Green Knight
by Jessie L. Weston
Then Arthur took the axe and gripped the haft, and
swung it round, ready to strike. And the knight
stood before him, taller by the head than any in the
hall; he stood, and stroked his beard, and drew
down his coat, no more dismayed for the king’s
threats than if one had brought him a drink of wine.
Then Gawain, who sat by the queen, leaned
forward to the king and spake, “I beseech ye, my
lord, let this venture be mine. Would ye but bid me
rise from this seat, and stand by your side, so that
my liege lady thought it not ill, then would I come to
your counsel before this goodly court. For I think it
not seemly that such challenge should be made in
your hall that ye yourself should undertake it, while
there are many bold knights who sit beside ye,
none are there, methinks, of readier will under
heaven, or more valiant in open field. I am the
weakest, I wot, and the feeblest of wit, and it will be
the less loss of my life if ye seek sooth. For save
that ye are mine uncle naught is there in me to
praise, no virtue is there in my body save your
blood, and since this challenge is such folly that it
beseems ye not to take it, and I have asked it from
ye first, let it fall to me, and if I bear myself
ungallantly then let all this court blame me.”
Then they all spake with one voice that the king
should leave this venture and grant it to Gawain.
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" by Jessie L.
Weston
A)
Use the passage from Sir Gawain and the
Green Knight by Jessie L. Weston to answer
the question.
In the tale Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
the character of Sir Gawain is an example of
the hero archetype. Which of the following
best describes this archetype in literature?
(1 point)
It signifies a character that is clever,
resilient, and that faces great challenges.
It represents power, wisdom, and a
weakness that proves to be a tragic flaw.
It signifies a character who is hated by
most but admired by some.
It represents purity and goodness in an
environment that is highly corrupt.
1 answer
The best description of the hero archetype in literature, as it relates to the character of Sir Gawain in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," is:
It signifies a character that is clever, resilient, and that faces great challenges.
This reflects Gawain's bravery in taking on the Green Knight's challenge despite his own self-perceived weaknesses, which aligns with the qualities typically found in a hero archetype.
