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Gawein

Gawein is the German form of Sir Gawain, a legendary knight of King Arthur's Round Table. In English and other traditions, he is commonly known as Gawain. He appears across medieval Arthurian literature as one of Arthur's most trusted and prominent knights, and as a representative of courtesy, loyalty, and martial skill.

Origins and appearances: Gawain/Gawein is typically described as King Arthur's nephew or ward and a central

Character and themes: Across variants, Gawein/Gawain is often invoked as a model of knightly courtesy, especially

Legacy: In many tellings, Gawain dies at the Battle of Camlann during the final conflict that marks

figure
in
many
romances.
He
features
in
the
French
Vulgate
Cycle,
the
English
alliterative
and
rhymed
romances,
and
Thomas
Malory's
Le
Morte
d'Arthur.
One
of
the
best-known
episodes
is
the
beheading
game
in
Sir
Gawain
and
the
Green
Knight,
where
Gawain
undertakes
a
perilous
quest
to
uphold
his
oath
and
then
faces
moral
tests
of
honesty
and
generosity.
Other
tales
emphasize
his
prowess
in
combat
and
his
steadfastness
in
defending
Camelot
and
its
ideals.
in
his
interactions
with
women
and
with
lesser
knights.
However,
some
sources
also
portray
him
as
impulsive
or
overly
proud,
providing
contrasts
that
drive
plot
and
character
development.
His
arcs
frequently
explore
themes
of
truth,
temptation,
and
the
limits
of
chivalric
virtue.
the
decline
of
Arthur's
realm.
Regardless
of
the
exact
ending,
Gawein
remains
a
central
emblem
of
the
chivalric
code
and
the
complexities
of
Arthurian
heroism.
The
name
persists
in
literature
and
scholarship
as
the
German-language
variant
of
the
legendary
knight.