In any society, there are certain moral codes that are put in place and are expected to be followed. This is especially true for certain people who have great responsibilities. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, King Arthur's knights were held to a different standard than the common masses. They were responsible for protecting the kingdom and with that came a certain code of ethics. This was called the Chivalry code. This code demanded that each knight display honor, honesty, valor, and loyalty in any task with which they were faced. For a knight to display honor they had to hold themselves with very high respect. The next value was honesty which means that they had to be truthful about anything they were asked. To have valor a knight had to be courageous in any situation. Finally, loyalty for knights meant that they had to maintain allegiance with their king and kingdom always. Sir Gawain demonstrates loyalty and valor when he proposes that King Arthur let him take the Green Knight's challenge instead of Arthur, "to rise from my seat and stand by your side"" (193). He did this when no other knight would, which truly showed how dedicated he was to these values. When Sir Gawain says, "I'd be christened a coward, and could not be excused. So I'll trek to the chapel and take my chances"" (230). He shows honor and honesty by not taking the servants offer to run from his commitment. He knew he would fail his kingdom and also have been dishonest in his promise to hold up his end of the bargain.
Though Sir Gawain is undoubtedly one of the noblest knights in King Arthur's court, he is not immune to human error. He receives a girdle from Bertilak's wife who says, "For the body which is bound within this green belt will be safe against anyone"" (224). By taking this he goes against his commitment to honor and valor, because he is afraid to accept the outcome of the deal he had made and he dishonors his kingdom by being dishonest.
