Ward 1

Jonathan D. Ward

Dr. Napolitano

English 431

1 December 2017

The Study of Knots in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Slyt and Knyt

Throughout the history of literary criticism of the studies of the Sir Gawain and the

Green Knight, there have been numerous discussions on the symbol of the Pentangle, its

intended meaning, and the significance it has in either foreshadowing or characterizing of Sir

Gawain, himself. The debates on this subject range from whether the five points of the Pentangle

are all meaningful or simply existent for poetic expression to the question of whether it is strictly

Christian or might be a sign of paganism. One instance of this is Tracy, who argues both that the

Pentangle is a sign for Christianity and Christian virtues and that it is also in sympathetic

relationship to previous, persecuted religions before the reign of Christianity in Briton and

Germanic tribes (32). Another example of a Pentangle argument is Beauregards statements on

how the Pentangle is used as a symbol for perfection from the standpoint of medieval moral

theology, and the perfect act of virtue (146). Morgan is another example of someone who

argues for the moral symbolism of the Pentangle but focuses on the relevance it has to the

poems main morals as a whole and proves the significant role it plays in Sir Gawains troth

(770). While each of these scholars make valid points and all bring a significant argument to

fortifying the significance of the Pentangle as a moral symbol, each of them tend to omit the

significance that it is a knot (Sir, ll. 630). Examining the Pentangle as a knot, and studying all

references to knots, may give insight into the story and the overarching morals that are spoken of

from the first mention of the Pentangle to the last mention of the green girdle knot.
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Beginning with the first reference to the knot, it is important to understand the specific

meaning of the Pentangle. One source that Morgan uses, by the name of Dr. Johnson, says that

the sort of virtue that is portrayed in the Pentangle (and ought to be portrayed in the one who

bears the Pentangle) is not of an angelical kind of virtue nor above probability [] but the

highest and purest that humanity can reach (Morgan, 769). This is an important aspect to keep

in mind when reading and studying the characteristic elements of the Pentangle. Otherwise, some

of the elements will appear to be insignificant. One instance of this can be found in some

interpretations of the second group of five, his fyve fyngres (Sir ll. 641), by the assumption

that they serve no purpose except for mere poetic device, lacking any true meaning (Morgan

769). However, with Johnsons quote in mind, the five fingers appear to be a foundational

element. In fact, the first two groups of five go well together as expressions of the human side of

the Pentangle. If the five groups of five are seen not merely as a scheme or meaningless poetic

devise but as an intentional, complete, and full symbol, as though the poet had purpose to his

words, then it may be examined with reasonable faith in the purpose of the poet. Groups three

and four of the Pentangle are the religious, spiritual, and supernatural elements or groups of the

endless knot. The last group of five are respectable virtues that are expected of all honorable men

who live a consistent life of purity and dedication to God. Thus, the last three groups have a

supernatural tone to them, which by themselves may lead to the questioning of how achievable

they may be by common men. The first two groups, the senses and fingers (Sir ll. 640-641) are

the human aspect of the Pentangle, making the Pentangles virtues appear more attainable by

common humanity. Therefore, the significance of the Pentangle is that it is both humanly

possible (according to the groups) and divinely significant. With this in mind, the knot, then,

gives great honor due to the implication that whoever rightly bears it is considered and honored
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as the best or most virtuous of all mortal men, meaning Sir Gawain begins his journey as the

ideal man.

The Pentangle, however, is not the only knot in this great story. The term knot is

mentioned numerous times. The last time it is mentioned is in reference to the green girdle being

tied to his arm on his return journey (Sir ll. 2487). The meaning of this symbol isnt as difficult

to understand since the poem explicitly expresses what it stands for in the next line. The knot of

the green girdle is tied on his arm as a sign of his faute (ll. 2488), that is, his fault,

blemish, or flaw (Faute Entry). Though this meaning of the symbol is often obvious,

there is a question about the use of the word knot in relation to it. A powerful piece to keep in

mind about the Pentangle is that it is described as the endeles knot (Sir ll. 630). There seems to

be no mention of the Pentangle after the green girdle is called a knot, which may imply that

the endeles knot has ended and another knot has been formed.

If this is the case, then the undoing of one knot, the Pentangle, provides room for another,

the green girdles knot of dishonor. Sir Gawain went from the virtuous, honored, ideal man to a

dishonored man according to a faute in his virtuous knot. Between these two portions of text,

however, the exact cause of his faute appears to be unexpressed, at least in obvious language.

However, there is a scene in particular where the change of knots and the reason for their altering

is expressed. In the gruesome description of the deer being cut open and prepared, there are hints

of this faute after all. It may appear to be a strange scene, but when the common circulating

views and interpretations of this scene are known and understood, it is a pivotal moment in

interpreting other parts of the story. One of the ways in which this scene demonstrates its relation

to the Pentangle and green girdle is through, once again, the linguistic use of the word knot

(Sir ll. 1331, 1334). The imagery that surrounds the use of the word knot in this scene displays
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a more full description of the knot alteration. Line 1330 says that Sythen thay slyt the slot, that

is the slitting of the base of the throat (Slot Entry). The slitting of a throat might be

symbolically associated or likened to the cutting out of the tongue. In other words, the slitting of

the base of the throat may be a symbol for being unable to speak. A scenario where this might

occur is in making a promise not to tell someone about something (or a dirty little secret), thus

binding your tongue (or throat) on the subject matter. If this is the case, then the slitting of the

throat may be not only a foreshadowing but a deeper explanation of what happens when Sir

Gawain makes a secret promise to keep the girdle that was gifted to him by the lady and not tell

the lord (ll. 1862-1863).

The next portion of the description of the deer gutting is when they schaved [the gullet]

wyth a scharp knyf (Sir ll. 1331). If slitting the throat is the faute mentioned toward the end,

then this description of the schav[ing] may be a symbol of the scraping out of Sir Gawains

virtues that were expressed in the Pentangle, the first knot. His slot is slyt in the secrecy he

has with the lords wife and his slot is schaved as his pentangular virtues, just like with

description of the deer. Lastly, the line finishes with [] schyre knitten (Sir ll. 1331). The

explanation here describes the second knots origin. Like the deer, Sir Gawain has had his throat

slit and scraped, and then it was all knyt shut as a knot of dishonor from faute, the green

girdle. Once the virtues of the Pentangle were violated, the whole knot was undone, leaving him

exposed for this surgery. Then, after all this was done, he was knit up with a less charming, more

dishonorable knot.

Overall, the symbol of the Pentangle is only half of the knot symbolism in Sir Gawain

and the Green Knight. Many of the scholars have focused on the Pentangle, trying to understand

it separated from its essence as a knot and, therefore, the green girdle and the knot of the
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pivotal deer gutting scene. It seems, however, that the Gawain poet has created a complete and

whole poem and story that is interlaced with such imagery and rich symbolism. There is likely

more to explore in this clever and intricate masterpiece as symbols and patterns cross and

overlap, similar to the Pentangle itself.

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Works Cited

Beauregard, David N. "Moral Theology in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Pentangle, the

Green Knight, and the Perfection of Virtue." Renascence: Essays on Values in Literature,

no. 3, 2013, p. 146. EBSCOhost, lib-

proxy.radford.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eds

glr&AN=edsgcl.329606342&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Morgan, Gerald. "The Significance of the Pentangle Symbolism in "Sir Gawain and the Green

Knight." The Modern Language Review, no. 4, 1979, p. 769. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.2307/3728227.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Trans. R. M. Liuzza. The Broadview Anthology of British

Literature 1A. Ed. Bernard J. Muir. Broadview Press, 2015, pp. 288-352. Print.

Tracy, Larissa. "A Knight of God or the Goddess?: Rethinking Religious Syncretism in Sir

Gawain and the Green Knight." Arthuriana, vol. 17, no. 3, Sept. 2007, pp. 31-55.

EBSCOhost, lib-

proxy.radford.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh

&AN=27538670&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Faute Entry. Middle English Dictionary. 1 Dec. 2017.

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-

idx?type=byte&byte=54414571&egdisplay=compact&egs=54426274.

Slot Entry. Middle English Dictionary. 1 Dec. 2017.

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/m/mec/med-idx?type=id&id=MED40958.