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From: Taylor Stofflet
Date: 9/30/2009
Time: 12:01:02 AM
Remote Name: 139.135.197.239
Sir Gawain wears the green girdle to remind him of the game he played with the Green Knight, in which he was dishonest. In general, Gawain seems to be a pretty honest person. He resists the attempts of the Lady to seduce her, and tells the Lord about the kisses he received. The game required Gawain to give any gifts he receives to the Lord while at the castle. The Lord goes out hunting on these days, and promises to give Gawain any game he catches. The Lord's wife gives Gawain the green girdle on the third day, telling him that it is enchanted and if Gawain wears it he will not be able to be killed. Gawain decides to lie and tell the Green Knight he only received the kisses. It turns out that the whole thing was a setup, and the Green Knight knew all along that he took the green girdle, and reprimands him by putting a small knick in the neck of Gawain. This is a reminder of the flaw in Gawain's character. It is not permanent, however, so he decides to wear the green girdle as a permanent reminder of his wrongdoing. I think the real crime here is the fact that Gawain became out of touch with reality, and wears the sash not only to remind him of his shame, but represent the point at which Gawain can accept his flaws and be willing to change. At the beginning of the poem, all that is talked about is feasts and partying. You would think King Arthur and his knights would be concerned with more important thing, but they never seem to mention anything. When Gawain goes to the Lord's Castle, once again, life is a non-stop party. Gawain forgets what it means to be a nobleman. He is a good person, but just needs something to set him straight again. The incident with the Green Knight is exactly what he needed. This is how wearing the green girdle reminds Gawain of his sins.