Walls, Kathryn. “The axe in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” ANQ 16(2003): p13-19.
In Kathryn Walls, “The axe in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” there are connections between the knight’s axe and biblical references, mainly words spoken by John the Baptist. Walls first notes that the axe is the last of the Green Knight’s property mentioned, described in great detail. The Green Knight says that he will give his axe to whoever will chop off his head. After Gawain receives the axe, Arthur asks him to hang up his axe. Walls states that, “Arthur seems to want the gruesome object safely out of the way, but—metaphorically speaking—it hangs over Gawain throughout the poem.” The girdle, the pentangle, and the holly branch are easily interpreted. The axe remains somewhat of a mystery.
One interpretation recalls the medieval act of knighting, where the initiate received a blow on neck from the sword. Another interpretation recognizes that the Green Knight arrives on New Year’s Day, also the day of the Feast of Circumcision, associating the axe with the knife used by a Jewish priest. The interpretation that this article follows alludes to John the Baptists words in Matthew 3.10: “And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees: every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down.” This is a direct reference to an axe, unlike the other more outlandish connections.
There are two reasons that medieval readers would have made a connection between this biblical text and the Green Knights axe. Walls says, “The first is an iconographical tradition according to which John’s warning is represented by either a woodcutter felling a tree with an axe, or an axe leaning against a tree or hanging from a branch.” The Green Knight carrying an axe and a branch recalls this religious tradition. The trees from John’s reference undoubtedly stand for human beings, the axe is not that different from a battle-axe. When Gawain is waiting for the second blow from the Green Knight he is thusly described as a tree, “Gawayne graythely hit bydes and glant with no member, / Bot stode style as the ston other a stubbe auther / That ratheled is in roche grounde with rotes a hundredth.” Gawain is representing the vulnerability of humankind being chopped down, just like a tree. We are all susceptible to the same fate, and stand in fear unknowing of our outcome.
John prophesizes that, like in the Old Testament, the day was soon approaching when sinners would be “cut off” and receive their eternal punishment. Gawain goes through many temptations, and eventually succumbs. He is by no means “cut off” though. With the death of Christ, humans do not receive the blow of the axe, and we receive another chance. The Green Knight only partially wounds Gawain, giving him another opportunity at life.
There are two axes mentioned in the Gawain and the Green Knight. The first is ambiguous, while the second one relates to redemption. The first axe appears threatening, and therefore can represent John the Baptists harsh beliefs of eternal damnation. Walls states, “The relationship between it and the second axe might be compared with the relationship between the Old Testament ‘types’ and their ‘antitypes’ in the New Testament.” This conclusion draws the argument together, to form a very cohesive argument.
When first reading this article I felt as if I did not want to agree with their being a strong relationship between biblical text and the Green Knight’s axe. For some reason I wanted the text to stand alone, but all literature comes from the important texts that have come before. After reexamining the article, I realized that it had already convinced me of its relevance. The connections between the Green Knight and the text of Matthew are very clear, and offer insight into what the author could have been referencing.
The strongest part about this article is that it convinces the reader based on many correlations. It acted cohesively to illustrate the relationship between two texts. At the beginning of the article, Walls gave specific examples of others viewpoints on the subject. She stated ideas, and than just as easily rebuffed them for her stronger opinion. Walls showing the reader other viewpoints in correlation with her opinion, makes for a stronger argument.
I felt it was also a wise move on Walls part to focus on one part of the story in relationship to the bible. Instead of fighting for a completely religious story, this one aspect is emphasized and made clear to the reader. Walls focus, and use of a concise argument show the reader Walls insight into the story. I first read this piece very skeptically, but was soon convinced of the writer’s religious references.
Cassia Herndon 10/06
