Honor in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
...ght. He showed to have more honor and courage than the rest of Arthur's Court by coming forward. "Would you grant me the grace,' said Gawain to the King, 'To be gone from this bench and stand by you there." (Gawain, lines 343-344) "I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any;" (Gawain, 355-356). The poem is full of instances in which Gawain was forced to face difficult decisions. Gawain could have simply left Camelot never to return. He instead chose the option of keeping his word and searching for the Green Knight, even though he knew he had to take what was coming to him. "Now, liege lord of my life, my leave I take; / The terms of this task too well you know / to count the cost over concerns me nothing. But I am bound forth betimes to bear a stroke / From the grim man in green, as God may direct." (Gawain, lines 545-549). During his travels he had every opportunity to turn around. Gawain, however, showed honor and courage and continued on his way. The Green Knight at the end of the poem once again tested Gawain. This was the true test of Gawain's honor as a Knight. He was required to bare his neck to the Green Knight and finish their trading of blows. His flinching at the Green Knight's first feinted blow cost him a little pride, but it was certainly an understandable reflex, and he did not allow it to happen again. The second and third times, after being chastised for his flinch, he was able to hold steady and accept fate. As Bercilak said, "You lacked, sir, a little in loya...