Gawains Vow Essay - 1306 Words

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gawain, a knight of the round table, expresses love and respect to aid his journey. These forms of love, from the beginning to the end, play key roles in demonstrating and maintaining the dignity of his knighthood. The manifestation of Gawain’s love forms a number of relationships over the course of the poem. Accordingly, these relationships test his true vow of chivalry and sustain his credibility as a true knight of the round table. Sir Gawain had a very deep devotion to his faith. There is proof that he loves his Lord and his spiritual mother, Mary, in his words and on his shield. â€Å"They brought him his blazon that was of brilliant gules with the pentangle depicted in a pure†¦show more content†¦As the Green Knight barges in the court of the round table, no one stands up to his challenge. Initially, King Arthur is the only person brave enough to take on this challenge, until Gawain raises himself up. Gawain, who [was] the weakest ... [and] ... in wit feeblest, urged to protect his king, Arthur (Tolkien 36). Gawain demonstrates the love and respect that he has for Arthur when he asks permission to take on the challenge. Would you, my worthy lord...bid me abandon this bench and stand by you there, so that I without discourtesy might be excused from the table...?† (Tolkien 36). Sir Gawain also admits that Arthur is a near relative, Only because you are my uncle is honour given me...(36). At this moment in the story Gawain is willing to protect his Kings life. Gawain is tested of his knightly vow as it says, â€Å"Knightly conduct was that of a commander †¦ loyal even to death† (Stroud 327). Gawain was ready to risk his life for his king. King Arthur is not the only kingly figure that Gawain respects, though. After Gawain sets out on his journey he swiftly encounters a castle. He speaks to a porter, who leads Gawain to the lord of the giant castle. The lo rd is more than happy to welcome Gawain as he says, of all men on middle-earth [Gawain] was most admired...God has given us of His goodness His grace now indeed, who such a guest as Gawain has granted us to have! (Tolkien 58). As the lord of the castleShow MoreRelatedSir Gawain And The Green Knight1335 Words   |  6 PagesSir Gawain: The Ironic Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a tale of the utmost irony in which Sir Gawain, the most loyal and courteous of all of King Arthur’s knights, fails utterly to be loyal and courteous to his king, his host, his vows, and his God. In each case, Sir Gawain not only fails to perform well, but performs particularly poorly, especially in the case of his relationship with God. Ultimately, Sir Gawain chooses magic over faith, and by doing so, shows his ironic nature as aRead MoreAnalysis Of Part 1 Of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight837 Words   |  4 Pagessupport his king. Part 2: Describe Gawains personality, values and abilities as seen in Part 2. Part 2 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight portrays Gawain as a virtuous and honor bound knight. Gawain is required to journey from Camelot to Green Chapel in order to honor the challenge of the Green Knight. During the armory scene, all of Gawain’s armor is examined, with each representing one of his virtues that will be tested in the following acts. Specifically, Gawain’s shield represents his devotion toRead MoreGawain s Knightly Status : Noble Or Failure?907 Words   |  4 PagesMaxx Mainzer Ms. Hinshaw H Brit. Lit-Period F November 30, 2014 Gawain’s Knightly Status: Noble or Failure? ​Sir Gawain, nephew to the well-known King Arthur of the Round Table, is regarded as the most elite and noble of all the knights in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yet, like anyone else in the world, Sir Gawain is far from perfect. Gawain, a courteous knight living a life dedicated to honor, courage, and self-preservation, is tested on his chivalrous code throughout his journey; aRead MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight862 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the poem he portrays many of the qualities a knight should possess, such as bravery, courtesy, and honor among others. Because of his ability to possess these virtues even when tempted to stray away from them, Sir Gawain is a true knight. Gawain’s first portrayal of being a true knight comes when the Green Knight makes his appearance in Camelot. The Green Knight first speaks to King Arthur and proposes that they play a â€Å"game.† Arthur will strike the Green Knight with his axe, and in returnRead MoreChivalry And Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1287 Words   |  6 Pageshis heroic journey against a mysterious green knight. In this heroic journey, the inherent charisma Gawain possesses and is continually praised for affirms the perception of proper Arthurian chivalry and morality. Throughout the narrative, Sir Gawain’s chivalry and qualifications to be a proper knight are seldom questioned, the common perception being that Gawain is the epitome of the appropriate Arthurian knight. This belief is emphasized distinctly in the nobility’s initial perception of hisRead MoreLady Bertilak and the Changes to Power940 Words   |  4 PagesLady Bertilak sought to use their strength and age differences to test Gawain’s knightly honor. Lady Bertilak’s role, specifically, were orders of Lord Bertilak. Behind closed doors, Lady Bertilak had a powerful presence because she tempted Gawain with tokens of love. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Lady Bertilak is the most powerful female in the story because the sexual innuendos she fulfills for her husband tests Gawain’s knightly honor. In Lord Bertilaks court, Lady Bertilak is a force toRead More Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essays691 Words   |  3 PagesGawain leans on the strength of God to get him through his journey. Though he meets many dangers in the forest, he defeats them all, using skill and bravery. Traveling through horrid weather conditions, he keeps forging ahead, remaining true to his vow. And instead of blaming God, Sir Gawain leans on the solid foundation of his Christian beliefs. His journey to find the Green Chapel where he expects to meet his end, is not a easy one. He faces many perils and dangers. In lines 720 -723 we seeRead MoreThe Role of Lady Bertilak in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay1665 Words   |  7 Pagesadown and sweetly she kisses his face; much speech they there expound of love, its grief and grace† ( ¶ 59, P. 62). Lady Bertilak takes control over the room scenes. As Jane Burns indicates â€Å"While the Lady is being forward and outgoing, it is Gawain’s feelings and emotions which are expressed, and it is Gawain which has the most to gain or lose by his relationship with the Lady† (24). The knight endangers his manhood accepting Lady Bertilak’s purpose. So, we can say that manhood includes ChristianRead MorePortrayal of Women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Lanval1382 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant to note that these womanly traits were exemplified by a very inhuman woman indeed. Even though these qualities are praised in this culture, medieval narratives commonly uphold unrealistic virtues of what a perfect woman is. After Lanval vows to keep their love a secret, the queen of the court tempts the knight with her love. She says, Lanval, I have honored, cherished and loved you much. You may have all my love: just tell me what you desire! I grant you my love and you should be gladRead More Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Beowulf Essay499 Words   |  2 PagesGawain, a character from the beloved British tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Beowulf, another character from an ancient British epic entitled, Beowulf, is also portrayed as a â€Å"hero.† But Beowulf’s heroism factor does not even compare to Sir Gawain’s. The difference between Beowulf and Sir Gawain, is that Sir Gawain is a real hero, and Beowulf just thinks he is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two heroes can be compared in many ways. A major comparison would be their physical characteristics. Beowulf is â€Å"mighty

Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism And Monotheistic Religions

In life, one will undertake a spiritual journey in which you will uncover the meaning of the self. Many religions, including Hinduism, Confucianism and monotheistic religions, have developed philosophies placing importance of the â€Å"self.† Emphasis on morality, virtues, honest contribute to the development of the inner self. In religions such as, Islam and Judaism the importance of conducts and worship will lead you to paradise in the after as promised by Allah or Yahweh. The teachings of proper behavior, edict, ethics and conduct are also part of the teachings of Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher. Redeveloping the self, according to the founders of Buddhism and Christianity, will lead to your spiritual enlightenment and Salvation.†¦show more content†¦It is one of the four aims in life. The definition of the literal translation of the word in English, according to Wiki quote, is, â€Å"goal, purpose, meaning, sense an essence.† Two of the other fou r aims are Kama and Dharma as explained to us by a lesson titled, The Four Goals of Hindu Life: Kama, Artha, Dharma Moksha by study.com. It continues to explain, Kama is the pursuit of pleasure and happiness in life and Dharma in Hinduism, is the law which governs each and every one of our actions and individual conducts in life. Through these two elements you will begin discovering your inner self. This is supported by the first principle of Hinduism in the Vedanta school. It declares that you will uncover you will true self after having gone through life’s trials. The concept of Dharma also exists in Buddhism. However, Buddhist Dharma is â€Å"the teachings of the Buddha† it is known to be the second of three jewels. Gautama Buddha seeks to enlighten one’s self. The Buddha teaches of four truths known as the four noble truths. The four truths are the truth of suffering, the truth of the causes of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering and the truth of the path that leads to suffering (PBS). The four truths are plans to deal with human suffering altogether. Identifying the causes and reasons behind suffering is step one. Determining what to do about it is step two. Karma is also a teaching of the Buddha. In this teaching the Buddha places emphasis that good or bad

The Ritz-Carlton Does Not Sell Hotel Rooms Free Essays

The Ritz Carlton runs in a way that makes every single detail about the consumer and the consumer’s needs, wants, and expectations. Every decision that they make they make with the consumer in mind. They essentially are selling unsurpassed service to their patrons. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ritz-Carlton Does Not Sell Hotel Rooms or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Ritz Carlton is very well-known for providing consistent service to its patrons in each of its locations throughout the world. They provide guests with high quality customer service, utilizing their Gold Standards for customer service, which include its credo, motto, employee promise, three steps of service, and the twelve service values. The three steps of service are fairly basic, however many companies overlook them, losing that opportunity to create a long lasting relationship with the guest. The first is to deliver a warm and sincere greeting and to use the guest’s name; the second is to anticipate and fulfill the needs of each guest; and the third is to give a warm good-bye, again using the guest’s name. The Ritz Carlton believes that guest recognition is a top priority. If employees recognize the guest, then they can give personalized service, have fast access to knowledge, and interactions that are largely hassle free. These Gold Standards continue to lead the company to outperform its competition and increase its customer loyalty. They also have programs designed to meet specific customer needs that include their Service Quality Indicators (SQIs). The Ritz Carlton continually improves its processes and programs in order to give its guests the exceptional service that they have come to be well known for giving in the hotel industry. In essence, they are selling service to consumers. The Ritz Carlton has applied for and won the Baldridge Award in 1992 and 1999, which confirmed that quality is not a short term approach to doing business. The Ritz Carlton works hard to achieve the highest customer and employee satisfaction in the industry. They believe it is critical to continually improve day after day. As a consumer, I would be willing to pay for a stay at the Ritz Carlton. I believe that the methods that they use are fantastic. They treat everyone, including their employees, with respect. That is something that many companies fail to even consider when they are building their business. There are many people who choose products and services from companies by looking at factors such as how they treat their employees, where their products are made, etc. rather than looking only at the price tag and looking for a place or item that is â€Å"cheap†. As a consumer, I would rather patronize a place that was more expensive and treated its employees like gold, than patronize a place that was cheap and treated its employees poorly. I believe that the Ritz Carlton offers an excellent service to their guests and I’m fairly certain that the majority of consumers would be willing to pay for it. However, the price of a hotel room at the Ritz Carlton is on the pricier side so I’m sure that there are plenty of people that would love to take advantage of staying there but would be unable to do so since they could not afford it. Do you think it’s possible for Ritz Carlton to create â€Å"ladies and gentlemen† in just 7 days? It most likely is possible for Ritz Carlton to do so because their employee selection process is highly refined and they are able to higher excellent candidates who understand this concept of â€Å"ladies and gentlemen†. The Ritz Carlton looks for individuals who understand their culture and will engage with other employees, managers and guests. They look for individuals who exhibit certain personality traits and hiring managers seek those individuals when they recruit and interview candidates. In order to ensure that interviewees are sincere and positive people, the hiring managers use two-part questions that will eliminate interviewees who are insincere. According to the article, Inside the Ritz Carlton’s Revolutionary Service, a prospective employee may be asked, â€Å"Are you a habitual smiler? †. If the candidate responds with a â€Å"yes†, then the hiring manager will proceed to ask, â€Å"Why do you smile? †. It is clear to see that the Ritz Carlton selects its employees very carefully in order to find employees that will understand the culture and be able to learn quickly how to be a lady or a gentleman. By looking for people that have the necessary talent to do the job, they feel they can teach the other skills necessary to get them to lady or gentleman status. The Ritz Carlton has a very slow orientation process that they feel can best prepare the new employee with the mission of the company. They feel that when an individual starts a new job, it is a significant emotional experience. During this time, that individual will be attentive and receptive to emotional changes. The Ritz Carlton uses this time to focus on their values and to instill those values into that employee. The employee than goes though their week of orientation and afterwards, they are expected to have adapted the company culture. It seems to me that between their vigorous selection process and the week of orientation, many of these individuals would be able to adapt to their culture as â€Å"a lady or gentlemen†. Also, it is important to point out that the company is well known for treating their employees very well. I would believe that their employees know this and would want to treat the company well in return. The employees must have a high level of employee morale. They have every reason to want to continue on as a â€Å"lady or a gentlemen† as their time continues on with the company. They will also have the chance for promotions in the future. The Ritz Carlton sets employees up for success starting by selecting the right employees for the right position within the company. They are then able to mold these individuals into the employees that they want them to be. They also treat them very well and give them room for growth. I believe that doing this ensures that these individuals will become â€Å"ladies and gentlemen† within the 7 days. How to cite The Ritz-Carlton Does Not Sell Hotel Rooms, Essay examples

Business Model Concepts in Corporate Sustainability

Question: Discuss about the Business Model Concepts in Corporate Sustainability. Answer: Introduction: After engaging in several studies, I have come to conclude that sustainability is the act of a business taking care of all the involved stakeholders plus the environment instead of just focusing on profits. In my understanding, I view the business stakeholders in a summary of triple P, 3Ps that stands for planet, people and profit or the triple bottom line framework ("Triple bottom line," 2017). In accordance to my understanding of Triple Bottom line is that it is comprised of six forms of capital. The consideration of these forms of capital in a business ensures business sustainability. Most organizations prioritize on the financial form of capital, which comprises of securities, money, and financial instruments. This particular type of capital has been given much attention as it occupies the bigger part of the Triple Bottom Line. In other words, the focus of TBL mostly revolves around how businesses make or raise this form of capital. In my view, financial capital is what maintains the financial sustainability of the business (Phillis, Kouikoglou, 2009). The second form of capital is the social capital, which counts as a part of running a sustainable business. A strong social capital helps the business influence decisions or obtains favors, which is fundamental for business sustainability in the society. This capital is linked to politics, the business and social organizations. The intellectual capital is also considered as a knowledge asset in a business setting. Every business intellectual capital is what ensures its success as well as its resilience. The attainment of this form of capital is usually influenced by the financial and social capital. The capital ensures the sustainability of business through innovations. Experimental or human capital is the form of capital that is accumulated through organizing a community project. The human capital is usually blended with intellectual capital. The capital helps the business perform its activities through offering their time and skills in exchange money. These employees ensure the sustainability of the organization through the continuity of the business activities (Nolan, 2016). Also, natural capital is an important part of the TBL, this form of capital focus on the sustainability of the natural environment to ensure that a business thrives without depleting of having negative impacts on the environment. This capital is taken care of through sustainable construction, proper waste management, and tree planting. Finally, material capital is the form capital that has been made by the business in the process of striving for economic, social and organization sustainability. The material capital comprises of the distribution networks, the products, and services offered by the business. This form of capital ensures that the business has something to offer as well as the means to offer, in exchange for financial capital that ensures the sustainability of the business (Ldeke-Freund, n.d.). After an organization has identified these forms of capital, the next stage is to identify the six phases of organization sustainability. The following are the stages The first stage is the rejection phase in which the organization activities affect the environment negatively, and the organization makes no effort to modify its operation to mitigate future ecological degradation. In the second phase, the environmental considerations are not relevant as relevant while making strategic decisions and strategies. Environmental resources are viewed as subsidies, which aid the production and profit making activities of the organization. Opportunities, threats, and costs relating to the environment do not account for anything at this stage (Graedel, Voet, 2010). Compliance phase has technological factors are still the most dominating factors on the business strategies. The management views the organization as a body that observes the legal requirements. Factors relating to the community are only addressed in times when the organization faces a possible prosecution or chances of damaging the publicity of the organization (Benn, Dunphy, Griffiths, 2006). During the efficiency phase, the organization sets measures that reduce the cost of operations by integrating the functions of the human resource. The organization starts considering the input from the employees and sets standards that enable them to tap their potential by using them effectively in the best way possible. Also, the management is keen on observing the total quality environmental management ("Business Sustainability Definition from Financial Times Lexicon," 2017). Strategic proactivity is competitive strategies that can be aligned with the environmental sustainability to provide business opportunities to the organization. Also, provision of environmentally friendly, products and processes gives the business a competitive leadership. The final stage is when the organization becomes a sustainable corporation. In this phase, the sustainability of the environment becomes a key consideration for the organization, and it makes efforts to bring others on board by influencing the key participants in the business industry as well as the society (Benn, Dunphy, Griffiths, 2014). I have studied a lot of articles that are written on business sustainability and I have come to realize that not every organization has embraced the importance of sustainability. However, I have come across organizations that have incorporated the Triple Bottom line as follows. Employee management- I have come across General Electric Company, which has used the human resource department to integrate a culture of sustainability into the company, which runs from training to the wellbeing of employees. Water stewardship- The Coca-Cola Company has also not been left behind as it has efficiently improved in the use of water by 20% and involved a third party in evaluating this approach. Supply chain management- Ford Motor Company has set requirements to suppliers to enforce its environmental and social expectations throughout the supply chain. Biodiversity- the PGE company policy requires that habitat and species be protected Building and facilities- The Bank of America has channeled its resources to in energy and environmental design certified buildings. Sustainable agriculture- General Mills Company has prioritized on the production of oats wheat and corn through sustainable sourcing commitments (Ldeke-Freund, n.d.) References Benn, S., Dunphy, D., Griffiths, A. (2006). Enabling Change for Corporate Sustainability: An Integrated Perspective.Australasian Journal Of Environmental Management,13(3), 156-165. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2006.10648683 Benn, S., Dunphy, D., Griffiths, A. (2014).Organizational change for corporate sustainability(1st ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Business Sustainability Definition from Financial Times Lexicon. (2017).Lexicon.ft.com. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://lexicon.ft.com/Term?term=business-sustainability Graedel, T., Voet, E. (2010).Linkages of sustainability(1st ed.). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Ldeke-Freund, F. Business Model Concepts in Corporate Sustainability Contexts: From Rhetoric to a Generic Template for 'Business Models for Sustainability'.SSRN Electronic Journal. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1544847 Nolan, J. (2016). Corporate Accountability and Triple Bottom Line Reporting: Determining the Material Issues for Disclosure.SSRN Electronic Journal. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.975414 Phillis, Y., Kouikoglou, V. (2009).Fuzzy measurement of sustainability(1st ed.). New York: Nova Science Publishers. Triple bottom line. (2017).The Economist. Retrieved 13 April 2017, from https://www.economist.com/node/14301663