Monstrosity in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Monstrosity is a term that is normally used for individuals that have completely deviated from the best values of society. It is a means of explaining the duality of man’s nature, where despite the good that is often present in daily interactions in society, there is also a darker side, where the individual involved have secret desires that go against social norms. It is often a constant struggle for these individuals to make sure that they are able to suppress their darker side because they have to hold steady to their moral side in order to continue being accepted by the rest of society. It is therefore essential for individuals to make sure that they are able to seek righteousness through restraining themselves from committing those acts that would be considered monstrous. In this paper, there will be an analysis of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in order to demonstrate that the monstrous nature of man is real and that it needs to be suppressed in order to ensure that society does not descend into chaos.

The theme of monstrosity is prominent in he poem, especially in the case where it seeks to show that individuals have to be constantly tested in order to remain committed to their ideals. In the poem, Sir Gawain is shown to be an individual that has the chivalrous characteristics that were most prized in King Arthur’s court (Walker 112). However, despite this side of him being prominent, it is revealed that he is an individual, like all human beings, who has a darker side. This is seen through the way that Gawain has to struggle in order to overcome the temptation that come about through letting go of his human qualities and giving in to the monster within. This ability is especially prominent in the way that he relates with the Green Knight, whose agenda it is to tempt Gawain into giving in to his animal needs. In addition, Gawain is also tempted to commit adultery with the wife of his host, but he overcomes this temptation and ends up in a situation where he is able to retain his chivalric character. Under these circumstances, where Gawain is constantly tested, there is a revelation that what separates man from the animal or monster within him is the attempt to hold on to hold on to ideals, in this case chivalry, that ensures that he is not able to fall into temptation. Instead, chivalry, supported by religion, is what keep Gawain from falling into a situation where he would not have been able to resist the animal instinct that was pulling him towards accepting his monstrous nature (Mills 484).

The struggle against man’s monstrous nature is further shown through the way that Gawain is given tests during the days that he lives with his hosts. During the first two nights of his stay, Gawain kisses his host after the host’s wife attempts to seduce him. However, Gawain resists the temptation to get involved with the host’s wife because to do so would be a considerable betrayal. Therefore, his action of kissing his host is important because it shows his loyalty to him and Gawain’s refusal to give in to the monster within him (Dinshaw 205). It is also a sign of his respect for his host because the latter has taken Gawain in at the worst possible moment where he was suffering despair. Gawain’s loyalty to his chivalry as well as his king make it difficult for him to tarnish the latter’s name because to do so would have been the biggest humiliation that Gawain would have encountered among his peers. These scenarios in the poem show that human beings are in a constant struggle to overcome their animal instincts (Woods 209). This struggle is essential because it allows them to overcome all the tests that are put in their way and help them achieve a level of order because they are able to suppress the monsters within them. The darker side of human nature is seen through the way that Gawain is tempted to undertake actions that go against his religious and chivalrous beliefs, yet he is able to overcome it by an effort of will.

The poem shows that there are instances where individuals can give in to their inner monster because of self-preservation. Gawain, afraid of death at the hands of the Green Knight, conceals from his host that the host’s wife has given him a magic green girdle which she tells him will help to protect him from being harmed (Foley 73). The instinct of self-preservation is one that seems to overcome the need to observe chivalry and leads to a situation where the individual gives into the monster. A consequence is that when Gawain is confronted by the Green Knight about the green girdle, he confesses to his sin, feeling extremely guilty about it. The Green Knight shows Gawain considerable understanding, stating that it was Gawain’s attempt to preserve his life that led him to concealing the girdle from him. Despite this assurance, Gawain remains troubled because he has failed in upholding his chivalrous beliefs and has instead allowed the darker side within him to tempt him into seeking to preserve himself. The tests that Gawain undergoes throughout the story are pertinent to understanding the way that despite their best efforts, human beings tend to be foremost concerned about protecting themselves from harm rather than seeking to advance the interests of their societies. This is the case with Gawain who, despite having travelled to honour a promise by Arthur’s court, is forced into a situation where he instead seeks to protect himself. At that moment, when he feels that he is going to encounter certain death, self-preservation wins out and he keeps the green girdle that he is given from his host.

The character development of Gawain is one that seeks to encourage human beings of their ability to suppress their monstrous nature. He is an individual that seeks to make sure that he does right with all those that rely on him. This is to such an extent that he makes the decision to seek out the Green Knight in order to fulfil the promise that he made to him. As such, Gawain is an honest man, willing to undergo an ordeal that might end up taking his life, as stated that “True men pay what they owe,” (line 444). Gawain is also honest concerning the two kisses from the host’s wife, which is extremely important because it allows him to receive the host’s good faith. The honesty displayed by Gawain is important n showing individuals that they can achieve considerable fulfilment through sticking to their ideals because under such circumstances, they can be able to enhance their image while at the same time maintaining order in their societies. Giving in to the monstrous nature can only lead to their failure to ensure that they are above animals; instead creating chaos where there should otherwise be order. Gawain’s failure to reveal information concerning the green girdle and his subsequent confession about it shows that despite the temptation to let in the monstrous part of their nature, human beings can redeem themselves through maintaining those ideals that keep them separate from other creatures whose monstrous side is more prominent.

In the poem, there is biblical allusion concerning how man is constantly tested to find out how well they are able to suppress their monstrous nature. The Green Knight is described in a way that shows his godlike attributes because he is the one that carries out the tests on Gawain. He is an individual that seeks to find out how well Gawain can hold on to his ideals while at the same time making Gawain work very hard in order to achieve his approval (Carter 29). The Green Knight’s godlike attribute can also be seen in the way that he appears in Arthur’s court and makes his demands. Later in the poem, it is revealed that he does so because the court is one where the tenets of chivalry and religion are held dear, and that he wanted to see whether its members would be able to continue doing so under extraordinary circumstances (Martin 312). The way that the Green Knight behaves is more closely associated to a nature god than to a regular knight, with his tests and location at the green chapel; which is actually a barrow that would normally be associated with a dragon (Evans 723). Therefore, his actions in testing Gawain is to find out how well the latter can suppress the monstrous nature of human beings while at the same time holding on to the ideals that make up human society.

Human beings have an inner monster, and they have to constantly exercise restraint in order to suppress it. Gawain’s trials are an example of his attempt to keep away from animalistic impulses because he does not give into the seductions of his host’s wife. Instead, he seeks to remain honest and maintain his honour at a time when his dark side strains to dominate him. Gawain demonstrates that by keeping their animalistic instincts at bay, human beings are capable of achieving great things. Holding on to chivalrous ethics, as in the case of Gawain, is important in helping individuals achieve their full potential, especially in a society where there is a lack of serious observance of these ideals (Stevens 66). The poem gives the impression that it is essential for human beings to not only observe the chivalric code, but also religion so that they can be able to overcome the evil side of their nature. It is also a means through which to maintain order and fellowship in society because they can be better able to work together towards the achievement of good. Chivalry and religion are essential restraints against man’s monstrous nature, and they should be held onto in order to overcome it.

In conclusion, the monstrous nature of human beings and their need to suppress it is an important subject in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The poem shows that human beings have to constantly hold on to chivalrous ideals in order to ensure that they overcome the monstrosity that is the dark side of their nature. The tests that Gawain undergoes are reminiscent of what all humans undergo on a daily basis as they struggle to keep away their animalistic characteristics and seek to achieve their full potential through maintaining values that are essential for order to prevail within their own societies.

The Grimm Fairy Tales

When on reads the Grimm Fairy Tales, one comes to the conclusion that Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are attempting to express their feelings about the world and the contradictions that exist within it. This collection of stories reveal the irony of living the human life as well as those of other creatures, some being happy with their lot in life while others remain sad due to their poverty as well as the tragic events that happen in their lives. The Grimm brothers use their stories to display the true nature of human beings; that nothing is ever permanent and that changes occur once in a while. Throughout their stories, one comes to the realization that there is the extensive use of imagery, symbolism, figurative language, style and tone in relation to the development of the themes involved.

The use of imagery is very extensive in throughout the Grimm Fairy Tales especially when making contrasts between the beauty of the world and the ugliness which is contained within it. This can be seen when, in Tom Thumb, the two men, not caring that their offer to buy Tom from his father would end up separating them. In fact, their only concern seems to be able to make a lot of money using Tom and they do not care at all concerning the feeling of alienation that they would be subjecting him to. The image of Tom as a tiny individual is used to show just how much individuals look down upon the less privileged individuals in society and how they make every attempt to exploit these people. It can be said that the image of Tom Thumb as a little fellow shows that despite his size, he is able to survive in a world that is hostile to his existence as Tom uses his wits to ensure that he is able to survive within it. This image may also be used to show the price which human beings have to pay because of their greed as well as their unthinking ambitions, and this instance can also be perceived in Hans in Luck. The image that is presented of Hans attempting to make his life better as well as to have something useful shows how human ambitions can at times be detrimental instead of helpful because he ends up losing all of his wages as well as all that he attained through barter. While this is the case, in most of the Grimm Fairy Tales, the image of happiness is continuously displayed with very few instances where there is any form of sadness, showing that most of these stories were written for the purpose of entertaining children.

Symbolism is a major style used in the development of the theme of the Grimm Fairy Tales and an excellent example of this, is in The Fisherman and His Wife, where the wife, despite having everything wants more; a symbol of her greed. The fact that she continues to demand more from her husband despite having everything that she needs can be considered to be symbolic of human nature, where we are never satisfied with what we have but continue to aspire for more. In addition, in the story Old Sultan, Sultan the dog can be considered to symbolize unwavering loyalty because despite the favor which the wolf did him in saving his life, Sultan decided to bark at the wolf whenever he comes to steal his master’s sheep. Furthermore, the fight between domestic animals and wild animals in this story shows that despite the poor treatment that the former receive from their masters, they are extremely loyal, while the latter are very cowardly creatures.

The Grimm brothers use figurative language to depict the contrasting characteristics of the characters that they depict in their stories, and a good example of this is that of the talking wolf in Tom Thumb which is an oxymoron used to depict the possible unique ability of Tom to communicate with animals. It is well known that wolves do not have human speech and the Grimm brothers depicting it as talking clearly shows the contrast in a situation where it would normally be impossible for normal conversation to take place. Figurative language can be seen all over the Grimm Fairy Tales and it is used to express the points or instances which can be considered to be the most important in the stories.

The tone of the stories can be considered to range from either being neutral to ironical. This is because of the contrast which the Grimm brothers attempt to make between the different characters in their stories, often depicting extreme good and extreme evil. The tone of the stories can be said to show that the world is a very beautiful place to be born into if one does not mind there not being any happiness all the time. The tone in these stories can be said to bring about quite a number of ironical scenarios, where an environment which is described as being beautiful is infested with evil people such as the thieves in Tom Thumb. In addition, the tone of the stories, such as that of The Elves and the Shoemaker, displays the advantages of doing good because eventually, these good acts are going to be rewarded. It can further be said that the tone of the stories depict the true feelings of their writers about the world and how the situation within it affects the different people living in it. The irony in the stories, such as The Fisherman and his Wife, helps to deliver the writers’ message to the reader as well as fostering an understanding of the subject matter involved.

In conclusion, the use of imagery, symbolism and figurative language in these stories greatly contributes to a greater understanding of the stories. They create situations which are familiar to the reader and they allow him to decipher the true meaning of what the stories is saying. Despite what many people who read it may think, they are not the kind of stories to be taken lightly because they are full of lessons. Instead, they have many lessons to give about the reality of human life in the world and the main message which can be made out of it is that there is not guarantee of happiness in the world and that we should live in it as best as we can.

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors is a play that seeks to display the folly of unchecked ambition as well as the attraction of individuals to the promise of wealth and power. These are themes that are seen throughout the play where the character of Seymour is attracted to the promises made to him by the plant Audrey II concerning attaining all that his heart desires, and this, in the end, proves to be the cause of his downfall. In this play, the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power are highly prominent and dominate its entire plot.

The theme of unchecked ambition is extremely prominent in Little Shop of Horrors and this is mainly as a result of the desires that the characters of Seymour and Mushnik have. Seymour is an individual who desires to achieve success in his life and it is as a result of this desire that he is shown to constantly want to get out of the Skid Row neighborhood. Additionally, he has a major crash on his fellow employee at the flower shop, Audrey, in whose honor he names the strange plant that he finds. Therefore, when he realizes that Audrey II has the potential of saving the flower shop, after Mushnik decides to close it, he convinces Mushnik to give Audrey II the chance to bring in more customers. The result is that Seymour ends up becoming indispensable to Mushkin, who, on realizing that his business is completely dependent on Seymour, takes advantage of his innocence and decides of adopt him in order to keep him tied to the shop.

The theme of false promises of wealth and power is explored in this play and this is in relation to Seymour. Seymour, after coming to the realization that Audrey II needs blood in order to survive decides to give it his own blood. However, when he cannot do it anymore, Audrey II asks him to kill people in order to provide it with blood, promising him that if he does so, it will make all his dreams come true. While he has doubts concerning this course of action, he succumbs to his baser instincts and ends up killing people, beginning with Orin, Audrey’s boyfriend, in order to ensure that Audrey II has a constant supply of blood. The result is that Audrey II keeps on asking for more as it grows and this leads to a situation where it ends up killing Audrey, the woman that Seymour loves. This is when Seymour realizes his folly, but by then, it is too late because Audrey II has become too powerful and cannot be killed.

Therefore, the plot of this play is dominated by the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power. These are shown through the actions of the characters as they seek to ensure that they make use of an unusual plant in order to make their fortunes. However, all of these attempts end up being for nothing because the plant is actually manipulating the whole situation in order to fulfill its desire of achieving world domination.