and the other for peace in our badges of ostrich feathers with four banners of the same suit, and that each of those who carry the said banners have on his head a hat of our arms. And that he who is armed for war has an armed man carrying after him a black pennon with ostrich feathers (nichols. p88 CLein p70).The "truth" of which the Black Prince writes in concluding his epitaph was incredibly important to fourteenth century ethics. The importance of truth is manifested in Gawain's guilt trip at the end of the poem. He wears the green sash to remind him of his "untruthfulness" (ln. 2509)Not only was I taken aback by Gawain's extreme guilt which seems absurd, but I was thrown off by the sins with which he chooses to condemn himself, particularly the Cardinal or capital sin of "covetousness" (ln 2508).J. A. Burrow dismisses Gawain's self-conviction of covetousness. The commentator argues that Gawain "is not vain or covetous: he does not wear the lady's gift 'for wele' (lns. 2037,2432). It seems clear... that the ring episode is designed to make the same point-to make sure in advance that the reader does not misunderstand the hero's motives....It clears the ground. Anyone who refuses such a ring is immune from covetousness at least" (Burrow. 42)The problem with this interpretation is that the writer defines covetousness too narrowly and more narrowly than the author intended. While it might be easy to say that Gawain just went crazy at the end of the poem this only opens up a whole new set of questions. Why would he want Gawain to go crazy when he has been a symbol of the closest a human can get to perfection? Why would the author make the court which has appeared foolish and weak in the right while Gawain was in the wrong?D. F. Hills explores why Gawain was correct to accuse himself of covetousness, why Gawains' response was proper, and how the poet's use of "covetousness" functions to clarify and emphasize rather than confuse. It is obv...
