The figure of the Green Knight remains a puzzle in many ways to the reader. Is he totally evil, or totally good, or somewhere in between? What might he symbolize in the narrative?
The Green Knight can be found somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. His supernatural powers come from the evil Morgan le Fey, whi is bent on destroying Arthur, but he also acts as a testament to the honor of Arthur's knights. In the end, we can see what he was rying to do, but we also see that ultimately, Gawain was in charge of his own destiny.
Almost without exception, no character is totally evil or totally good. He is totally human doing things that are both heroic and things that anyone might do as a mistake in conduct. In one way, he is symbolic of all men who face temptations and can overcome some of those temptations while succumbing to others which are simply too difficult to resist.
