In this persuasive analytical article, I will perform a study on the meaning of the symbolism of the green sash in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. For this analysis a brief synopsis of what the green belt is will be necessary. In the second part of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain is a guest in Bertilak's house. Bertilak states a proposition for Gawain that "all that I win in the wood will return to you, and whatever you gain, be so kind as to give it to me." Bertilak wins a deer, a boar and a fox in the next 3 days and gives them all to Gawain. Gawain receives a kiss from Bertilak's wife on the first day and two kisses from her on the second day and gives them to Bertilak. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay On the third day, Bertilak's wife wishes to give Gawain a token. He refuses a ring but when she offers him a green sash that she claims protects the wearer from death, he accepts out of fear for his life due to the impending showdown with the green knight. However, Gawain does not transfer this prize to Bertilak, breaking their agreement. My argument is that even though Gawain accepted the “magical” green sash and broke his agreement with Bertilak, that does not mean he is an unchivalrous or poor knight, nor does it tarnish his legacy as the noblest of knights. I will defend this thesis by analyzing and showing how, even if Gawain acted selfishly, this one act does not make him an unclean knight. My first subargument in defense of Gawain's integrity is an analysis of his behavior and actions prior to his temptation of the sash. Gawain is known as the purest knight and the epitome of what it means to be a Knight of the Round Table. He is an example of the chivalry to which all knights aspire. In the first part, when the Green Knight defiles Arthur and his court, Gawain selflessly defends the honor of his king and his country. Gawain pleads with Arthur, "I beseech thee, lord, here and now: please, let this meeting be mine," after no other knight defends their king. This alone demonstrates Gawain's chivalry and selflessness, but his reasoning is even more convincing. His justification for being the one to accept the Green Knight's challenge is that he is "the weakest of all knights... the weakest of wits" and that the loss of his life "would surely be the least." He then goes on to explain how the only reason he is on the Round Table is that he is related to Arthur. According to him, since the Green Knight's challenge is foolish, it "should not fall on" Arthur. These Gawain topics can be explored in many different ways. One of these is how they show Gawain's self-awareness and practicality. Gawain is fully aware of his status as a knight less skilled in combat and skill. I believe self-awareness is a very important trait to possess because yes, having confidence is important, it must be used along with practicality for maximum success. Another way to look at his statements is how courageous he is. His king (and his kinsmen) are disrespected in his own court by an outsider, yet none of the brave and noble Knights of the Round Table have defended their king, whether out of fear, shock, or some other reason. With Gawain being the first and only knight to support his king, it shows that although he wasn't the most skilled knight, he was the bravest at the time. A final, and perhaps most important, interpretation is how selfless Gawain was in those moments. He wasn't thinking about his fear of this menacing threat. He wasn't thinking ofembarrassing himself in front of everyone he knew. He didn't even think about his own livelihood. All he had in mind was to defend the honor of his king and his country. This demonstrates his chivalry and selflessness. Along with the selflessness Gawain displayed by standing up to the Green Knight in Part 1, his handling of Bertilak's wife's trials in Part 3 is also evidence to support his chivalrous actions before receiving the green sash. Bertilak tasks his wife with attempting to seduce Gawain several times to see if he would deviate from his code of chivalry. She snuck into his chambers and made many passive-aggressive innuendos and playful advances towards Gawain, such as joking about tying him up and stating how they're all alone. Gawain attempts to get permission from the lady to dress, but she refuses. She eventually goes so far as to tell him “my person is at your will, your every desire to avail of it,” essentially giving him free rein to do what he wishes with his body. Most men would have accepted that offer and never looked back with a woman as beautiful as Bertilak's wife, but Gawain was not most men. He politely declines in the most respectful way possible. This goes back and forth a few times until the lady concedes and bids Gawain farewell, but refuses to leave without a kiss. This happens the next day, with the end result that she needs two kisses. This not only demonstrates his respect for his marriage, but also allows him to uphold his chivalry by respecting and serving women. My second argument for Gawain's upholding of the code of chivalry is that while he may have succumbed to selfish behavior and accepted the green sash, this does not make him a poor knight because wanting to save one's life is human nature. Part 3, on the third day Bertilak's wife visits Gawain in his chambers, she asks Gawain for a token, but he says he has nothing worthy of her. Then he offers to give him one instead. He refuses a ring from her, but his tone changes when she offers him the green band and explains its supposed magical properties. According to her, “anyone who is surrounded by this green band and wears it tightly wrapped around his waist…. cannot be killed." This made Gawain think for a moment. As discussed in the first subtopic, Gawain is a practical and self-aware man. He understands that once he faces the Green Knight, he will face certain doom. But with this magic sash, in his mind, he can remain honorable while still facing the Green Knight, but also preserve his life thanks to the magic of the sash. He accepts the garment from the lady and agrees to keep it a secret. Now some might say that this tarnishes Gawain's integrity, but I disagree. Gawain did not act with the intention of deceiving the knightly system, but out of fear for his life. It is ingrained in human DNA to want to protect one's life. This was an act of self-interest, but not selfishness. He was simply trying to save his own life, while still trying to stay true to his word by facing the Green Knight. My third and final sub-argument showing that Gawain upheld the code of chivalry analyzes how he behaved after the battle with the Green Knight. Once Gawain arrives at the Green Chapel in Part 4, the Green Knight strikes Gawain with his axe, grazing him. After this, the Green Knight reveals himself to be Bertilak, also revealing that his wife attempted to seduce and test Gawain. Gawain feels remorse and shame for taking the green sash and asks for forgiveness, which Bertilak grants. Bertilak then calls him the most worthy of Arthur's knights. There.