rdle in the second arming. "Where the shield once represented a balance of virtues, now the emphasis is on the girdle, which clearly invokes a dominant secular value, with religious ideals taking a back seat."(Bachman) Before, the shield gave him strength and courage to face his mystical foe, but now he relies on a 'sure thing' to provide his strength. The pentangle is no longer the important aspect of Gawain's armor. The green girdle now represents his oncoming downfall. Finally, he arrives at the mysterious Green Chapel to seek his doom.Gawain's attitude changes when he meets the Green Knight for the second time. At Arthur's court he was the epitome of courtesy in his language with Bercilak, but at the second meeting he behaves impatiently and speaks in angry words. Gawain is no longer the same individual. The ideals of the pentangle are no longer with him. The moment he slept with the lady of the castle a change began deep in his soul. It is during the three 'axe blows' that Sir Gawain faults again: he flinches on the first attempt. Even though he has the girdle of invincibility he still fears for his own flesh. Gawain has walked far away from the path of the pentangle. Jones 6Finally, after Gawain receives a nick, the Green Knight explains his test. Although Gawain has ultimately failed Bercilak's test, he is sure to point out that Gawain is still a 'pearl...to other gay knights'. At this point Gawain is too stricken with embarrassment In the end Gawain wears the girdle as a symbol and reminder of the weakness of the human flesh. Just like the pentangle this girdle now server as a reminder of many religious overtones. The Gawain poet disrupts the pentangle and Sir Gawain's life for a reason: to teach people a lesson. The lesson is to show "the impossibility of maintaining ones earthly knight values, while also holding one's religious values."(Hodges) The pentangle is an excellent ideal, but in the real world it becomes a...
