Morality and Wealth During the Medieval Era (Everyman, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Decameron)

How would it feel to know what wealth was like in the Medieval time? Everyman, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, works from The Decameron and various pieces of Medieval art reflect ideas of morality and wealth from the Medieval period. The Medieval time was where all the wealthy people think about is money, where the Church is more powerful than kings and nobles. In Everyman, those who are wealthy goes to hell and where a man who only thinks about is money is trying to bribe Death not to take him to see God. Which, come to the point in Sir Gawain in the Green Knight, where giving something that is worth a fortune away and where the beds, curtains is made out of gold and walls that is designed so neat. As for The Decameron “The First Story” and “The Tenth Story,” many things people can buy with such a big amount of money and for poor peasants to marry these who are very wealthy. Money is what everyone thinks about, but it’s doesn’t make anybody happy because it’s not the answer and it doesn’t solve the problem.

Everyman discuss how wealth was in the Medieval period. In the story the author says that a person who is healthy will go to hell, “except that alms be his good friend” (Everyman 3). Those who couldn’t afford alms has to give the church what they can afford. As for all the things Everyman did, he didn’t do what God wanted and for that he will go to hell. Everyman didn’t want to face judgment with God or go to hell, the only thing for him to not go to hell was to pay the church. Another thing is that Everyman tries to bribe Death not to take him, but Death refuses to accept wealth because “I set not by gold, silver nor, riches” (Everyman 4). Money can’t really bribe people because it’s not the answer and can’t really solve the problem. All Everyman can think of is money, but money can’t really buy Everyman out of trouble. Money isn’t always what a sin is about because money can’t always buy what anyone do bad. Noble by Richard II England contains ideas about wealthy (England). The coin contains how Everyman really loves money more than anything. All the belonging on the coin represent Everyman by portraying everything that he has. The crown represents the wealthy the Everyman has.

Beside Everyman, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight also discuss how wealth was in the Medieval period. As Gawain was on his way to find the Green Chample, he stops by a castle where, “the bedding was noble, with curtains of pure silk wrought with gold, and wondrous coverings of fair cloth all embroidered. The curtains ran on ropes with rings of red gold, and the walls were hung with carpets of Orient, and the same spread on the floor” (Weston 10). The bedding with pure silk wrought with gold describe how the wealthy would like it to be. The curtains not just drapes down, but it’s held with ropes of red gold explains how wealthy are because it’s neat design with gold. As for the texture and design on the walls shows that some wealthy, just don’t want it plain, but to have the design of their choices. The Queen gave Gawain a ring, but he refuse to take it, “With that she reached him a ring of red gold with a sprinkling stone therein, that shone even as the sun (wit ye well, it was worth many marks but the knight refused it” (Weston 20). The Queen gave Gawain a ring that is worth a fortune, but he refuses to take it because he didn’t have the same thing that is equal enough to give to her. Even though is a knight who has to obey the Queen’s order he would feel bad if he took the ring because he has nothing in return. Giving an item that is worth a fortune wouldn’t make him/her happy because they don’t have the same equaliness to give back. Armor contains ideas about wealthy (Armor). The armor contains the ideas that when Gawain went to go find the Green Chample he was wearing an armor like he was going to war. As knights are going into battle, they would wear this kind armor to protect them. Medieval Knight’s Suit of Armor was a complex series of garments, chain mail and iron plate.

Although Everyman and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Decameron “The First Story” and “The Tenth Story” also discuss Medieval ideas about wealth. Before the Black Death was spreading around the city of Florence, money was able to buy anyone what they want, “how many great palaces, how many goodly houses, how many noble mansions, once full of families, of lords and ladies, abode empty even to the meanest servant! How many memorable families, how many ample heritages, how many famous fortunes were seen to remain without lawful heir” (Boccaccio “The First Story” 6). Money pays for servant and for many houses that nobles are living in even to abode ones. To them, money has the power to buy many goodly things that would make their lives happier. From generation to generation wealthy can be passed down. In “The Tenth Story” Griselda a poor peasant marries Gualtieri Marquess of Saluzzo because he was rich “he let and cut fashion store of rich and goodly apparel, after the measure of a damsel who seemed to him like of her person to the young women he was purposes to marry, and provided also rings and girdles and a ring and goodly crown and all that behoveth unto a bride” (Boccaccio “The Tenth Story” 2). For poor peasants they would want to marry those who are rich. To some people getting marr to someone who is rich makes him/her happy because to them money buys happiness. Wealthy marriage only think about is money because money is what they been living off from. The Entombment of Christ contains ideas about wealthy (The Entombment of Christ). A man who is wealthy that others admire him for his kindness because of his illness, people are grieving around him. As the man who is in everyone arm is known for his wealth, peoples cherish him for his good deeds.

All in all, money is an important matter in the Medieval time period because money is the only thing they cherish for and what they can live off from. In this time, it was where all the wealthy people think about is money, where the Church is more powerful than kings and nobles. Even those who are wealthy goes to hell and a man who only thinks about is money is bribing Death not to take him to see God, it shows how money plays a role in life. It also comes to the point in where the beds, curtains are made out of gold and walls that are designed so neatly giving something that is worth a fortune away. Also there many things that people can buy with such a big amount of money and peasants to marrying those who are very wealthy.