How does Gawain judge himself? How does Arthur’s court judge him?

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Option 3 (Burrows essay): How does Gawain judge himself?  How does Arthur’s court judge him?

Background.  J.A. Burrow’s essay, like those by Renoir and Boroff, is also one of new criticism.  In it, he focuses specifically on the dialogue between Gawain and the green knight (now known to Gawain as Bercilak, the Lord of the castle) at the green chapel.  He looks at the scene as analogous to confession in the Roman Catholic tradition, having three parts: contrition of the heart, contrition of the mouth, and satisfaction of deeds (or penance).  Burrows reads the scene as secular, but as a more satisfying act of confession than Gawain’s actual confession at the castle’s chapel before he headed out for the Green chapel on New Year’s day.  Burrows sees the scene as one of self-recognition as well, similar to the tragic self-recognition (anagnorisis) that Aristotle says is necessary in Greek tragedy.  (One example: Oedipus Rex, who did not know that he had killed his father and married his mother, realizes as much and that he is the pollutant of the city of Thebes.  Coming to this recognition, he blinds himself and exiles himself from the city.)  Burrows also sees the seen as one of judgment.

What to do.  Read the Burrows’ essay and then compare Gawain’s recognition, confession, and self-judgment as Burrows sees it to the judgment of Arthur’s court on Gawain.

In your essay, you will need to summarize relevant points from the Burrows essay in order to establish your own argument.  Use specific detail from Sir Gawain, including at the level of quotation, to support your argument.  See Reading and Writing about Literature for how to format and quote verse with line numbers in MLA citation.

Gawain judge