The Influence of the Supernatural on Courtly Conduct,...

Christian Williams Student ID# 995895456 Professor Watson ENGC30 December 1, 2010 The Influence of the Supernatural on Courtly Conduct, Christianity, and Chivalry in Lanval and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight In the world of medieval literature the supernatural is a consistent theme, presented in extraordinary encounters, mysterious experiences and with magical objects such as potions, spells, and the prominent image of the green girdle of Lord Bertilak de Hautdesert’s wife in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Magic and the supernatural is seen as the driving force behind several narratives and acts as a method by which we might judge human achievement against that of a species that appears to be greater than us, akin to†¦show more content†¦From the waist to the neck so thick-set and square, And his loins and his limbs so massive and long, In truth half a giant I believe he was (Sir Gawain 136-140) In addition to his unnatural size and presence, his magical nature is further hinted at as he appears â€Å"completely emerald green† (Sir Gawain l50) and later affirmed when he picks up his severed head and reminds Gawain of the rules of the agreement they made. This imagery of a seemingly omnipotent figure that a mortal man enters into an agreement is an allusion to the spiritual promise that individuals of the Christian faith enter with God. Ironically, the idea of the Green Knight acting as a metaphor for a supernatural power is part of a larger paganistic culture that stretches across the world and includes such figures as the Aztec â€Å"Corn King†, a â€Å"vegetation spirit representing fertility and involved in a sacrificial beheading (Benson 67). The supernatural is being appropriated to connect to the growing Christian culture of medieval Britain and make the narrative resonate with the general populace. Sir Gawain’s journey to fulfill his covena nt with the Green Knight is fraught with supernatural perils, disorientation, and temptations but it eventually leads him to a chapel to fulfill his promise to the Green Knight: â€Å"See, Gawain, that you carry out your promise exactly,/ And search for me truly, sir, until I am found,/ As you have sworn in this hall in