The Bible states in Philippians 4:11 to “put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the evils of the devil.”[7] Gawain, following this commandment dons armour, most notably the medieval iconographic pentangle shield. The red of the shield represents Christ’s blood which echoes the sins of man as well as standing opposed to the verdant Green Knight thus reinforcing the ultimate conflict of the story. Marina Warner describes the image of the Virgin Mary as “a symbol of wholeness, unbroken a closed gate, a fountain sealed”[8] which enables Gawain’s inner faith to drive his inner strength. The pentangle “painted there in pure gold hues” is an ancient and magical symbol to combat evil. Gawain’s “trust in the five wounds that Christ caught on the cross” serves as the first religious interpretation of the star.…show more content… The emblem represents the sacrifices made by Christ for mankind which therefore display’s Gawain’s faith and devotion to the Church. Additionally, the pentangle embellishes connections with Solomon’s authority and the Star of David which are old Christian symbols of wisdom. The pentangle is referred to as the ‘endless knot’ as during no point of the stars configuration does the line disconnect. This could be a reference to the endless nature of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit whom will continue indefinitely. The scripture in Philippians explains that a knight who only partially arrays himself in “the armour of God” is bound to fall victim to sin. By disarming himself of the supernatural symbol and adopting the green girdle, the armour of cowardice, Gawain disassociates himself with his duty as a Christian
