Gender Roles in Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and The Miller’s Tale Essay Example

Gender expression has taken on different forms throughout history in different cultures. In the Western world, it was often dictated by binaries supported by society. Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and “The Miller’s Tale” all show what these binaries were like in terms of masculinity. The way in which they do so so differs depending on the greater purpose of the story but all three tales share similarities. The masculinity that is showcased in all three stories holds misogynistic undertones that are amplified by the patriarchal society in which these stories take place. The authors use stereotypical characterizations and binary societal expectations to define masculinity in their stories and consequently their societies. 

In Beowulf, Beowulf’s masculinity is defined by his physical strength, honor, and reputation. The story describes that a man with integrity will have all three traits and respect what they encompass. The battles that Beowulf participates in showcase the integrity of these traits within him and thus fortify his masculinity. A clear example of this is his battle with Grendel. Beowulf says, “When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel …. He has no idea the arts of war … though he does possess a wild strength” (47-48). Beowulf is describing the importance of his physical strength in his battle and how that will lead to his victory. The combination of the honorable victory and the use of physical strength to earn it are what make Beowulf worthy of having the status that he does. Beowulf also emphasizes that it isn't just brute strength that makes you powerful, you also have to have a level of skill when using your strength in order for it to be a noteworthy achievement. This importance of skill and physical strength also appears when Beowulf participates in swimming contests in order to prove that he is physically stronger than others even while he is off-duty. We learn of the importance that Beowulf places on these contests when someone says to him, “Are you the Beowulf who took on Breca in a swimming match … just to prove you could win?” (44). This conversation is what makes it clear to readers that Beowulf isn’t strong just to protect but he also uses his strength to assert himself over others. The relationship between physical strength and masculinity is something that is seen in patriarchal societies. Being physically skilled means that you are better able to protect your household, which is considered the duty of a man in a patriarchal society. It is only through the existence of stereotypical gender roles that this relationship between strength and masculinity is able to exist.

Similar to Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight also connects the integrity of a man’s honor to their masculinity. But unlike in Beowulf, Gawain's relationship with his masculinity relies more on his code of honor rather than his show of strength. In the story, Gawain is staying with the Bertilak’s while on a journey to complete an agreement that he has with the Green Knight. During this stay, Lady Bertilak attempts to seduce Gawain for several nights with words such as “So good a knight as Gawain … would have claimed a kiss, by his courtesy” (189). Shortly following this Gawain and Lady Bertilak kiss and they both go their separate ways. This continues for the duration of Gawain’s stay with each night escalating in the physical and emotional attraction that goes on. Despite this, Gawain never fully gives into Lady Bertilak’s attempts at seduction. He kisses her and then admits to it when he meets with Bertilak again as per their agreement. By doing so Gawain is abiding by the code of honor meant for forthright knights. He is being honest and abstaining from sex, as is expected of him, which makes him a better knight and consequently a better man. 

Just like Beowulf, Gawain has to earn his status as a knight and has to follow strict societal rules in order to do so. The writer of this story uses characterization in order to define masculinity and then showcase it via his characters. This is seen in the way that Lady Bertilak is portrayed as a seductress in passages such as, “Three times, before they part, she has kissed the stalwart knight” (200) and “... tucked away the token the temptress had left” (200). The author writes her to be much more promiscuous and sexually advanced than Gawain. With language such as “temptress” and emphasizing that she was the one who kissed him, making it is clear to readers that she is the one in control during their meetings. This deliberate choice is done on the author’s part to prove that Gawain’s masculinity and value as a man are deserved because he is the one being tempted and not giving in to the advances. The characterization of Lady Bertilak is rooted in misogyny because of the way she is used only to further Gawain’s success and showcase women as sexual creatures. In writing and using Lady Bertilak in this way, the author is using misogyny to define and portray masculinity in his story.

The language used to characterize those in “The Miller’s Tale” is also very intentional. The prologue of this story allows readers to meet the Miller for the first time, making the words used to describe him very impactful. When Geoffery Chaucer describes the Miller with passages such as “...that for dronken was al pale … ne abiden no man for his curteisye” (282) and “The Millere is a cherl…” (284) the image of a brutish, belligerent man is being painted for readers. The characterization of men in this way continues on with the carpenter in the telling of the tale. The carpenter is described as a possessive man and in the words of his wife, Alisoun, “Myn housbonde is so ful of jalousie that ye wayte and been privee, I woot right wel I nam but deed” (286). In neither of these circumstances are the aggressive traits of these men acceptable but they are still being accepted by those around them. In the case of the Miller, his companions do express that they find it in bad taste that he acts in the way that he does but they let him continue on with his story and give him the space to speak his mind. Alisoun’s comment on her husband’s behavior and the normalcy that surrounds it suggests that just like the Miller’s companions, Alisoun knows that her husband's emotions are unhealthy and have the potential to be dangerous. Despite this, she does nothing about it because she doesn’t have the power in her relationship or society to do so. The acceptance and subtle encouragement of this toxic and aggressive behavior in multiple characters implies that Chaucer believes that masculinity can be derived from these negative emotions and reactions. When his characters are able to act in this way and get away with it, Chaucer is encouraging his characters to continue acting in this way in order to get what they want. This provides them with the power which in this case would be synonymous with masculinity. These emotions and reactions are being received as outlandish displays of masculinity rather than toxic and dangerous behaviors. This is fueled by the patriarchal societal belief that a man displaying aggressive tendencies is a way for him to assert his dominance and showcase his masculinity. In writing his characters in this way and connecting their behaviors to their masculinity, Chaucer is upholding patriarchal values in his writing and using them to define masculinity in his work.

Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and “The Miller’s Tale” all approach masculinity in their own way but share the common factor of rooting their definitions and examples in misogyny and patriarchal beliefs. They do so by using gender roles, overly-gross stereotypes of women, and masculine-coded words in their characterization. All three stories are meant to support a greater life lesson but in doing so they define masculinity in problematic ways that all support and give misogynistic ideals a platform despite what the original intention of the author may have been.