Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Yvain the Knight of The Lion: A Gender Analysis Alanna Ferrigno College

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by James J. Wilhelm and Yvain the Knight of Lion by Chrétien de Troyes are both Arthurian stories that focus in on the chivalrous tales and adventures of two very brave knights, Gawain and Yvain. Although the stories are very different in their adventures and in their conflicts, key elements and roles occur within both stories. In many Arthurian romances, chivalry is a main component of what drives the story along and gives reason and logic behind the way the knights and how Arthur’s court is organized. But it is not only a man’s world in Arthurian romances. A key element of these stories are women. A large part of chivalry is to love and take care of the women around you. The whole point of fighting as a knight is to defend the king and the lady that knight loves, or just women in general. In many romances women tend to be the one being rescued or need to be defended because the female roll is normally depicted as weak and helpless, however in the case of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and in Yvain the Knight of the Lion female characters are not always the damsel in distress. Although Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Yvain the Knight of the Lion express femininity in different...