Comparing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Song of Roland Essay

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Song of Roland           In unreal Europe, knightly milling machineryes abounded whereever one could choose to roam.  There are hundreds of reports of knights who embodied the supposition of chivalry, slew huge dragons, slew legions of foes in single combat, and still make it home in time for dinner.  Of all these tales, ballads and poems, a few bear risen to the fore front of the genre as an example for the substitute of the stories to follow.  I will be comparing the positive and negative temperament traits of two heroes from the famous poems Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Song of Roland.           On the spark side, both Gawain and Roland had much positive attri howeveres than they did negative.  Both men were honorable, almost to a fault.  For example in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain agreed to be on time for his own execu tion               Nor I know you not, knight, your name nor your court.             nevertheless tell me truly thereof, and teach me your name, and I             shall fare forth to husking you, so far as I may, and this I say             in good certain, and swear upon oath.             (G&GK, pt.1, ln. 400-403)           Gawains agreement might have been honorable, but it doesnt strike me ... ...ght when it came to politics, apparently.  All of these attributes might be considered undesirable in a knight.           Though the characteristics of honor, fearlessness, and poor people skills might seem to be stainless for a knight, a perfect hero just doesnt seem possible to a list ener or a reader with out slightly sort of a vice or flaw.  It makes them seem closer and more human to who the reader.  This is important to a good story, simply because if a hero is totally unbelievable the ballad becomes more of a tall tale or a story to be laughed at.  And while it might be fun to laugh at a B ballad either once in awhile, it just doesnt compare to a good challenge plot line.  As a result, Gawain and Roland each flaws.  Rolands just happens to be terminal.