Ömer BozkurtLecturer Aras Burak Y???TIDE 266 Middle Ages and Literature4 April 208Chivalry – Bravery and Romance in the Medieval AgeChivalry, can be described as the ethic and social regulation and tradition of the noble and royal class in Western Europe in the course of the later Middle Ages, and the results of that regulation and custom in motion.
It applies, entirely, to gentlemen only. Its three key elements are war, religion, and the adoration for women: its benefits and faults spring from those three heads, and all the side impacts which go to its development and rot might be summed up under these. The entire obligation of a noble man was included in the idea of chivalry; and his life from his initial youth was managed by it. The guideline of service to God, his ruler, and his woman underlay everything. The concept of the chivalry as the rescuer and protector of his folk have control over the early medieval epics such as The Songs of Roland and Beowulf. For example, Beowulf volunteered himself as the savior of that country. That’s a good example for the audience.
He is very strong and has the confidence to fight, he sets a good example as he thinks about other people’s life before his own. He served his people, risked his own life for the people on the kingdom. But the best trait that he has is not fearing of his own death.
He didn’t care about all the wealth that he had received. Beowulf is a great example for the people. He is ready to die for his own kingdom and he is not afraid to die.The other example is The Songs of Roland. The poem is the first of the great French heroic poems known as “chansons de geste.” The Knights Code of Chivalry was a piece of the way of life of the Medieval times and was comprehended by all. A Code of Chivalry was certificated in The Song of Roland in the Medieval times Knights period of William the Conqueror who ruled England.
The ‘Song of Roland’ depicts the eight century Knights of the Dark Ages and the battles fought by the Emperor Charlemagne.The Song of Roland was composed between 1098-1100, portraying the treachery of Count Roland at the hand of Ganelon, and his resulting death in the Pyrenees Mountains at the hands of the Saracens. Roland was a loyal defender of his liege Lord Charlemagne and his code of conduct a description of the meaning of chivalry. The Knights’ Code of Chivalry is described in the Song of Roland: .
Fear God and maintain his Church, serve the liege lord in valour and faith , protect the weak and defenceless , live by honour and for glory, fight for the welfare of all , obey those placed in authority , guard the honour of fellow knights ,at all times to speak the truth , respect the honour of women , never to refuse a challenge from an equal, never to turn the back upon a foe of the entries in the Knights Codes of Chivalry, according to the Song of Roland.In medieval utilize, romance alluded to episodic French and German poetry dealing with chivalry and the adventures of knights in warfare as they protect and save fair ladies and confront supernatural challenges. The medieval metrical romances look like epics.
However, medieval romances symbolize not a heroic age of tribal wars, but a courtly or chivalric period of history involving highly developed manners and gentility.Their standard plot includes a solitary knight looking to win a contemptuous woman’s favor by undertaking a hazardous mission. Along the way, this knight experiences mysterious hermits, confronts evil blackguards and brigands, kills beasts and dragons, contends anonymously in competitions, and suffers from wounds, starvation, hardship, and exposure in the wilderness. He may incidentally save a couple of additional towns and beautiful ladies en route before completing his essential task.Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a compatible model of the features of a medieval romance.
To begin with, it highlights Lord Arthur and the knights of the round table. King Arthur and his knights followed a code of chivaly, which contained having honor, courage, sacrifice, and chivalrous relevances. It additionally inclusive committing acts of altruism for the advantage of others.Sir Gawain and the Green Knight completely match with the aspects of a epic knight as the pioneer hero in a medieval romance. Gawain is called out by an enigmatic green knight to snatch his head from his body with a spectacular ax. He make it happen with the mentality that the green knight will return in one year and one day in the future to do the same to Gawain.
Gawain separate the knight’s head in a single shot, displaying prowess and bravery. Somehow, in a miraculous way , the green knight doesn’t deliver his spirit, and he turns his head and making a promise to come back one day again. After a while, Gawain sets off on an exploration to find the green temple so as to fulfill his side of the compatibility. This feature of Gawain indicates his dignity, as he is a man of his word and showing this even unto death. It additionally displays his prowess by allowing the green knight to cut off his head.These are two characteristics of a medieval romance. While he was on his journey, he comes across Bertilak de Hautdesert, the possessor of a pleasant castle, and his married woman.
Bertilak makes an effort to seduce Gawain, but he rejects her obtrusion and acts honorably toward her, being attentive not to displease her, thus displaying a chivalrous attitude. When Gawain meets the green knight, he submits to the beheading, but the green knight only causes a scratch on his neck. Then he reveals that he is really Bertilak and has been transformed by magic. This is another characteristic of a medieval romance – supernatural elements. Bertilak tells Gawain that the whole thing was a trick, set up by the sorceress Morgan Le Fay, to test King Arthur’s knights.
Gawain is afraid he failed the test, but Bertilak assures him that he conducted himself admirably.
