What does it take as chivalrous behaviour?

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Five Virtues – Arthurian chivalry – medieval. It is important that Gawain represents these virtues,
more than that, the judgement of him by the entire tale reflects how well he matches up to this
ideal.

What does the text tell us about ‘Fraunchyse’ – generosity – what about girdle? – Covetousy

- Generous host – Bertilak – feast parallels that of Arthur – chivalry and generosity are closely linked

-Serving - ‘Arthur wolde not ete til all were served’ (85) ‘Segges him served seemly innowe’ (888)

Bertilak as a character is very ambiguous.

- Covetousy

‘Felawschip’ – comradeship

- stepping in for Arthur

- going alone – how does that appear to servants - is it valued? –lack of comradeship?

Clannes – purity/ taken seriously

- It is ‘clannes’ that they are testing -

- ‘sothly me thinks/ One the fautlest freke that ever on fote yede/ As perle by the whyte pese is of
pris more/ So is Gawain in good fayth by other gay knights’ (2363-2365)

- Gawain doesn’t think so, he believes that his cowardice means that he cannot be chivalrous even
though he is supposed to be pure.

Courteysye – courtesy

Argument: While ‘clannes’ is that which knights should be deemed chivalrous, ‘courteysye’ is the
most treasured by others.

- Important/ Valued – The thing they are most eager to hear about is -‘slyghtes of thewes’ and
‘talkyng noble’ (916-917) – suggests there is not much of it in the castle?

- Is it just because it is Outward expression of Chivalry – clearly defineable?

- Important - Courtesy is more important than safety

-‘More seemly hit were’ – First thought is for what is appropriate

‘not all for doubte’ – Is it important or just a mark of fear and indecision?

- How is it judged?

‘Pity that passes all poyntes’ – compassion that surpasses all these points – in pursuit of a Lover

For the poet at least, ‘pity’, passion or compassion, is the highest virtue of chivalry that ‘which
passes all poyntes’, though this is not exactly how it is regarded by the rest of the characters.
- Lady thinks it must be a lover – chivalrous ‘lel layk of luf’ – game of love – is this ‘pity’?

- Valliance of knights grows out of love – ‘How ledes for her lel luf her lives han auntered,/ Endured
for her drury doelful stoundes,’ (1516-7) – key to chivalry

The understanding of ‘pity’ is crucial to understanding the contradictions of the other virtues. It is
the centre where all the other doubts of chivalry are displayed.

Fraunchyse and the generosity of the girdle

Felawschip what do the knights actually believe?

Goes along with the others ‘cortays and quaynt of your hetes’ – does that suggest that courtesy is
just a front?

Can you be a ‘clanne’ lover- Is passion always driver by high/ courtly motives? Contrast to purity –
are the virtues contradictory?

- This presents the other problem of ‘pity’ – is it always pious’

For the poet at least, ‘pity’, is the highest virtue of chivalry that ‘which passes all poyntes, yet it
rarely comes up in the text.