People of all ages have been thrilled and entertained by many types of superheroes--in film, television, comic books and other forms of literature--for many years. For so many American kids, imagining they're fighting crime in Gotham like Batman and Robin, defeating the evil Nazis like Captain America, or protecting the citizens of Metropolis like Superman, a true superhero, possesses a certain kind of righteousness. While feature films and TV use specific images and dramatic performances to tell the stories of 20th century comic book heroes, the Gawain poet plays on the medieval, chivalric code of the knights of 14th century England to tell his tale. Just as Superman's flaws are revealed when he is absent from or in the presence of green Kryptonite, so are Sir Gawain's weaknesses realized he comes into contact with the silken green garter belt in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Why not just come right out and say the garter belt in Gawain is Sir Gawain's Kryptonite? For starters, let us compare the identities of Superman and Sir Gawain and their backgrounds, notwithstanding historical time periods. From the start of the Green Knight's game in Gawain, readers are introduced to the most polite and well-mannered knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. Sir Gawain is "the epitome of chivalry"--it is evident even before his connection to a royal bloodline reveals itself (Character). He is also quite humble, asking for the king's permission to rise up from his bench and take Arthur's place in the Green Knight's game:
"I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any;
That I have you for uncle is my only praise;
My body, but for your blood, is barren of worth;
And for that this folly befits not a king;
And tis I that have asked it, it ought to be mine." (Sir Gawain, 169)
Gawain courageously takes the king's place in the deadly game, deciding his own fate, though not before standing idly by, as he watches the Green Knight ride unchallenged into Arthur's court. Insightful readers should begin to ask themselves, where's the chivalry?
The Gawain (G) poet writes Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to expose the lie of chivalry: behind the courageous facade of every perfect knight hides a flawed man. The most effective way to illustrate the point is to make an example of King Arthur's most perfect knight, and in doing so, the poet introduces readers to the idea that there are two sides to every story. This rationalization is close in comparison to the impetus behind the creation and development of Superman and his alternate identity, Clark Kent.
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster just prior to World War II, Superman, the hero, was introduced in America during the same era that Sigmund Freud and W.E.B. DuBois published works "devoted to the duality of the self" (Barnes). Like Sir Gawain, with his willfulness to intervene on Arthur's behalf, Superman is "altruistic and fearless; ready to jump in the face of danger" (Barnes). However, Superman leaps into action after he changes from one costume into another, whereas Sir Gawain is a full-time knight who seems to hide behind a mythical word-of-mouth fame. It's ironic how Superman, in order to maintain a life as a true superhero, must hide behind "his facade of Clark Kent," i.e. he lives a lie in order to stand for truth, justice and the American way (Barnes).
At its most basic level, a comparison can be made between the physical attributes of the Arthurian superhero, Sir Gawain, and the American icon, Superman. True, underneath both the armor and chain-mail of Sir Gawain and the cape and costume of Superman there stands--what appears to be--a mortal man, but it's the meaning within each superheroes' wardrobe that is most significant to their character. This is not to say that Sir Gawain lacks an alternate identity (remember, the G poet makes it clear that Sir Gawain's fame is well-known, albeit he is truly a different knight outside the court of the Round Table). In the case of Superman, Clark Kent wears glasses "so that people will think he is quiet and reserved" (Barnes). The G poet's description of Sir Gawain's appearance--his armor and shield--carries very special meanings that are especially described to readers, so that if any flaw presents itself, it forever tarnishes his metal and mars the Arthurian knights' code of chivalry.
The most significant piece of armor carried by Sir Gawain is his shield. Keeping in mind the irony of the shield as a metaphor--the shield and its meanings are the facade by which Sir Gawain hides behind--Sir Gawain's shield is red and it bears a gold pentangle, "a token of truth" (Sir Gawain, 175). The design of the pentangle, or five-pointed star, is drawn in an "endless knot", and it is symbolic of Sir Gawain's honesty and his quality of being "faultless in his five senses" (Sir Gawain, 210). The number five continues to carry significance: Sir Gawain is described as being faithful to the "five wounds / That Christ got on the cross", and his strength originates with "the five joys" of the Virgin Mary (Sir Gawain, 175-176). There is also an image of the Virgin Mary on the inside of Sir Gawain's shield. However, once he sets down his shield, no longer behind its protection, the true Sir Gawain is exposed. Siegel and Shuster essentially make Clark Kent and Superman polar: without his facade, "the nerd [is] the most powerful man on Earth" (Barnes). Without his red shield (facade), Sir Gawain shows his alternate identity.
Humble. Honest. True. Sir Gawain admits these qualities of himself only as he unwittingly lies in bed next to Bercilak's wife. He appears to be quite the ladies' man, and like Superman, "he attracts women ... and he is the center of attention" (an argument could be made that Sir Gawain pushes himself into the center, e.g. when he asserts himself between the Green Knight and King Arthur) (Barnes). This may be where some Superman enthusiasts break from this kryptonite hypothesis: "Superman may never sully his virginity, even for true love," yet the G poet implies that Sir Gawain's will is permeable after multiple temptations by Bercilak's wife (Barnes). Herein lies the crux of the matter: it is not the temptation of Bercilak's wife (nor temptation of any woman) that is Sir Gawain's kryptonite--it is the silken garter belt she wears that reveals itself to be his "greatest weakness" (Superman, 13). Just as the near fatal "green K" drains Superman's powers and later allows him to become vulnerable to corruption, Sir Gawain is corrupted by the green belt and a promise of invincibility:
"If he bore it on his body, belted about,
There is no hand under heaven that could hew him down,
For he could not be killed by any craft on earth." (Sir Gawain, 200)
This offer--this temptation--might be one of the most difficult challenges for any superhero to overcome. King Arthur's most "loyal, honest and above all, courteous" knight is ultimately corrupted by a woman. This revelation, i.e. women are temptresses (devils) and should not be trusted by men, is indicative of how the G poet truly feels. However, when Sir Gawain accepts the belt, he does something more than just refuse sex with Bercilak's wife--he reaffirms his status as a superhero.
Once Sir Gawain is tricked into accepting the green garter (it is revealed to Sir Gawain that he is tricked into taking Arthur's place in the game), Sir Gawain drapes himself in a blue robe--he disguises himself in humility--(much like Superman's dominant costume color) and seeks reconciliation for his sins. Although he does not commit adultery (by means of sexual intercourse), he still seeks forgiveness of sins from God; Sir Gawain must be cleansed of sin to maintain his superhero status just as "Superman must maintain his hallowed virginity like a Saint" (Barnes). It is incomprehensible why after all of this, Sir Gawain "compromise[s] his own standards" and lies to the Green Knight (Character). Perhaps the lie is another damaging effect brought on by Sir Gawain's kryptonite, or maybe it signals the death of chivalry.
Both Superman and Sir Gawain are flawed superheroes, written at very different time periods by authors with the idea that men are easily corruptible no matter their planet of origin. With an emphasis on the fatal results of corruption--whether in the court of King Arthur or the courts of the American justice system--the Gawain poet and the creators of Superman had admirable intentions. They sought to warn their readers that no matter how powerful or perfect our heroes may seem, they are not incorruptible, and likewise readers must be mindful of their own temptations in life. In closing, readers should remember that the flaws of men are not so easily realized as in the case of the comic-book hero Superman and Arthurian knight Sir Gawain.
Works Cited
"A Character Analysis of Sir Gawain as Presented In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." pace.edu. n.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2011.
Barnes, Erin, Wave Hendrick, and Chris Young. “Superman in Identity Crisis: The Many Faces of the Man of Steel.” virginia.edu n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol A. 8th Edition. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2006. 160-213. Print.
Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore. New York: DC Comics, 2009. Print.
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