The Hero Cycle in Arthurian Literature
Among the many themes that dominate all Arthurian literature is that of the hero on a cyclic quest, in pursuit of some greater good or cause that speaks to the obligation of the knight to protect others. In this brief essay, two versions of this hero cycle will be compared. The first version is the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a poem that is an account of a typical chivalric adventure. The second work is T.H. WhiteÆs novel, The Once and Future King which traces the life of King Arthur from the lyrical phase of his youth through the disillusioning early years of his tenure as king and into the period in which he initiates a search for the Holy Grail.
The hero cycle moves from a journey through acts of initiative and sacrifice to a transformation of the knight engaged in a quest and his return from that quest. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain sets out to seek the Green Knight, promising that within a yearÆs time, he will return a blow delivered to him by this knight. Over the course of a year, Sir Gawain fulfills his vow: ôBid me bowe fro this benche and stonde by yow there/That I Wythoute vylanye might voyde this table (Waldron 45).ö
Gawain has undertaken a major task that leads him away from ArthurÆs court in pursuit of the Green Knight. As his quest unfolds, Gawain is exposed to the physical attractions of his hostÆs wife, a young and beautiful woman who attempts to seduce him (Waldron 73). As a true knight must, Gawain avoids the seductive lure of the young woman though he does accept a kiss or two. As the time of reckoning arrives on New YearÆs Day, Gawain meets the Green Knight and the two enter into a contest of arms.
It is revealed that the Green Knight is none other than the husband of the young woman who has attempted to seduce Gawain. GawainÆs record is relatively clear, but on the last day of his visit to the Green K...