined to emphasize more general social and moral virtues. Originally, the term referred only to horse-mounted men, from the French word for horse, cheval, but later it became associated with knightly ideals. The term “chivalry” derives from the Old French term chevalerie, which can be translated as “horse soldiery”. It arose in the Carolingian Empire from the idealisation of the cavalryman-involving military bravery, individual training, and service to others-especially in Francia, among horse soldiers in Charlemagne’s cavalry. The code of chivalry that developed in medieval Europe had its roots in earlier centuries. All of these were taken as historically accurate until the beginnings of modern scholarship in the 19th century. The ideals of chivalry were popularized in medieval literature, particularly the literary cycles known as the Matter of France, relating to the legendary companions of Charlemagne and his men-at-arms, the paladins, and the Matter of Britain, informed by Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae, written in the 1130s, which popularized the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. It was associated with the medieval Christian institution of knighthood knights’ and gentlemen’s behaviours were governed by chivalrous social codes. Medieval literature and the influence of the Moors and RomansĬhivalry, or the chivalric code, is an informal and varying code of conduct developed between 11.Literary chivalry and historical reality.He believes that God will protect him, “So armored as he was, he heard a mass, Honored God humbly at the high altar” (Cooper 74). He also fights the dark knight and other beasts without a fear in his heart (which is one of the characteristics of a real knight) and proves the statement told about him at the end of the poem, “…Gawain, his name is too noble, he’s never afraid, nowhere…” (Cooper 81).Īs all Arthur’s knights, Sir Gawain believed in God’s law and was governed by Christian rules. Sir Gawain demonstrates his bravery replying to Green Knight’s words “Did I flinch, or flee from you when your blow felled me?” (Cooper 81) with the words, “Enough! I won’t flinch when you hack!” (Cooper 81). In addition, the Green Knight’s challenge during the Arthur’s Christmas feast was the opportunity for Gawain to prove his courage. Thus, Gawain demonstrates the loyalty and his obligations to Arthur. He demonstrates his loyalty to the King when accepts the challenge of the Green Knight in order to protect the honor of the King. Sir Gawain is a perfect knight of the Round Table. He is loyal to his King, obedient to the God’s law and experiences a court love with the Lady. Sir Gawain demonstrates these values in his thoughts and actions and he does the things that one of King Arthur’s knights is supposed to do. They were loyalty, valor, honesty and honor. The character of Sir Gawain demonstrates the chivalric code of the 14 th century and the main values that were assigned to the knights. The scholars to consider it highly symbolic The color green appears throughout the text of the poem 44 times. When he returns to Camelot, the entire yard wears green belts in communion with Gawain. Gwaine pleads guilty and wears a belt as a banner of his weakness. Medieval Romance, Epic, Adventure, Arthurian Legend
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