the truth behind the statement that Gawain, compared to the other knights is like a pearl to a pea. It is very clear that this statement by the lord is perfectly valid, even though Gawain would humbly reject such praise.Gawain feels unworthy of the praise that he received because he had taken the belt from the woman in order to save his life, therefore breaking the agreement that he has with the lord. Because of this slight infringement in the agreement, Gawain then states that he has failed as a person. “Fear of your blow taught me cowardice, brought me to greed, took me from myself and the goodness, the faith, that belongs to knighthood. I’m false, now, forever afraid of bad faith and treachery” (p.121). The failure that Gawain made is not good reason for him to believe that he is a failure as one of the Knights of the Rounds Table. This is a ludicrous statement just as King Arthur later points out when Gawain returns from the journey and recounts the events that happened. King Arthur knows that this was a slight mistake, yet everyone makes them and “The king consoled him, and all that court, and they laughed and resolved then and there…” (124). On the other hand the statement that Gawain makes after the event with the Green Knight does have some truth to it. The severity that Gawain presents this mistake is rather exaggerated, yet not completely false. Gawain was in truth afraid for his life, which led him to take the green belt, therefore breaking the agreement with the lord. This loss of faith in the lord is a mistake, just like the Green Knight points out after Gawain flinches when the axe came down. Yet, Gawain states that after this event he is now “false” which doesn’t seem to be exactly the case. Although Gawain did in fact commit this one sin, which does seem rather small, because of a human’s main natural instinct: the will to survive. Here in the stor...
