Honor and integrity were essential in keeping Medieval Europe running. In a time where feudalism was the system that was in charge of government and landownership, a man's word was all that was needed in order to express loyalty and chivalry. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, King Arthur's nephew, Sir Gawain, accepts a challenge from the Green Knight that interrupts Arthur's party to take part in the knight's game. The "game " consists of Sir Gawain delivering a blow, swinging as hard as he chooses, to the Green Knight with an axe as long as the Green Knight has the opportunity to do the same to Sir Gawain in one year and one day. In the medieval poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain's character, more specifically his chivalry and honor, is tested, and, by the end of the tale, he ultimately passes his test.
When King Arthur is presented with the challenge from the Green Knight, he is tempted to take the challenge himself, so Sir Gawain, showing his true loyalty for the king, decides to give himself up for the challenge. Sir Gawain justifies his volunteering by telling King Arthur that he is "the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; And the loss of my life would be least of any " (128-129). Going in to the Green Knight's game, Sir Gawain is predicting that he will not return after he visits the Green Knight in one year and one day. Before proceeding to deliver his blow to the Green Knight, Sir Gawain ensures to the Green Knight that he can be trusted "In good faith " (154). Sir Gawain gives the Green Knight his word, promising his loyalty to carry out his end of the deal in the Green Knight's game. Sir Gawain then delivers the blow to the Green Knight, separating his head from his body, but the Green Knight just picks his head up from off the ground and tells Sir Gawain to "forget not to go as agreed, And cease not to seek till me, sir, you find " (518-519).
