Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a Romance

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a romance represents four major elements. First, it incorporates the world of courtly love in which a man (in this case Sir Gawain) has an affair with a married woman. (The Green Knight's wife) It represents an idealized world that is detached from the audience and the romantic element itself is intended for the middle class only.

However, the reader is led to understand that there was a preplanned romance; the whole romantic world being fictitious and fictionary which all is planned by the green knight. The romantic plot is also intertwined with omniscience; King Arthur's court is aware that the romantic plot was preplanned and is therefore, comic.

This romantic world also has a comic resolution that involves a parody on the bible exemplifying a theory that man sins against god. Christianity is mocked by the mere concept that god's forgiveness of mankind transcends the very element which the bible stands for.

The romantic events happening between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight's wife can be viewed as events happening within the realm of the internal universe whereas the hunt that the Green Knight begins with his servants represents the external universe. On the same level, the internal universe is again, a fictionary, imaginative and fantasy like world whereas the external world is unaware of what is occurring within the internal world.

There is also a universal myth intertwined with the romantic adventures. The myth involves a temptress here, seen by the Green Knight's wife, supernatural aid or external support (here, it is the Green Knight who has planned and handled successfully the entire 'romantic' operation) as well as the element of a physical journey. The reader sees Sir-Gawain going out into the woods searching for the chapel and the green knight. There are elements of fear and danger.

Lastly, there exists an ironic element in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. On a comic romantic level, the lady feigns her love for Sir Gawain. Gawain in return, takes the 'romance' very seriously. He is afraid of coming close to her and justifies his devout feelings and ideals by going to pray during mass.

The romantic world can also be very complex. The girdle, representing the conflict between the temptations of the pagan world to the world of high lofty Christian ideals can be seen in the romantic situation between the Green knight's wife and Sire -Gawain when she gives him the girdle. Sir Gawain does not want to accept her gift. He is attached to his lofty Christian ideals. He does not want to succumb to the Pagan world.