The Code of Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a medieval romance, centers on the behavior of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The storyline bases the actions of knights in accordance with the code of chivalry. The code of chivalry calls for knights to be brave, courteous and honest off the battlefield, and valor in battle. Sir Gawain faces many challenges in the story that cause him to sway from the code of chivalry. The arrival of the Green Knight results in Sir Gawain’s the first break with the code of chivalry.