The best-known medieval English literature works are “Everyman” and the “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. These stories represent the best of the Christian themes, such as salvation, death, truth, that are found throughout the genre. This is why Death and the Green Knight perform identical allegorical tasks, but they have dramatically different personalities.
It is easy to see the differences between these characters for casual observers. The Green Knight does not adhere to the rules of civilization. He is rude, arrogant and unbound by them. The Green Knight is first seen entering Arthur’s hall. The Green Knight does not knock nor ask permission to enter the hall. Instead, he “hurtles in at the door” on his horse and challenges the king and his court. The Knight extols his skills and weapons and claims it is his right and privilege to fight. The Green Knight doesn’t seem to be afraid and wants everyone in the world to know. Death is a passive, humble servant who deals with all civilizations (in this case, Everyman). Death is far less confident than the Knight and boasts his strength. Death shows the traits of a faithful servant throughout the text. Death admits that he is not afraid of men, but he humblely accepts that God has given him great power.
I am Death who [fears no one],
Every man is my’rest, and every man is my spareth
It is the commandment
I expect all of you to be respectful (115-15).
Therefore, Death is just as proud of his Knighthood as he is of his unpretentiousness.
Death and Death are different in terms of their dependence on and relationship to the physical world. Evidently, the Green Knight is wealthy. The Knight’s exquisite dress is described by the narrator. . . His calves were covered with gold spurs. . . “well-made footgear” (151-60). The storyteller continues to detail a rich knight’s physical appearance, emphasizing the extravagant clothing that would have stunned King Arthur’s court. The Green Knight turns out to be even wealthier than originally thought. Gawain’s Knight is therefore the quintessence worldly wealth and nobility.
Death rejects all material possessions, in stark contrast to Knight. Death expresses his disinterest in material goods, as per the central idea of “Everyman.”
I have no desire to be ruled by riches, gold, or silver.
The pope, emperors and kings of the emperor, kings, and dukes are not responsible for princes.
And I would be grateful to receive great gifts.
All the world is my oyster (125-28)
Death does away with material possessions. He is also against secular and nonsecular power positions, such that the Green Knight barony. The Knight, on the other hand, is fully absorbed by human ideals and Death is totally unattached to man’s ways.
Although Death and Green Knight are clearly different personalities2E, deeper examinations of both characters will reveal that they have the same intrinsic ideals. Every character’s actions and mannerisms make subtle references of justice and honor. The Green Knight, for example, is solely concerned with Gawain’s integrity. He exclaims in Part One:
“Sir Gawain! Don’t forget to do as we agreed.
You will find it, sir.
As you were promised by these brave knights.
The Green Chapel is your home. . .
. . . Or else, counted a knight recreant” (448-56).
Gawain was reminded by the Knight of the importance of Sir Gawain honoring his promise. Gawain will reach the Green Chapel when the Knight will make sure that justice is done. The Knight must accept justice as the only truth, and understand it as an inextricable part of life.
Death adheres also to the strict code of honor and justice. After accepting his bribe offer, he informs Everyman, “[If] all the things I wanted I could get.” But my customs are clear contrary.” (128-30). Death is just a means to an end in his role of the server justice. He has no input into the actual matters. This idea goes along with the standard notion of justice to be fair and morally sound. Death, therefore, is likened to a court that can change or be biased. Lines 144-45 are another example of Death explaining that death is an unpersonified consequence of Adam’s sin, which allowed justice to rule the universe.
Once justice has been established as the link between them, the reader will be able to discover the core of these medieval characters: mortality. Both are symbolic of humanity’s transience. Death isn’t as explicit as the Green Knight. The Knight is a major threat to Gawain and all humanity if he is not carefully examined. He realizes he is going to die when he approaches the Green Chapel. He utters a few words to himself, including “to take my own life (2194)” “forfeit mine life may be (2210)”. But he continues to travel, ready to face any hardships that will come his way. The Knight suddenly realizes that he wasn’t going to die, but that he was being judged and tested by the Lord to see if he was worthy. Gawain agrees with Everyman that the test he will have to go through is not necessarily a bad thing. However, he should make sure he is well equipped with the tools to save himself. Death is a messenger from God’s moral, infallible impartiality.
