Final answer:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight departs from medieval romanticism by challenging the ideals of chivalry and heroism. The focus is on Gawain's personal weakness and moral struggles, offering a more complex view of knighthood beyond the traditional romantic representations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight departs from medieval romanticism by c) challenging the ideals of chivalry and heroism. Unlike other romantic literature that glorifies chivalry and courtly love, this narrative poem introduces a more complex protagonist who faces moral dilemmas and personal weaknesses. The focus on Gawain's internal struggle and his eventual acknowledgment of his own failings presents a departure from the typical romantic idealization of the knightly figure and the unblemished hero.
Romantic literature often revolves around the valor, honor, and courtly love that are central to chivalric culture. However, Sir Gawain's journey illustrates that even a knight of the Round Table can succumb to fear and errors of judgment, ultimately highlighting the human nature behind the knightly facade. The text respects the chivalry code but simultaneously exposes the challenge of upholding such a perfect image in the face of very human temptations and fears.