This thesis explores the ways in which speech and silence are used by characters in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" in order to deal with the identity conflicts of the fourteenth century....Show moreThis thesis explores the ways in which speech and silence are used by characters in "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" in order to deal with the identity conflicts of the fourteenth century. Characters use speech to either show others which external behaviour belongs to their reputation or to control and regulate others’ external behaviour, which shows they believe their external behaviour is more important than their internal selves. Characters use silence to gain power over others or to save themselves, which shows they prioritise the individual instead of the community and favour the internal self instead of external behaviour.Show less
