Ascend - The Great Books Podcast Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Fitt 4 with Chivalry Guild and Banished Kent
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast concludes their Christmas reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with Fitt 4, exploring Gawain’s restored armor, journey to the eerie Green Chapel, the three axe swings, Bertilak’s revelations, Morgan le Fay’s role, and the court’s final response.
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The discussion wrestles with Gawain’s girdle lapse, the degree of his fault, the poem’s moral realism, and its enduring vision of chivalry tempered by humility and grace.
Why is this poem worth reading?
This 14th-century gem subverts chivalric romance by relocating true heroism from battlefield glory to internal struggles with fear, courtesy, and faith—revealing with wit, irony, and profound humanity how even the “most faultless” knight bears imperfection. Its vivid poetry, layered symbolism (pentangle, girdle, greenness), and Christmas-liturgical depth offer a timeless meditation on pride, mortality, and divine mercy that meets flawed striving with grace—making it an ideal seasonal read for reflecting on our own hidden fears and the courage to face them.
Key Discussion Points
- Restored Armor & Girdle: Gawain’s gleaming armor (rust scraped off) and open wearing of the girdle for self-preservation—symbolizing lingering fear beneath renewed ideal.
- Final Temptation: Servant’s offer to lie and let Gawain flee—Gawain refuses, prioritizing truth and fortitude.
- Green Chapel: Described as ancient barrow/tomb in wild valley—evoking death, pagan past, nature’s savagery, and satanic dread.
- Three Swings: First (flinch), second (feigned), third (nick)—mirroring castle days; nick as merciful penance for girdle fault.
- Degree of Error: Guests debate: minor (fear-driven, not malice) yet meaningful lapse in trust/providence; Tolkien downplays, Deacon sees deeper Christian failing.
- Morgan le Fay vs. Mary: Opposing feminine forces—malicious fae magic vs. protective providence.
- Gawain’s Reaction: Self-reproach, brief blaming of women, then accepting girdle as lifelong humility token.
- Court’s Response: Laughter, solidarity—adopting green baldric as fraternity badge, transforming shame into shared emblem.
- Old French Motto: “Honi soit qui mal y pense”—Order of the Garter motto reframing girdle as honorable.
Notable Quotes
- Banished Kent: “The poem ends on God’s grace… he survives because of that.”
- George: “Gawain as anti-Lancelot… and anti-Galahad—more human, more endearing.”
Thank you for joining this Christmas journey through Sir Gawain.
Next week: Why Christians should read the pagan Greeks, with St. Basil and St. Jerome. Join the community on Patreon or X!