Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 3 and 4


In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" it is perhaps the wife's green girdle that leads to his sins. "For the man that possesses this piece of silk/If he bore it on his body, belted about/ There is no hand under heaven that could hew him down/ For he could not be killed by any craft on Earth" (199-200 lines 1851-1854). Gawain decided to take the wife's girdle in order to save his life against the Green Knight; however, he lied to the host, Bertilak, and dishonored his loyalty. (one of his five virtues) I wonder why a girdle? Is it because a girdle is a sexual item in which the wife is trying to get Gawain to commit? Or the fact that it is made "of gay green silk" (199 line 1832). I think right then green signifies the Green Knight. I find this game very interesting simply for the fact that Bertilak is hunting animals, while his wife is "hunting" Gawain.
I also want to say that the way this tale ends is amazing for the fact that I had suspected the host to be The Green Knight,but it was confirmed. The Green Knight barely cut Gawain and spared his life. I wonder why? So everyone would know that the great Sir Gawain, knight of the round table, lied and lived the rest of his life with a girdle on his wrist? I find this very interesting that Morgan La Faye, the old lady, is behind this whole tale in order to do anything she can to ruin the lives of King Arthur and his wife.

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