University Degree: Medieval
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Discuss how this short passage represents the theme of shame and show the significance of that theme within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
To this end, this extract, which is set when Gawain returns to Arthurs? court after his experiences at Hautdesert, presents Gawain in a state of severe anguish and suffering over the shame that has come over him. The poet here describes how, as Gawain retold his tale, his blood was ?Rushing, now hot, now cold,/ And his face flushed in shame?. While it could here be suggested that the use of the verb ?Rushing? shows how Gawain is feeling adrenaline at retelling his tale, the fact that he responded in a similar manner upon initially learning of his failure from
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