Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay

While Sir Bertilak was out hunting for real animals, his Lady hunts a different type of game. Her hunt is Sir Gawain.

The hunt by Sir Gawain's host and the Seduction of Gawain by the lady are closely related to each other, but with a twist, in the seduction scenes it is the hunter being hunted by the prey. During the first hunt, the Lords prey is a deer. The deer is skittish and an easy catch, in the seduction scene Sir Gawain is able to easily escape the trap from the lady. The Lord let the buck pass by as it was counted a crime to "molest the male deer" (Poet 1154-6). As it was a crime to molest a male deer, it was also a crime for the lady to "molest the male deer." The Lady intimidated Sir Gawain, and this is where the first swing of the Green Knights axe relates. The Green Knight stops the first swing just as Sir Gawain stopped the first seduction. His fear of death causes him to

On the second hunt, the boar, a more intimidating rival, continues for most of the day, to elude the huntsmen. The boar being more aggressive in nature advances on the men. They are wounded in pursuit of this prey. "Most grim when he grunted - then grieved were many,/ For three at the first thrust he threw to the earth,/" (3.1442-43). This ferocious animal is much more difficult to catch and kill. This is representative of Gawain's responses to the mounting advances of the lady. Likewise, Gawain, who is now waiting for the lady, is a more intimidating rival. He unfalteringly, but politely, resists her advances.

“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is the classic tale of a knight of the round table who takes up the challenge of the mysterious Green Knight. The poem begins with the Green Knight’s sudden arrival and his declaration of his proposition: a knight may strike him, and then a year and one day from then he will return the blow. This tale is most well-known for dealing with the themes of a knight’s code of chivalry, loyalty, resisting temptation, and keeping one’s word. While the whole poem is full of great lines that beautifully deliver the message, one of the best passages come at the end of the poem after Sir Gawain has managed to survive his second encounter with the Green Knight. This passage perfectly encompasses the various themes of the poem, as it deals with all of the trials Gawain has faced up until that point and also explains how he deals with the shame he feels for surviving the game in the way he did.

The first temptation of Gawain is perhaps the most difficult for him to defend. This temptation corresponds with the hunt scene involving a stag. In terms of the hunt, the stag is hunted due to it being a staple food, but it can also be mounted as a trophy. In the same sense, the Queen views him as the “stag” she is trying to hunt. Her sexual desire for him is the sole purpose of her “pursuit”. She then tries to guilt him by saying, “A good man like Gawain… could have never lingered so long with a lady without craving a kiss” (p.164; line 1297). She is, in a sense, "hunting" Gawain in that she is pursuing him for the sole purpose of making him her “trophy” but is not flirting with him as much as she does in the next two temptations. If he falls prey to this temptation, then he has failed his knightly honor. In his reaction to the Queen, Gawain acts much like a stag. He first tries to unsuccessfully ignore her. Then, he stealthily avoids her advances, not directly confronting her, but subtly downplaying her advances, until he could attempt to escape.

In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is apparent that the author uses two dynamic literary devices to express and portray the importance of them within the narrative. These literary devices add to the text and correlate to broader themes within the tale. The use of symbolism and themes play a significant role within the poem because they represent abstract concepts, as well as shows how fundamental the theme of the poem is. Within Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the audience observes the use of symbolism through the green girdle.Whereas, the theme can be identified through the changing of time. Overall the use of symbolism and themes are imperative within the poem because they help develop universal ideas and represent significant concepts.

Gawain had to conquer many challenges to end up at the fate that he was destined to have. Gawain had to conquer many unknightly temptation the lady was putting on him. First the lady had would try to kiss and show her love to Gawain. Gawain would accept the kisses but he would reject the lady’s gestures of love. By rejecting the lady Gawain was escaping his fate for a short period of time. He was rejecting her until she offered him a girdle. Gawain accepts the girdle but does not give it to Bertilak like they agreed upon. When Gawain reached the Green Chapel his fate caught up when getting his head chopped off by the Green Knight. Since Gawain did not give Bertilak the girdle his knightly dishonor became his fate and got nicked on the neck by the Green Giant’s axe. This is related to the hunting scene because Reynard was escaping his fate with Bertilak just as Gawain was. Reynard was the fox that Bertilak was hunting. Reynard was very sneaky and was able to evade Bertilak for a short moment of time escaping the traps and the hounds. Just like Gawain Reynard had to escape challenges to try to escape their destiny. Although Reynard was able to sneak his way out of getting caught for a short period of time he still was not able to escape the grasp of

Thus, for three days the host and Gawain exchange their winnings. On the first eve the host give's Gawain the deer that hehas hunted, while Gawain gives the host a kiss to return what he has received from the host's wife. The second day the same procedure takes place; a hunted boar on the host's side is exchanged for two kisses on Gawain's part. All is well until the third day. On the third day Gawain deceives the hos. Instead of giving the host all that he has acquired (the three kisses and the magic girdle), he hides the magic girdle and only gives the host the three kisses that the host's wife has given him in the morning.

Our attention now turns towards Gawain, who is still asleep in bed. He awakes to find the lord's wife entering his room; surprised, he quickly pretends he's asleep. She sits beside him on the bed, pins him down and points out that her lord is away and the rest of the castle is asleep. This is the first test Gawain faces, where he is tempted to break his knightly code of honor. The wife offers herself to him for sexual pleasure. Gawain is tempted by this offer but fends off her aggressive attempt by politely declining, stating that she is "bound to a better man."(228)

This points out a serious conflict; in the game of courtly love, a man is forced outside of the traditional male hierarchies, placed on equal footing with a woman, and not subject to the feudal loyalty system. Above all, unlike the other contests established by men where the rules are clearly defined, the Lady's game is ambiguous. <br><br>It is meaningful that the bedroom scenes are juxtaposed with scenes from Bertilak's hunts. It seems as if this is what the Gawain poet intended to suggest when he positioned the bedroom scenes within the hunt scenes. The hunt scenes show an unambiguous world of men and an appropriate venue for male chivalric action. The men are outside, in vigorous, heroic, manly pursuit, training for what is really the purpose of chivalry--the defense of the land and the service of the Church. Clear hierarchies and rules are meticoulously explained; the lord is in the lead, the boldest and most active, and detail is spent in each hunting scene describing the rules of carving and distributing the days spoils. While the hunt is going on Gawain is lying in bed, and this is mentioned in each hunting scene to emphasize the contrast. In contrast to the hunt scenes, Gawain's situation seems too pleasurable, bordering on the sin of luxury and representing a private world outside of the traditional hierarchies, rules and

The following morning, the lord rides out in pursuit of deer, while Gawain is accompanied by the lady of the castle. The lady tries to seduce Gawain, but he politely refuses her advances. However, she kisses him before she departs. After returning to the castle, the lord presents Gawain with a deer, for which Gawain exchanges the kiss he had received from the lord's

By portraying Gawain as noble and honorable, the poet is able to shock the reader with actions that are uncharacteristic of a chivalrous knight. The first of these conflicting actions is obvious in the temptation of Gawain by his host's lady. This lady, the huntress, seeks to pursue Gawain in order to fool him into actions that contrast the knightly ideal. She will do anything to accomplish these actions in him, even through sexual temptations. With another man's wife pursuing him, Gawain must be courtly to the lady, but at the same time must deny her advances. This unavoidable conflict creates a fear within Gawain. Upon discovering that the lovely lady was approaching him in bed, Gawain lays a sleep, in order to &quot;try her intent&quot; (1199). This action reveals Gawain's fear that his host's lady is pursuing him. This unavoidable fear causes his failure of courtliness, for Gawain would have claimed a kiss from the lady, but did not. The lady ridicules him for this, even though, the situation was unavoidable. Gawain must abide by his morals and abstain from immoral thoughts, while at the same time being a courteous guest. Moreover, Gawain is forced to make a choice between courtesy and adultery, either of which would result in the dishonor of the lady ,his host, or Gawain himself. By choosing to return each of the following kisses received, Gawain is able

The first temptation of Gawain is perhaps the most difficult for him to defend. This temptation corresponds with the hunt scene involving a deer, In terms of the hunt, the deer is hunted because it is a staple of the diet, or it is something that satisfies a person. In the same manner, the Lord's wife viewed Gawain as art animal that she was hunting. She was pursued him on the sole basis of her carnal desire. This, her first temptation, is totally sexual. She says "Do with me as you will: that well pleases Inc.,/ For I Surrender speedily and sue for grace Which, to my mind, since I must, is much the best Course" (1215-1217-) She is viewing Gawain much as a hunter would view a deer. She has no interest in any kind of relationship, and she is not extensively flirting with him as she does in the next two temptations; she simply wants sex from him, plain and simple. She is, in a sense, "hunting" Gawain; hunting in that she is pursuing Gawain for the sole purpose of making him her trophy. If he falls prey to this temptation, then she has slain him. In his reaction to the lady, Gawain acts much

Sir Gawain keeps his agreement with Bertilak, they exchange the venison for the kiss Sir Gawain receives. Therefore, Gawain maintains his innocence and honor.

Part Three of the tale is the peak of Gawain’s obstacles in the form of the Lady Bercilak. He is repeatedly tested in a psychological game of chivalry against courtesy. To Gawain, the Lady Bercilak is even “Lovelier than Guenevere” (line 945), his own queen, so it is no doubt that the challenge imparted upon him by her attempts at seduction is a great one indeed. In addition, Gawain also must compete in Lord Bercilak’s game of trading each day’s winnings for the winnings of the other