Sir Gawain and the Disillusioned Knight: Working on the Knight Moves

Though Sir Gawain may not obviously have much in common with the fictional character who has come to represent the quintessence of teenage angst in the modern world, Holden Caulfield and Sir Gawain actually face a similar struggle. Regarding what is the appropriate way to behave with women, both go just to the edge of what they see as moral and choose to remain pure, despite their desire to do otherwise.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the lady of the castle acts as a temptress, continuing to woo Gawain despite his attempt to reject her advances. Though he clearly finds her attractive and almost succumbs to her wishes, Gawain is bound to a strict code of chivalry and chooses to do what he views as morally correct. He is caught between a rock and a hard place, as he does not want to offend the Lady, but he also will not compromise the Lord’s trust. Gawain walks that line by granting her a kiss when directly asked, though refusing any further relation. It is clear, however, that kissing was an acceptable form of interaction to an extent during the time of Sir Gawain, while it is not as normal to kiss a married person today. It seems as though refusing a kiss from a lady is less morally correct than granting it, despite her marriage to another. Gawain substantiates this by saying, “I shall kiss at your command, as becomes a knight.” Though Gawain struggles with temptation, he ultimately is slightly tarnished but forgiven, as he could have succumbed more than he did.

Though the world is more realistic and discourteous in The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist is in many ways a disillusioned hero. Holden talks and acts as though he were as corrupted as the world around him. But, when placed in a situation of temptation, he chooses to remain innocent, though he would never say so. The scene in which Holden is alone in the room with the prostitute named Sunny is most relatable the scene in Sir Gawain between the Lady and Gawain. Like the Lady, Sunny represents temptation. Though, for Sunny, it is professional, which actually turns Holden off as he realizes that for her sex is not a choice, but a livelihood. Holden thinks that he wants to become an adult and that a path to do so is through sex. The fact that he hires a prostitute is his tiptoeing of the line of what he knows is inappropriate, but he chooses to only talk with Sunny and remain pure. Despite the fact that, as the story is obviously modern, it is not directly stated, Holden’s aim is to act courteously. Both Gawain and Holden struggle to do the right thing in the face of temptation and though both succumb to an extent, they make the right choice. The major difference is that in Holden’s world, his anachronistic chivalry results in his disillusionment and ultimate confinement.

The similarities between how Sir Gawain interacts with the Lady of the Castle and how Holden interacts with Sunny highlight several similarities between the modern and romantic worlds. Audiences from both periods value chivalry and purity as heroic qualities, but find temptation to be entertaining. But the differences in the worlds of the stories show how much has changed in the past six centuries.