Treason in Arthurian legend the Green Knight before “Gawain can return to his proper place in Arthurian society”. Treason is committed by Gawain against the Lord and therefore he must be physically punished, as one would be during the Middle Ages for crimes of treason. In this case, however, Gawain's punishment is not death but simply a nick on his neck. This permits Gawain to be punished, but not killed, while still demonstrating the importance of honesty. Gawain's instinct is to act duplicitously but he is chastised for these instances. Treason in Arthurian legend The concept of treason can be dated back to the
Black Knight (Arthurian legend) Black Knight (Arthurian legend) The Black Knight appears in various forms in Arthurian legend. A supernatural Black Knight is summoned by Sir Calogrenant (Cynon ap Clydno in Welsh mythology) in the tale of "Yvain, the Knight of the Lion". The Black Knight bests Calogrenant, but the Black Knight is later killed by Ywain (Owain mab Urien) when he attempts to complete the quest that Calogrenant failed. Perhaps the first mentioned of a Black Knight by name is in Raoul de Houdenc's "La Vengeance Raguidel" (early 13th century), where "Noir Chevalier" is first mentioned on line 633. The eponymous protagonist of