Virtue, Vice, and Valour in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

In literature, authors often use words that have many meanings within the piece of work. By looking deeper into these meanings, an insightful interpretation can be developed to allow the reader to experience a version of the work not apparent from the surface. In â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,† the author successfully attaches virtue, vice, and valour to the green girdle, an object Sir Gawain obtains as a gift. The green colour of the girdle represents rejuvenation and change throughout the story. Just as nature is reborn when winter changes to spring, Sir Gawain is reborn when the girdles meaning changes from virtue to vice to valour. This helps Sir Gawain to recognize the qualities he possesses in his character, and he eventually†¦show more content†¦Initially, Sir Gawain refused the gift as he thought about the challenge that lay before him in defeating the Green Knight at his game. However, when the lady suggested that the girdle held a special power so th at â€Å"no hand under heaven... could hew him down,† (1853) he gladly accepted the gift, but for the wrong reasons. Sir Gawain realized that once he bore the girdle, the Green Knight could do him no harm. When his decision was made to keep the girdle for his own instead of handing it over to the lord as promised, his character changed from one of truth to one only concerned about his love of his mortal life. This love drove him to obtain attributes of cowardice and vice, rather than valour. His grace and purity he once possessed had now subsided and revealed a sense of corruption. He lied to the lord at the end of his visit stating that â€Å"all that [he owed]...[was] openly paid† (1941) and he continued on his way to meet the Green Knight. The green girdles meaning in the story has changed from one of possible virtue to one of extreme vice. It now represents the dishonour Sir Gawain committed rather than the noble decision he should have made in handing over the gir dle to the lord. With this green girdle in his possession, Sir Gawain became greedy and his flaws became visible. Although the knight did not recognize it yet, these flaws would prove to be an aid in his growth and maturity. When Sir Gawains journey was over and he finally found the Green