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Writers emphasize the importance of repentance and humility through the motif of a journey, highlighting the act of genuine confession of one’s own weaknesses and sins.
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- The Seafarer
- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Adventures in English Literature. Athena ed. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1996. Print.
The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan House, 1984. Print.
Humility and repentance are two values that go hand in hand, and are emphasized throughout all of these works in each of the protagonists’ journeys --> humility is needed for genuine confession/repentance, and repentance contributes to one’s own humility as it reinforces the position of God over oneself and involves lowering yourself for God.
The writer uses the journey of Sir Gawain to demonstrate the importance of humility and repentance, especially when compared to notions of status and prestige.
The poem emphasizes humility and repentance through the journey of the seafarer, specifically in how it acts as an allegory for the journey of the Christian soul and advocates the overlook of one’s own personal suffering for the purpose of glorifying God.
• Seafarer is shown always returning to the sea despite the trials and tribulations that it brings --> mirrors the Christian journey with its temptations and spiritual suffering
Similar to “The Seafarer,” the character of the Mariner embarks on a journey that symbolizes the journey of the Christian soul; it not only points to the significance of humility and penance but emphasizes the necessity of these values in one’s personal life.
• key element/trigger in his journey: The Albatross
- not only does it move the story forward, but it symbolizes the burden of sin
- “Instead of the cross, the Albatross/ About my neck was hung” (141-42)
- this constant physical reminder of the Mariner’s sin also perpetuates the need for repentance --> reminder to both the Mariner and the audience
- “Then Jesus said … ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross’” (Matt. 16.24)
- with the brief reference to the cross on which Jesus was crucified, one can see how the burden of the Albatross bears similarities to taking up one’s own cross: in other words, accepting one’s suffering/trials because it is for a greater purpose --> lowering self in name of God (very similar to what The Seafarer suggests)
• just as humility is emphasized, the importance of repentance in one’s life is shown as the voices of two spirits discuss the Mariner’s penance
- one states: “The man hath penance done, / And penance more will do” (408-09)
- presents idea that penance is not a one-time act to perform and forget about – rather, it is an ongoing process; needs to be acknowledged and remembered throughout one’s days
- also presents notion that salvation/redemption is not for self or any human to decide
- shown when two spirits – not humans – are the ones who discuss Mariner’s situation
- it is also the Green Knight who is the one that decides Gawain is cleansed
- these examples symbolize the position/role of God in one’s process of repentance
- interesting contrast: repentance is shown as an ongoing process in the Mariner’s case, but for Sir Gawain, his cleansing/redemption seems to be instant as declared by the Green Knight
• true humility is emphasized as the Mariner shows a shift in his attitude that allows for the beginnings redemption:
- at first, shows resentment as well as overwhelming guilt --> although not obvious, does have traces of self-centeredness in this attitude despite the presence of sacrificial nature
- he feels he should have died; despises the sea creatures for having life while his shipmates do not
- his tone shows an attitude that he gets to judge/criticize who is deserving of life and who is not --> casting judgment in the likeness of God in this manner
- his “heart [is] as dry as dust” (247): imagery here is strikingly powerful given the setting, where water surrounds him and moisture is abundant in the air --> yet his heart still remains dry
- however, when his attitude shifts only then is he shown salvation
- his bitterness dissipates and shows the sea creatures “love” as he “blessed them unaware” (284-85)
- the “Albatross [falls] off” (290) and in that “moment [the Mariner] could pray”
(288) --> can now communicate with God/is connected with God the moment he stopped casting judgment on life/death
- this shift in attitude and the redemption that follows reminds the reader of a key aspect of humility: we cannot judge, for that is God’s role --> again, an act of lowering self
- “Let Arthur’s knighthood save your neck, /That noble ranks protect you, if it can” (138-39)
- scoffs at the prestige of knighthood and the belief in its power that many knights hold
- sarcastic tone: invites for Gawain to let “Arthur’s knighthood” or his “noble rank” to save
him --> absurdity of the notion of a title or rank being able to save one from physical harm reveals how little weight such titles are in reality
- “You stand confessed so clean, you took/ Such penance … That I hold you cleansed, as pure in heart" (232-33)
- shows importance of penance, rather than other personal skills/strengths
- the positive manner that Green Knight shows in response to Gawain’s confession also highlights the significance of humility as one would expect the presence of weakness, especially in a hero (one of kingdom’s top knights), to be seen as negative, shameful
- “Not many better men have walked/ This earth, been worth as much – like a pearl/ To a pea, compared to other knights” (204-06)
- comparison of a pearl to a pea: same initial sound between the two words, visually, the two words look similar, both objects are similar in shape and size
- suggests how at first glance, these two types of knights seem to be similar (nothing physically/externally different) but actually only one proves to be of value/worth --> the one with the humble nature, willing to confess flaws
- only when faults/mistakes made can one truly tell difference --> this is exactly what Green Knight accomplishes with his tests and trials
• setting of the Green Knight’s unorthodox chapel also points to the significance of humility
- not a traditional chapel: is a rounded knoll, a mound with a cave inside --> “holes at the end and the sides” (21)
- strange/uncommon imagery for a chapel reflects Green Knight’s unusual reverence for humility and repentance, in a time where the knights were ruled by notions of knightly prestige/rank and the chivalric code
• the idea that the values of repentance/humility > the values of the chivalric code is similar to how Jesus disagreed with the view of the Pharisees, who took the Law (Moses’ Law, Law of Old Testament) very seriously, but in doing so thought of themselves as better than everyone else and did not show humility at all
- “[The Pharisees] love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces” (Matt. 23.6-7) --> striking similarities to attitudes of the knights that Green Knight condemns
• depicts an overlook of personal comfort/a sacrifice for a greater purpose --> setting aside desires of self, presents the recurring notion of humility and its importance the seafarer’s journey
- suffering both emotionally and physically
- “Hunger tore/ At my … soul” (11-12)
- “soul left drowning in desolation” (26)
- “hardship groaned/ Around my heart” (10-11)
- personification: use of words (groaned, tore, drowning) that are associated with human actions to describe his suffering makes it much more pronounced and significant
• this allows for his constant return to the sea that much more significant --> returns despite immense suffering for himself
• the sea journey and the seafarer’s constant return to it symbolizes a Christian soul’s acceptance of the values of humility and repentance, as well as acting upon/showing these values in the journey towards God
- “The time for journeys would come and my soul/ Called me eagerly out” (36-37)
- can be seen as lowering self/putting needs of self aside for a greater purpose, perhaps glorifying God as the seafarer states how he “strive[s] for sure permission… To rise to that eternal joy… And the hope of Heaven” (119-22)
• again, humility is highlighted as he states how “Death leaps at the fools who forget their God” (106) --> recurring idea of lowering self; recognizing your place in the face of God and his ultimate power
• however, he also states that “man much conquer pride, not kill it” (109)
- conquering pride may refer to having control over it; once controlled then able to utilize in a righteous manner --> directing this pride into faith/praise for God, rather than pride in oneself
- also similar to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in how it advocates humility but allows some to remain --> Green Knight accepted Gawain’s mistake of wearing the protective belt because it was out of love for his own life
• Gawain’s confession:
- “I humbly confess/ My faults” (226-27); he desires “the chance to atone” (228) --> interesting how he does not ask to better himself (in terms of personal skill/strength) or resolve to build himself up in response to his faults during the journey, but looks to confession/atonement as the first response to such errors
- this emphasis on humility and confession made possible with presenting a journey in which Gawain presents a flaw/failure --> in other words, the motif of a journey aids this emphasis
- notable how Gawain, in lowering himself as he presents his faults plainly, actually is lifted up in terms of the Green Knight’s perception of him --> very similar to Christian idea of how “the last will be first” (New International Version, Matt. 20.16)
• the superiority/importance of notions such as humility shown as the poem states how “the joys of God/ Are fervent with life, where life itself/ Fades quickly” (64-66)
- joys of God = humility, confession
- parallels Green Knight’s contempt for the chivalric
code --> no real power to save Gawain, just as the things of this world have no power to save and all waste away eventually
- whether it is worldly goods or man-made status/codes, both are worthless in face of God’s values
- “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matt. 16.26)
- both may bring good reputation in world/life, but fail to bring eternal life (hence forfeiting your soul) <-- only repentance is able to