Many of the characters in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, just as in the case with other works of medieval literature featuring women characters are endowed with powers that seem to be supernatural. One of these characters is Bertilak’s wife. At first, Bertilak’s wife seems to be simply coquettish and clever in her ploys to wrangle kisses out of Gawain. Over time, however, it is revealed that she has a certain degree of magical powers, and she provides Gawain with the green girdle, the object that will save his life. In this essay, it will be argued that Bertilak’s wife is the most powerful character in the tale, an argument that will be built with textual evidence. For more on this topic, consider how women were perceived during the time of Gawain and reflect on their dubious roles in the story.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #2: Gawain’s Likeability : A Character Analysis of Gawain 

      Gawain must undergo a journey to find the Green Knight, and true to the epic tale, Gawain’s journey is filled with obstacles and challenges. The reader is easily caught up in Gawain’s dramatic adventures and finds him to be a likeable character. Although Gawain tells a lie through omission, he remains a likeable character, and one who, at the same time, can teach the reader an important lesson about the value of truth telling.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #3: The Role of Games in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

       Much of the action in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight revolves around games that involve challenges between competitors. These games serve to propel the plot forward, creating both intrigue and conflict in order to engage the reader. In this essay, the writer will explore the different types of games that are played in the story and the ways in which they are used to promote specific ideas and actions.  

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic #4:   Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as a Morality Tale

      Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale of adventure, a story of a journey, and a story about games, but it is also, and at its heart, a morality tale. Sir Gawain is a chivalrous and mostly upstanding character who is concerned about the protection and promotion of his honor as a knight. However, because he is embarrassed or ashamed about having acquired the girdle of Bertilak’s wife, he suppresses this information from with his host. This omission of the truth violates the rules and spirit of the terms of the game as the two men established and agreed upon, and as such, tarnishes Sir Gawain’s character slightly. In the end, Sir Gawain is injured slightly because of this omission of the truth. Though prevented from the worse fate—death—this injury is intended to reinforce the importance of honesty.

Thesis Statement / Essay Topic # 5:  Symbolism of the Color Green

      Color plays an important symbolic function in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. One of the most important colors is, of course, the color green. There is the green knight and the green girdle. Both the knight and the girdle have magical powers: one to threaten to take life, and the other to protect life. By examining the use of the color green in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the writer will describe how this color functions symbolically to reinforce the value of life.

A couple of helpful articles on themes and meanings of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight might be  Representations of Women in Medieval Literature    and    The Role of Hospitality in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Odyssey

This list of important quotations from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight will help you work with the essay topics and thesis statements above by, as explained earlier, allowing you to support your claims. All of the important quotes from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight listed here correspond, at least in some way, to the paper topics above and by themselves can give you great ideas for an essay by offering quotes and explanations about other themes, symbols, imagery, and motifs than those already mentioned and explained.  Aside from the thesis statements above, these quotes alone can act as essay questions or study questions as they are all relevant to the text in an important way. All quotes contain page numbers as well. Look at the bottom of the page to identify which edition of the text they are referring to.

 “…Sir Gawain… was… a full gallant knight.” (para. 6) 

 “[H]e was clad in all green… all his vesture was verily green. Hose had he of the same green, and spurs thereon—birds and insects in gay gauds of green and gold….Even the steed on which he rode was of the same hue, a green horse…. The knight was thus gaily dressed in green….” (para. 8-9) 

“Then Gawain…leaned forward to the king and spake, ‘I beseech ye, my lord, let this venture be mine.’” (para. 12) 

“Then the Green Knight spoke to Gawain, ‘Make we our covenant ere we go further. First, I ask thee, knight, what is thy name? Tell me truly, that I may know thee.” (para. 14) 

 “‘Sir knight,’ quoth the host, ‘we shall make a covenant. Whatsoever I win in the wood shall be yours and whatever shall fall to your share, that shall ye exchange for it. Let us swear, friend, to make this exchange, however our hap may be, for worse or for better.’” (para. 30) 

“‘Good morrow, Sir Gawain,’ said that fair lady; ‘ye are but a careless sleeper…. Now are ye taken unawares I shall bind you in your bed; of that be ye assured!’” (para. 34) 

“‘Now He that speeds fair speech reward ye this disport, but that ye be Gawain my mind misdoubts me greatly.” (para. 41) 

“‘Why are ye so unlearned who art otherwise so famous? Or is it that ye deemed me unworthy to hearken to your teaching?” (para. 47) 

“‘Lo, lady... this is the bond of the blame that I bear in my neck, this is the harm and loss I have suffered, the cowardice and covetousness in which I was caught….” (para. 70) 

“Many a venture herebefore/Hath fallen such as this/May He that bear the crown of thorn/Bring us unto His bliss.” (para. 72) 

Reference: Anonymous. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Jessie L. Weston, translator. http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/sggk.htm