Today public transportation leaves little room for heroics or bravery in the context of a journey. The modern world makes sure that we arrive in places safely and efficiently, which we often take for granted. Centuries ago in medieval England and Scandinavia, this was not the case, and a journey held a different connotation. It was one of ancient fear, thrusting the pilgrim into the belly of uncertainty. In both Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the hero must leave home and embark upon a bold yet treacherous adventure. On their travels they encounter the manifestations of their culture’s fears and superstitions, and the aftermath of these encounters force them to reckon with their own moral code. Ultimately, their journeys represent the collapse of ideal knighthood, and the faults within the warrior mindset.
Beowulf begins his journey as an ambitious knight seeking to return a favor, yet as the story progresses it becomes apparent that his heroism is also his greatest flaw. Upon arrival, Beowulf formally declares his intent to kill the monster Grendel, an evil, daunting figure who has been terrorizing the Danes. After divesting himself of his armor and praising God and fate impartially, Beowulf and his men bivouac in the mead hall, awaiting Grendel. When the battle is done, the monster has been killed and the boast has been fulfilled. The text says that Grendel “was overwhelmed, manacled tight by the man who of all men was foremost and strongest in the days of this life” (Lines 789-792). The fight with Grendel cements Beowulf as the ideal warrior of his people, as he keeps in custom with the general attitude toward warfare and God. He is celebrated as a hero not only for his strength, but for his willingness to defend and his adherence to moral law. However, his final encounter with a monster challenges this notion. The dragon who emerges from his barrow is not seeking to terrorize the country aimlessly, such as his antecedents, but is simply looking for the return of his property. Beowulf, now aged and King of Geatland, dons his armor once more and sets out to defend his people from this perceived threat. He and his trusted Thane end up slaying the dragon, but Beowulf dies in the process. While still honoring his warrior customs, Beowulf’s instinct to defend his people overrides his rationality, and that same rigid code of honor is what binds him to his destruction. After his death, Geatland is left vulnerable and insecure. Beowulf’s decision to live and die by his code of honor, while noble, ultimately leads to great unrest and unnecessary sacrifice.
Similarly, Sir Gawain’s actions are first characterized by boldness, then by his sly and cunning deceptions. When the young hero first enters the narrative, he is the only knight in King Arthur’s court willing to do battle with the Green Knight, or even willing to defend his king. He bravely faces his mysterious opponent, and graciously accepts the elusive circumstances of their pact. Sir Gawain enters a contest of masculinity and is praised for enduring such an onerous task. He comes to be associated with bravery and chivalry, being the one knight who stayed loyal to the court’s customs and rituals. However, as the story progresses, Sir Gawain becomes more uncertain of himself, and is willing to cheat his death-pact with the Green Knight. He accepts Lady Bertilak’s green girdle, which grants him immortality, thus enabling him to escape death at the Green Knight’s hand. Later when they meet face to face again, the Green Knight, realizing this, states: “It was loyalty you lacked, not because you’re wicked… but because you loved your own life” (2365-2368). The Green Knight denounces Sir Gawain as being imperfect and human, exposing the deep contradictions within his seemingly noble behavior. Sir Gawain has betrayed his code of honor, and is proven to be flawed, despite his high rank within the royal court. Although he leaves with his life intact, Sir Gawain leaves emasculated, and returns home half the knight that he was when he left.
Today we tend to overlook the safety that the modern world provides. We expect to arrive somewhere safely and immediately, whereas former generations had to toil and traverse the unknown world. Beowulf and Sir Gawain encounter much more than monsters on their journeys; they encounter themselves. Both of these eponymous stories deconstruct the idea of the perfect knight, and expose the humanity and shortfallings of two heroes. Both knights live within a culture that pushes them toward an unattainable goal, binding them to rigid codes of masculinity. Once their journey is complete, each hero has paid the ultimate price: their life, or their dignity.
