A brief Analysis on Chivalric Contract in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Abstract The story is scattered around various contracts which challenged Sir Gawain, and it is by these contracts, the character of Sir Gawain is vividly portrayed。 By the sign, fulfillment, violation of those big and small contracts, a lively, dramatic character of a typical knight is shown to us and those contracts are worked as tests of Sir Gawain’s royalty and devotion towards chivalry creeds。 By looking into those contracts, a picture of Medieval Age is shown to us。 There are mainly three major contracts, the contract between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight about the beheading, the contract between Sir Gawain and the king, and the contract between Sir Gawain and the owner of the castle; they serve as the major clue of the story。 By these two contracts, there are also other contracts implied in between。 In terms of Sir Gawain’s actions towards the Green Knight’s challenge, the Lady Bertilak’s inducement, the attitude towards death, we can all find religious impacts there。 Nowadays, we are all facing many contracts consciously or unconsciously。 They have much in common with the contracts Sir Gawain has in terms of the challenge against humanity。  90084

Keywords: contract; chivalry; knight; humanity; character 

简要分析《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》中的骑士契约

摘  要   高文爵士是亚瑟王的骑士，在《高文爵士和绿衣骑士》中，隐含着许多影响着高文爵士思想和行为的骑士契约。这些契约虽非字面订立，却深刻地影响着高文爵士方方面面的处事方式。首先，作为亚瑟王的骑士，他宣誓忠于亚瑟王，以自己的忠诚护卫着亚瑟王。当绿衣骑士来到并向骑士们发起挑战时，他英勇地站了出来为亚瑟王的荣誉应战。这时，又与绿衣骑士订立了契约。在城堡中，绿衣骑士幻化成城堡主人，又与高文爵士订立了契约，俩人要交换白天所得。最后，宗教思想一直潜移默化地影响着高文爵士，宗教宣扬的禁欲思想正是高文爵士在贵妇人的多次引诱下仍不为所动的反映。源Q于W优E尔A论S文R网wwW.yOueRw.com 原文+QQ75201,8766

毕业论文关键词：契约；骑士精神；骑士；人性；人物性格 

Contents

1。 Introduction 1

  1。1 Literature Review 1

  1。2 The Creation Background of the Work2

  1。3 The Gist of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight2

2。 On the Analysis of Chivalry。 3

  2。1 An Introduction about Chivalry, its Characteristics, Evolution and Development。3

  2。2 Chivalry towards the King, the Religious Beliefs, the Noble Ladies and Their Example Illustrations。。4

3。 On the Analysis of the Contracts。。。4

  3。1 The Main Contracts in the Story。。5

  3。2 The Main Tests in the Story。5

  3。3  The Religious Influence upon them。。6

4。 Conclusion。7

  4。1 Its Influence on the Later European Literature7

  4。2 Its Influence on the Spirit of Contract Nowadays8

  4。3 Thoughts about Humanity8

References。。9

1。 Introduction

1。1 Literature Review来自优Y尔L论W文Q网wWw.YouERw.com 加QQ7520~18766

Up to now, numerous studies have been done on the book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from many aspects。 Many researches have been done to study the chivalric and symbolism embodied in the book。 And my focus is mainly on the chivalric contracts in the book。

As for the chivalry, at the heart of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the test of Gawain's adherence to the code of chivalry。 The typical temptation fable of medieval literature presents a series of tribulations assembled as tests or "proofs" of moral virtue。 The stories often describe several inpiduals' failures after which the main character is tested。 Success in the proofs will often bring immunity or good fortune。 Gawain's ability to pass the tests of his host are of utmost importance to his survival, though he does not know it。 It is only by fortuity or "instinctive-courtesy" that Sir Gawain is able to pass his test。 There are also hints in the poem that it is really Bertilak who is testing Gawain。