MovieChat Forums > The Green Knight (2021) Discussion > Thinking through the Green Knight, his n...

Thinking through the Green Knight, his nature, his challenge

posted 2 years ago by jriley555 (8544)
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The green knight himself had no real fear of death, while requiring it of the person he was testing.

If that were true, the whole matter would merely be a monstrous imposition. It turns out, though, that it doesn't make a lot of sense to view it that way.

OTOH, Gawain may think that by beheading his challenger that he escapes the reprisal. Which may be part of the test itself. He wasn't commanded to kill the green knight, only to smite him as he chose.

We should, then, think of the green knight not AS a person, but simply as a test of honor, which Gawain ultimately faced up to, regardless of the consequence, leading him perhaps or perhaps not to his death, but at least his honor restored.

[–] Ace_Spade (9658) 2 years ago

There is certainly an element of living up to one's responsibilities here. It is about growing up and facing the world.

At the beginning of the film, Gawain is a fairly frivolous person, sleeping around and not really doing anything "knightly". Consider even how he spends his year: doing nothing. He doesn't seek out the wisdom of sages, not does he attempt to discover the nature of the Green Knight, but he puts off even contemplating his debt and the payment thereof.

As the film continues, Gawain is forced to journey to his ultimate destination: the Green Knight. On this journey, he has advances and setbacks concerning his personal honour and confronting his fears.

The end is a test of his maturity and responsibility - his honour - as well as confronting death. Part of wisdom, maturity, and growing up is answering the question of how we will face mortality.