Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we are being shown for the most part on how to be a chivalrous knight and even more a chivalrous gentleman. He shows so many qualities throughout the story which makes us realize just how chivalrous this man is. From standing up for his leader the king, to following the commands of a queen, and keeping his word to the green knight, Sir Gawain demonstrates perfectly to all men on how to get through all these different situations while still being as chivalrous of a man as you can be.

When the Green Knight entered the mead hall where all the knights and the king were having their feast he tells them about this game he wanted to play where a man got to take his axe, take a swing at his head, and in a year he gets to come back and do the same thing to the man that strikes him. The king speaks up for his knights trying to prove his leadership towards them, Sir Gawain stops him and says, "I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest;/ And the loss of my life would be least of any;/ That I have you for my uncle is my only praise;/ My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;" (354-357). We see in this passage of how Sir Gawain is showing his chivalrous nature by not letting his king play this game with this knight. Gawain knows that he is tougher and stronger than his king but does not say it to make it seem like he is trying to show him up, so when he is talking the way he is, Gawain is putting the king above him like any good knight would do and tell him that the loss of his life would be nothing compared to the loss of their kings life.

As Sir Gawain was attempting to get away from the Green Knight after he had already taken his swing with the axe at the head of the knight and the Green Knight walked off with his head in his hand, Gawain found himself at another castle. He finds himself being seduced by the king's queen at the castle and has a really tough time trying to deal with this woman and keeping her happy while trying not to do anything wrong at the same time. "So good a knight as Gawain is given out to be,/ And the model of fair demeanor and manners pure,/ Had he lain so long at a lady's side,/ Would have claimed a kiss, by his courtesy,/ Through some touch or trick of phrase at some tale's end."/ Said Gawain, "Good lady, I grant it at once!/ I shall kiss at your command, as becomes a knight,/ And more, lest you mislike, so let be, I pray."/ With that she turns toward him, takes him in her arms,/ Leans down her lovely head, and lo! He is kissed" (1297-1306). In this passage it seems to me like Sir Gawain is trying to upholding the acts of chivalry as best he can in this tough situation. To me when Gawain tells the lady that he is willing to kiss her at her command he is breaking the characteristic of fealty because he is not being loyal to the king for kissing his queen, but he also cannot disobey the queen