Comparitive Christian Analysis Of Arthurian Lit.

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After reading the selected Arthurian texts, I have noticed that there is a reoccurring symbolism of good versus evil. This is particularly true with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and War in Heaven. They both show the inner and exterior challenges and temptations that people face every day, and how every action has consequences (both positive and negative). In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is Sir Gawain that endures a series of mental, physical, morally, and religious challenges and temptations in his quest to find the Green Knight. He successfully passes the physical challenge by not giving in to the advances that were made by the lady of the lord of the castle; he did not concede to the pleasures of the body, for that would have been unrighteous in the eyes of God. From a mental aspect, Sir Gawain also triumphed. Despite the fact that he was terrified of fulfilling this quest, because he knew that it would result in his demise (or so he thought), he remained loyal to his word and made the journey to find the Green Knight. Sir Gawain initially fails his moral challenge by not telling the lord of the castle that his wife had given him a green girdle. However, he redeems himself in two ways. The first act of redemption was when the Green Knight questioned him about the situation. He maintained his honesty, and as a result, his life was spared (although he does receive a cut on his neck for the initial dishonesty, which healed as he made his way back to Arthur’s castle) and was allowed to keep the girdle. The second act of redemption was when he finally returned to Arthur’s castle, and tells the story of how he neglected to inform the lord of the castle of the green girdle that was given to him as a gift. He is more than willing to face the consequences of his action and wear the green girdle as a symbol of his shame for the rest of his
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