Category: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a 14th century poem by an unknown author, describing the adventures of the knight Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur. The work continues the tradition of Arthurian chivalric romances and most fully reveals Gawain as a character (Florschuetz 158). In addition to the protagonist in the poem, there are some other characters: the brave Bertilak, who turned out to be the Green Knight, the Lady of Hautdesert and Morgan le Fay. The female roles are either taken from many other classical medieval works, or very similar to them, but their purpose is extremely unusual and atypical for the literature of the time.

The Lady of Hautdesert, who appeared in the poem as Bertilaks wife, has an important role to play. Gawain is fascinated by her, he even puts her beauty above the beauty of Guinevere, the wife of King Arthur (Tolkien 83). The Lady of Hautdesert, possessing natural persuasiveness and charm, challenges Gawain, inviting him to justify his reputation as the most loyal and courteous knight. From the point of view of the protagonist, she seems to him a seductress, but from the work it turns out that Lady Bertilak is a faithful wife. She was the initiator of the relationship with Gawain, persuaded him to break his promise, giving his green belt, but all these actions were the result of a collusion with her husband, Bertilak.

The Lady of Hautdesert evolves over the course of the poems plot. At first, she appears as the ideal of beauty. After that, Lady Bertilak becomes the cause of concern for the knight Gawain  she shows him various signs of attention in secret from all the courtiers, including her husband. Gawain finds himself shackled by a sense of duty, parenting and religious laws, which ultimately leads him to mourn womens tricks and how they suppress strong men (J. Burrow 110). Nevertheless, at the end of the poem, the Lady of Hautdesert is shown as a humble wife who was never empowered. However, the character of Lady Bertilak confirms the fact that in the Middle Ages there were strong and attractive women who know exactly what they want.

Morgan le Fay appears in the poem with the mistress of the castle. The description of a beautiful young woman in contrast to the image of an ugly old woman is a classic technique of poets of the Middle Ages (J. A. Burrow 362). Morgan occupies an honorable position in the castle and, as it turns out from the plot, plays the role of the shadow engine of the whole story. Unlike Lady Bertilak, she is endowed with power, because even Bertilak calls her Goddess Morgan. In various interpretations, one can find a comparison of the character of Morgan le Fay with a distant and threatening image of a mother or a mythical figure of a wise old witch (J. A. Burrow 367). In confirmation of the latter, she has magical abilities, so it is not surprising that she has great influence on the Bertilak couple.

There is an idea that Morgan le Fay and Lady Bertilak are two sides of the same character, like Bertilak and the Green Knight. Indeed, both women seek to lead the situation, one of them  staying in the shadows, like the Green Knight, the second  coming to the fore. Despite the fact that the main characters in medieval novels were men, women always accompany them on the way, inspire them to feats and protect them, pacifying their courage. However, in this poem, women are revealed in the role of checking the loyalty and purity of the knight, with the goal of finding a gap in his impeccable behavior. For such a test, they themselves really possess all the knightly qualities: courage, dedication, and loyalty.

Works Cited

Burrow, John Anthony. A Reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Routledge, 2019.

Burrow, John. The Conclusion of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Three Knightly Verdicts. Essays in Criticism, vol. 67, no. 2, 2017, pp. 103-115.

Florschuetz, Angela L. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Canonicity, and Audience Participation. Transformative Works and Cultures, vol. 30, 2019, pp. 156-173.

Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel, et al., eds. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Oxford UP, 1967.

Introduction

The article by Ina Rae Hark (1974) provides the comprehensive analysis of the epic poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The major argument presented by Hark (1974) concerns the mentioned poems being an atypical example of the heroic literature of the early medieval period. The leading points that the author uses to support this argument focus mainly on the comparative analysis of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight with other works of the same period and epoch like for example Fled Bricend, Caradoc, and Perlesvaus (Hark, 1974, pp. 1  2). The essence of Harks (1974) argument is that the very way in which the knights adventures are depicted, the goal of the adventures, and the glory that the knight Gawain obtains as a result are not typical for epic literature as usually the heroes gloriously win their rivals and obtain rewards for this, while Sir Gawains goal in the poem was to pursue his own death.

Harks Article Analysis

Discussion

In more detail, Hark (1974) argues in her article that the very purpose for which Sir Gawain set off to the Green Chappel can not be observed in any other epic poem of the period (p. 1). According to Hark (1974), the traditional goal for which a hero of a medieval epic poem would set off and pursue the meeting with his rival is the victory that would grant this knight some material of spiritual reward, a princess to marry or a country to rule (p. 2). In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the main hero pursues his own death that would inevitably meet him on seeing his rival, the Green Knight, and this point is not understandable for Hark (1974), who does not see any heroic features in this heroic poem.

Moreover, Hark (1974) sees nothing heroic in the poem outcome as Gawain receives social judgment and a sort of scorn for breaking his promise to the host of the castle he rested in while waiting for meeting the Green Knight, i. e. Bercilack (Hark, 1974, p. 7). Further on, the author of the article wonders while analyzing Sir Gawain and the Green Knight what were the driving factors for Gawain to resist Bercilacks wifes seduction attempts and then still hide her gift from Bercilack. All these points catch the readers attention at once when he or she read the article, but the assessment given to Harks (1974) ideas can be different, and might not always agree with the author.

Assessment

Thus, the main idea that caught my mind after reading the article is that the argument by Hark (1974) is too single-sided, meaning that Hark (1974) is focused on the traditional epic poems features and this is the factor that prevents the author from observing other heroic traits and aspects in Gawains conduct as described in the poem. I am firm in sticking to the point of view that the argument by Hark (1974), although being a well-documented and perfectly grounded idea, lacks comprehensiveness, i. e. fails to observe the features of the heroic poem in the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

In more detail, I do not agree with the point made by Hark (1974) that Gawains traits and activities are not heroic and not typical of the knights depicted in the traditional epic poems of the Middle Ages. I am strongly convinced that the features of the heroic poem that can be observed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight include the readiness of Gawain to sacrifice his life for keeping his word given to the Green Knight. Having promised to meet the latter in a year and a day, Gawain readily sets off and finds the Green Knight (Greenblatt et al., 2006, p. 119). To me, such a step illustrates the chivalrous romance, lack of which is discussed by Hark (1974), better than killing a dragon or wining a knight tournament. As well, being able to resist the seduction and remain honest to Bercilack, the man who allowed him to spend a night in his castle (Greenblatt et al., 2006, p. 121), weighs more than a military victory in the sense of human relations and chivalrous principles in these relations.

Conclusions

Therefore, concluding this paper I should state once again that the article by Hark (1974) is a well-documented and perfectly grounded analysis of the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the context of the scholarly research and other poems of the same kind. However, I am strongly convinced that the article lacks variety of opinions, meaning that it considers the poem from one point of view ignoring the hidden, implicit, chivalrous and heroic features that the actions by Sir Gawain reveal in the course of the poem. Therefore, respecting the scholarly opinion by Ina Rae Hark (1974), I still have specific opinion on the quality of the analysis of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that this article provides.

Works Cited

Greenblatt, Stepher et al. (Eds.). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. W.W. Norton & Co.; 8th edition, 2006. Print.

Hark, Ina Rae. Gawains Passive Quest. Comitatus: A Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 5.1 (1974): 1  13.

Medieval literature is often difficult to understand not only because the English was different in that time, but because the way in which they were written was intended for a more oral audience than a literate one. Within this story, Gawain is seen to be under the care of King Arthur when the Green Knight appears in his court. When Arthurs court is criticized for cowardice by the Green Knight, someone must rise to the challenge as a means of protecting the honor of the court. To prevent the king from risking his own neck, Gawain proves his loyalty, courage and honor by accepting the Green Knights challenge himself. The rest of the story follows Gawains attempts to find the Green Knights castle in order to keep his appointment to have his head chopped off. Although the story is widely accepted to be teaching the readers or listeners about the important elements of being a knight, there is also a great deal of hidden meaning in the story, such as its criticism of the male-ordered civility represented by King Arthur and his knights as they turned their backs on nature and the natural element in man.

At the beginning of the story, Gawain comes to the realization that he is the only one capable of accepting the challenge of the Green Knight who has come bursting into Arthurs court issuing a Christmas day challenge. This is, in large part, the result of his conclusion that he is the least valuable knight in the court and therefore the one most expendable should he fail to win the challenge. I am the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom, I know, and my life, if lost, would be least missed, truly (I.16.354-355). In the context of defining the true knight, humility of this sort is seen to be prized over bravery. According to Garbis, an important element of the Arthurian tradition is the concept of the reluctant hero. Some kind of shock occurs that makes one aware of the self (Garbis, 2002). However, as everyone is concentrating on Gawains stunning humility, it often goes unnoticed that the Green Knight is largely supernatural and has forced his way into the civilized realm. His coloring and the coloring of his horse suggest he is most closely associated with nature and his ability to survive having his head cut off further associates him with the power of regeneration and recovery only found in nature. Gawain, the most inferior and thus most womanly of the knights, is the only one to answer the Green Knights call, indicating he is perhaps slightly more in touch with nature than the others, or at least is more willing to discover more about it rather than simply shutting it outside.

The concept of civility was also obviously an important element of the true knight as part of the heroic code of the more Christian-minded society of Sir Gawain and is a great component of the lessons that Gawain learns as a result of his process through this adventure. During the three days that Gawain spends with Lord Bercilak and his wife, the lord goes hunting while the lady attempts to seduce Gawain, with the test being whether Gawain will honor his agreement with the lord to exchange all that they gained each day. Gawain resists the ladys temptations the first two days accepting only a few relatively chaste kisses from the lady and dutifully giving the lord the kisses he received each evening. Throughout his story, Gawain is faced with the mutually exclusive choices in determining which portions of the chivalric code to uphold when he is faced with the natural and unavoidable advances of the Lady. The natural inclination is to accept what she so arduously presses upon him and can be justified by the chivalric code as a knight is never supposed to refuse a lady (Price, 1997). However, it was also important that a true knight adhere to the Christian codes of morality by not participating in adultery and upholding the expectations of society. In doing this, he remains somewhat within the boundaries of polite, civilized society even though the society he is keeping is not necessarily playing by the same rules as women were generally not permitted to hunt.

However, he fails to produce the green girdle the lady provides him on the third day. This is because the lady has promised him that the girdle will offer him protection from death when the Green Knight strikes: For the man that binds his body with this belt of green, as long as he laps it closely about him, no hero under heaven can hack him to pieces, for he cannot be killed by any cunning on earth (II.74.1851-1854). When Gawain faces the Green Knight on the appointed day, he learns it is really Lord Bercilak, who delivers two false blows of the axe and barely nicks Gawain with the third as punishment for his failure regarding the girdle. He does not kill him because Gawain has shown an appropriate sense of his own mortality in desiring to keep the ladys gift and his own life. Gawain is forced to make a choice between courtesy and adultery, either of which would result in the dishonor of either the lady or his host, respectively (Kallday, 2007), but accepting the green girdle suggests that Gawain is at least willing to consider the needs of nature and this gains him some leniency. Through this exchange, the Green Knight has been teaching Gawain the necessity of staying true to the knights code.

Again, however, there are important meanings behind the hunting and the green girdle that arent explicitly mentioned in the story. While the lord goes outside to hunt the wild game of the forest, he leaves his lady behind to hunt in the interior spaces of the castle, seeming to acknowledge her need for sport and game as being easily as strong as his own. This is important because women often were seen to embody nature, so to understand nature was to understand women and to neglect women was to neglect nature. Gawain struggles throughout this period to balance his commitment to man and civilization through his agreement with Lord Bercilak and his commitment to nature and the laws of women that run contradictory to civilized understandings. The Lady Bertilak is often seen in green gowns to reinforce this connection and the green girdle she gives him is both symbolic of natures protection and an item of womens clothing. Gawains decision to keep the girdle rather than handing it over to Lord Bercilak in fulfillment of his agreement indicates his final understanding that the powers of nature will always override the powers of man as Gawain keeps the girdle in order to survive his meeting with the Green Knight the next day.

In keeping with his true heros humility, Gawain returns to Arthurs castle with nothing more than a small cut on his neck and a green girdle as prize for his adventure. His heros story is reduced to a confession of great sin and his grand memorial is not to attain a throne of his own but to be reminded of his shame and humiliation by every knight of the realm wearing a bit of green to commemorate the occasion. Gawain tells the court, this is the figure of the faithlessness found in me, which I must wear while I live. For man can conceal sin but not dissever from it, so when it is once fixed, it will never be worked loose (IV.101.2509-2512). The other knights adopt green adornments in amicable agreement with Gawain that they must have something to keep them humble and with a half-joking spirit, but they have little idea of the true meaning in this action as they acknowledge, along with Gawain, that nature is by far more powerful than any force they might bring to bear.

Works Cited

Garbis, Michelle R. Archetypes. (2002). Web.

Kallday, TM. Gawain: Noble or Naïve? (2007). Web.

Price, Brian R. A Code of Chivalry. Chronique. (1997). Web.

Stone, Brian (Trans.). New York: Penguin Classics, 1974.

An original English chivalric verse, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, was written at the end of the XIV century by an anonymous author and kept in a single manuscript. In verse, the poet generates conflict between Christianity and paganism for the purpose of challenging and examining the very principles that Sir Gawain, the idealized warrior, values the most. This struggle reveals human natures reluctance to comply with several of the highest moral obligations that Christianity and medieval society place on the knight, who embodies the best that the Almighty and the ruler have to offer. As a result, specific moments of the narration shed light on the tension between Christianity and remnants of paganism.

The narrative begins with a complimentary contrast of Christianity and chivalry principles, implying that they coexist. Here Sir Gawain embodies the highest degree of respect, courage, and faithfulness, as well as an unwavering confidence in the divine power (Slojka, 2016). Sir Gawain treasures these values, and every deed of the man is considered and analyzed according to the expectations of the court and Lord. Nevertheless, according to the story, Sir Gawain fails to complete the mission, he particularly fails in his faith in God (Gawain Poet, 2021). This acts as the principal foundation for deciphering the narratives message.

In order to show the tension between beliefs, another character is introduced, the Green Knight. Gawain leaves the kingdom to confront the antagonist but encounters several obstacles on his way (Gawain Poet, 2021). Nature is chaotic and desperately tries to kill him, whether with the help of snakes, wolves or by the severe starvation and extreme cold conspiring against him (Gawain Poet, 2021). These are pagan images of anarchy, typified by natures incapacity to comprehend justice and morality and, instead, exposing itself to Sir Gawains frailty. They are not the grand challenges that a hero is used to, but instead brutal attacks on this character. The man is on the verge of death when he begs God to spare him from this terrible fate.

Thus, if Gawain symbolizes Christianitys most devoted warrior, its finest and purest, then the Green Knight who fights Gawain symbolizes the filthiest ideas of paganism that are entirely opposed to Christianity. Christianity is relatively new in terms of time, and nature, along with its pagan worshippers, has always existed in various forms. Nature is older, smarter, and more potent than Christianity, making believers, such as the knight, fragile.

Conversely, the Green Knights strength and maturity represent these characteristics related to pagan values. The Green Knight had a big beard which reminded a bush, implying a generational difference between him and the kingdom, which primarily constituted children without beards (Gawain Poet, 2021). Additionally, when Gawain delivers the very first strike to the Green Knight under tournament circumstances, his head drops to the floor, but the man grabs it, which indicates natures regeneration capabilities (Gawain Poet, 2021). This way, the character shows his pagan power contrasted to Christians who are only aware of death.

The underlying message of this interaction is that this is the first true struggle to Gawains religious views. As soon as the diabolical Green Knight makes the dilemma recognized, the pagan tries to tell Gawain that if he keeps failing to maintain his agreements and standards, he will be considered a recreant knight. As a result, this placed Gawains confidence and trust instantly in danger and intertwined with the upcoming death.

Until Gawain encounters the Green Knight at the Green Chapel, the character is subjected to a series of lures, which he is unable to resist, and which comprise the storys central theme. Though the character may have succeeded in the most insignificant primitive desires, he seems unable to repeat his willpower when presented with silk, which would allow him to remain immortal. When he takes the garment and wears it to the final battle, he eventually chooses pagan sorcery and wisdom over Christianitys alleged wonder and Gods mercy to allow him to live (Weston, 2021). The knight decides not to depend on the most vital aspect of his chivalry character, and this grave sin leads to his demise as a knight.

Hence, nature is inextricably linked to the human mind and destiny. Sir Gawain eventually becomes wayward, attempting to overcome the shortcomings of his mission. The readers are left to ponder the possibility that any romanticism of the past may have been only that, in all its impossible glory. They will relive the moments of the noble knights adventure and danger, but the truth of natures decisive triumph over any spiritual virtue is inevitable. Eventually, theyd recognize that theres no way around the truth that all Christians and all people are prone to wrongdoing. The knight valued his life more than his knightly integrity and religious philosophy. Though Gawain is a great, flawless warrior and one of the most devoted Christians, nature compels him to question his mortality and reevaluate what it means to be a Christian.

Works Cited

Gawain Poet. (2021). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: The Original and Translated Version. Ragged Hand.

Slojka, E. (2016). Obligation, Marvel, and Passion in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The Mediaeval Journal, 6(2), 81-109.

Weston, J.L. (2021). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Dover Publications.

Introduction

The English language, like many other languages, has its own history. It can be shaped in points on division into several periods. It is necessary to admit that English originates from the Anglo-Saxon people who came to the Albion after the Celts settled the land. In this respect one should bear in mind the strict division of the English language into Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English. Each of them designates particular events and changes that were apparent in the historical cut. In this respect, the paper is devoted to the research provided in terms of the Middle English (ME) period which is indicated to be between 1100 and 1500. The trendy influences and changes in the structural estimation of the language are depicted in the example of the book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which represents the language in its poetical and literature outlook with points on the morphology, phonology, orthography, and diction of the language at that period of time.

General estimation

The poem under analysis is the representation of the Middle English language maintained in the form of narrative and some points on difficult versification and style of it. Alliteration is seen in it, but actually before analyzing the linguistic aspects of the verse, one should note that the work is a vivid description of the Medieval England of the Arthurian epoch when knights, brevity, honor, and courage were obvious for representatives of Anglo-Saxon people. Here the emergence of an unknown green knight is depicted to be the core of the problematic features of great splendor in the poem. In this respect the nephew of King Arthur, Sir Gawain takes up the challenge coming from the Green Knight. The story renders the reality of that time and that every event. Nonetheless, it is vital to approach the poem with particular enthusiasm as for the linguistic concernment and analysis of the poem.

Morphology

The morphological change in the English language in its Middle period presupposes the appearance of several suffixes and prefixes which made language with more identities to the grammatical categories of parts of speech, gender. Furthermore, the words and the nouns began displaying their state of materiality and process with such suffixes as able, -ness, -ful, and others (Moats, 1999). In this respect, the poem has many features where new suffixes appear. For instance, the line Þe borne blubred Þ as hit boyled hade is, first of all, translated into Modern English as burn bubbled; boiled (Treharne, 2004, p. 642). Here the inflectional suffix ed can be outlined. Moreover, its significance became vital for the representation of the Past tenses and Participle II. Moreover, the morphology and its development during the whole poem is considered with the influence of French lexical units (almost 62% of the whole text) with their direct relation to the Latin language from which English borrowed at this period more than 50% of words (Glenn, 1970).

Line number 2220 shows the appearance of some new elements in morphology: And with quettyng awharf, er he wolde ly¶t which is grinding; returned; come down (Treharne, 2004, p. 643). Here the Latin impacts are felt in emergence of the suffix ing for description of Participle I and other ing forms which were developed later. All in all, the poem represents rather distinctive morphological changes due to the process of communication and constant conquests.

Phonology

In this very period the language was peculiar in its Germanic relation. This is why many sounds were described due to the word combinations which were particular for the German language. One of them is gh which should be pronounced in some respect to the middle sound between modern sounds g and a modern k (Menzer, 2009). In this respect, one element from the title of the poem should follow this phonological pattern, namely the word knight  knight. In the first graphical representation letter k should also be pronounced.

Þene herde he of Þat hy¶e hil, in a harde roche
Bi¶onde Þe broke, in a bonk, a wonder breme noyse (Treharne, 2004, p. 643).

In the above-represented excerpt, the ending vowel e can be sounded if it fits the rhyming of the poem (Menzer, 2009). Thus, the similarities with the Germanic hade also contemplate pronunciation of this word with sound e in the end. All in all, some rules of pronunciation presupposed the reading of words in the way they were graphically depicted.

Orthography

The orthographical peculiarity of letters in the Middle English can be compared by linguists today in some points with the transcriptional representation of sounds. This idea can be simply assumed when looking at the poem. The orthography is particular in such combinations of letters as are changing into in words like why, who, what (Everson, 2007). Such Cornish orthography was dominating since the early Middle English period. In the poem it is vital to admit such peculiarities in orthography on the example of the following line: Who sti¶tlez in Þis sted me steven to holde (Treharne, 2004, p. 643)? However, in line 2244 the process of replacement or substitution of letters has apparently an old outlook: Nwe ¶ere (New Year) (Treharne, 2004, p. 644). Furthermore, the orthographical composition provided in the poem describes the manner of particular rhyming of the words and phrases in it.

Dictionary

The dictionary of the Middle English is peculiar for its urge in borrowing foreign words. The period actually begins with the event of 1066 when William the Conqueror began Norman invasion of England and also French words appeared along with the genuine graphical implementation of Latin terms. For example, in 2177 there are two examples of French loans which are obvious in the following representation riche and braunche (Treharne, 2004). The Latin approach is seen in the line 2179 on the example of word Debatande (Treharne, 2004). In fact, the dictionary of the excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is full of French and Latin words in most cases.

Conclusion

The poem under analysis shows the representation of the Middle English language in terms of its four main constituents, such as: morphology, phonology, orthography, and dictionary. The medieval story about the deeds of sir Gawain provide a scope of linguistic features which distinctively depict the peculiarities about the epoch before the Great Vowel Shift and root changes of the English language and its spread throughout the world. The Germanic origin of English showed also its ability to borrow new words for new implementation. It is not surprising why the English language is Lingua Franca today owing to its long history of loaning new words and changing in turn the structure of the language.

Reference

Everson, M. (2007). On and in Cornish orthography. Web.

Glenn, J. A. (1970). Notes on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Web.

Menzer, M. J. (2009). Middle English Vowels (Before the Great Vowel Shift [c. 1400-1500]). Web.

Moats, P. (1999). Language Structure. Web.

Treharne, E. M. (2004). Old and Middle English c.890-c.1400: an anthology (2^nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell.

Throughout the poem of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the poet uses similar language to describe the two challenges Sir Gawain must face. The poet uses “covenaunt,” “fayth,” and ‘grene” to showcase the connection between these two challenges. Sir Gawain deals with challenges of character and psychological strength while dealing with the Green Knight and the lord, and the poet makes use of their precise language choice to illuminate the correlation.

The word “covenaunt” can have many different meanings in Middle English, but most of them include a bond, agreement, or promise that connects two or more individuals. The Gawain Poet uses the word “couvenaunt” when explaining the two challenges to show one of the true meanings behind said challenges: to test Gawain’s character and his loyalty to the lord and Arthur. Gawain’s character is called into question during his two challenges with the Green Knight and the lord. The quotes “[c]lanly al the covenaunt that I the kynge asked / [s]af that thou schal siker me, segge, bi thi trawthe / [t]hat thou schal seche me thiself, where-so thou hopes / I may be funde upon folde, and foch the such wages / [a]s thou deles me to-day bifore this douthe ryche,” (393-397) and “[and] thou knowez the covenauntez kest uus bytwene / [a]t this tyme twelmonyth thou toke that the falled / [a]nd I schulde at this Nwe Yere yeply the quyte,” (2242-2244) are a perfect starting point to explain how and why The Gawain Poet uses symmetrical diction to emphasize the interrelation between Gawain’s challenges. The Green Knight is very focused on Gawain’s character and, ultimately, sets up the tests to challenge the “covenaunt” of Arthur, Sir Gawain, and the Knights of the Round Table, thus making it clear to connect them with the multiple uses of the word “covenaunt” throughout the Fitts.

The poet helps show the similarities by connecting them with their uses of the word “fayth.” “Fayth,” in Middle English, means “confidence in a person with reference to truthfulness,” according to the Middle English Compendium. This helps show how Gawain’s psychological strength is tested when the lord brings him presents from his hunting expeditions; he must refrain from telling the lord that his own wife is giving him the kisses, while still graciously accepting the game the lord brings to him. “‘Madame,’ quoth the myry mon, ‘Mary yow yelde / [f]or I haf founden, in god fayth, yowre fraunchis nobele / [a]nd other ful much of other folk fongen bi hor dedez,’” (1263-1265). His psychological strength is also tested when he steps up and recognizes himself as the one who must accept the Green Knight’s challenges, instead of King Arthur. This challenges Gawain’s psychological strength because he believes he is unfit to fight but chooses to in order to protect his King. “‘In goud faythe,’ quoth Gawayn, ‘God yow foryelde! / Gret is the gode gle, and gomen to me huge / [t]hat so worthy as ye wolde wynne hidere / [a]nd pyne yow with so pouer a man, as play wyth your knyght,’” (1535-1539). The poet uses the word “fayth” in these two instances to marry the importance of the challenges and show the connectivity.

The reoccurrence of green, or “grene” in Middle English, throughout this poem emphasizes the connection between Gawain’s challenges by showing the audience that there is an obvious connection between the Green Knight and the lord. Gawain chooses to keep the token of the green girdle that the lord’s wife gave him, in order to save himself from being killed by the Green Knight. “Ho lacht a lace lyghtly that leke umbe hir sydez / [k]nit upon hir kyrtel under the clere mantyle / [g]ered hit watz with grene sylke and with golde schaped / [n]oght bot arounde brayden, beten with fyngrez,” (1830-1833). The poet’s use of “grene” here proves to be an unmistakable call to the “grene” of the Green Knight. “And al grathed in grene this gome and his wedes / [a] strayte cote ful streght, that stek on his sides / [a] meré mantile abof, mensked withinne” (151-153). This is so significant to the poem because the girdle is Gawain’s last test from the lord – a test in which he fails. When Gawain goes to the Green Chapel, the Green Knight notices the girdle and speaks on Gawain’s mistrust; however, he notes that Sir Gawain values his life and his honor, and that is why he chose to wear it for the Green Knight to see. Ultimately, Sir Gawain’s life is spared, but his dignity is not.

The Gawain poet’s diction and precise language throughout the poem allude to connections of the challenges. The uses of “covenaunt” show that the bond and honor of Sir Gawain and Arthur are tested in the first challenge, and the honor and bond of Sir Gawain and the lord are tested in the second. The repetition of “fayth” helps the author convey that the trustfulness of Sir Gawain, both to the lord and to Arthur and the kingdom, are matters to be approached in both challenges. Lastly, the reoccurrence of “grene” throughout the poem, and throughout the two challenges, helps show the readers and audience the similarities between the Green Knight, the lord, and the challenges Sir Gawain must face.

Today, our society is accustomed to vast changes in perspective of sexuality and new challenges of sexual norms. It appears these perspectives are new, but these changing perspectives can be traced back to the Middle Ages. These topics are illustrated through many works of literature. Two texts that best exemplify topics of sexual politics are Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Both works were transformative of perspectives on these topics in their respective publication periods. Their impact is just a small part of a transcendent movement of change. Twelfth Night and Sir Gawain can be examined for a comparison of similarities relating to the topics of sexual politics in romance.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight displays an intriguing point of view on sex parallels with regards to subjects of sentiment and sexuality. The story delineates preliminaries of adoration through the vehicle of language games and verbal jousting. A typical paired in an affection joust is that men normally claim to oppose ladies’ enchantment. Gawain’s character is extraordinary and runs contrary to the natural order of things of this standard by being truly uninterested in wronging the Lord. Gawain must oppose her tests while staying courageous, “I’ll contentedly attend whatever task you set, and in serving your desires…” (Greenblatt, pg. 229, 1214-1215). Lady Bertilak attempts to seduce Gawain, “Bide in your bed – my own plan is better. I’ll tuck in your covers corner to corner, then playfully parley with the man I have pinned” (pg. 229, 1223-1225). As promised, Gawain resists through dignified joust, “That lovely-looking maid, she charmed him and she chased. But every move she made he countered, case by case” (pg. 230, 1259-1262). This addresses the liminality between truth and trial of enticement exemplified by Gawain’s adventure. While his character is depicted as a decent man who respects women and the faithfulness of marital relationships, he assumes a typical gender role. There is disintegration from this role when Gawain makes his bet with the Lord to trade every one of their rewards along his voyage. His character’s reintegration into the gender role comes when he reunites with the knights and Lord. It appears to be evident that the tests were ineffectual, and the roles returned to normal. It is possible that a romance story could include these tests of gender binaries and avoid the relapse, furthering character development through assertive challenges of the norm.

The theme of sexual politics can be exemplified in Twelfth Night by examining the relationship between Cesario and Olivia. Olivia who had before precluded the affection from claiming Orsino, suddenly gets herself frantically enamored with Cesario, the page boy who is actually Viola. In any case, it turns out to be very certain that Olivia finds in Viola some natural ladylike characteristics with which she experiences passionate feelings for. Even though the content subverts such potential outcomes by advising us that Olivia’s is uninformed that Cesario is really a female however Olivia’s fascination for Viola stems precisely from the more ladylike attributes. Olivia’s words enable an advanced crowd to peruse her as suspecting or in any event, realizing that Cesario is in truth a female, yet deciding to adore him/her in any case. Olivia’s portrayal of Cesario’s excellence both in the third demonstration and in their first experience, adulates ordinarily ladylike characteristics yet inquisitively doesn’t scrutinize Cesario’s sex. Olivia’s examination of adoration to blame, “A murd’rous guilt shows not itself more soon / Than love that would seem hid” (pg.774, 144-145) further makes us wonder whether Olivia is blameworthy about her homoerotic interests. In addition, when Olivia announces that ‘Nor wit nor reason can my passion hide’ (pg. 774, 149), she may be alluding to same-sex love which in those occasions were viewed as against all rationale. The unconventionality of Olivia’s fascination towards Viola makes her state that she has fallen into ‘abatement and low price’.

Viola also shows homoerotic interests for Olivia. Although this part of her character is maintained a strategic distance from in many readings of the play, a close examination of the content can uncover that Viola also displays gay interests for Olivia. As the mediator between Orsino and Olivia, Viola ends up being a more effective man than Orsino. Viola fills the role of Cesario that she seduces Olivia. Viola is very straightforward as she lifted Olivia’s veil during their first meeting. She is likewise found energetically lauding Olivia’s magnificence, “But, if you were the devil, you are fair” (pg. 754, 237). In a play where the hints of homoerotic interests are found in bounty, it would not be too fantastical to reason that every one of these viewpoints point to the homoerotic side in Viola.

The examples of Gawain’s fluctuation of gender role and Cesario and Orsino’s relationship make a solid contrast to help examine the theme critically. The reluctance of reintegration on the part of Gawain’s role is interesting and almost challenge Viola’s actions with her alter ego. This is an interesting point they both support the theme in different ways. The story of Gawain’s journey goes against the grain of chivalry and while also once challenging the male gender role. The issue with Gawain is that reintegration back into the norm at the end of his story; the disintegration is almost rendered pointless by this. The character of Cesario is the similar in the fact that there is a switched gender role. Viola reverts to her own persona by the end of the story, but it can be argued that Cesario was an effective man as any other.

Works Cited

1. Greenblatt, Stephen, et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. W.W. Norton, 2018.

Literature in British has been used to shape society for over one thousand and five hundred years ago. The literature has involved different styles of presentation ranging from poems to modern best-selling books. The British Literature study is a journey that starts with a battle on an Anglo-Saxon and is continued by modern writers as they tackle contemporary issues that affect the society. Along the course of the study, one interacts with the works of legendary writers like Robin Hood and King Arthur who are an important part of the British culture due to their power to captivate. A variety of literature pieces have changed the perspective of society and left an influence on the readers. Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Chaucer’s Tales are such works that have shaped literature with their unique style where the various audience has been the target and has been used to guide society.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has participated in literary traditions in a unique manner where most audience would recognize the work instantly. The authors of the middle age used to apply established materials for their work (Joseph, p. 259). This tale can be read as a story of adventures and magic or as a teaching of morals. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight literature is classified into a genre known as romance. The context is not related to love stories as it does in various European languages in Latin especially the Roman Empire. Popular tales have applied romance languages, especially French. Therefore, romance is a tale of adventure that involves knights on a journey to pursue a particular goal. This tale has employed the use of fantasy and magic to bring out different characters and meanings to society. Hardships are represented by battles with monsters and dragons, visits to mysterious places, and trials to break curses and spells. The literature has also used symbolism where beautiful women are used as initiators of an adventure for them to be rescued or be won over by men.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight have used the old English where the alliteration and repetition of consonants have been used to connect the two halves in the poetic lines. The level of sophistication can be overlooked since the poem has structured the stanzas using rhyming words (Joseph, p. 261). The conclusion of alliterative lines is marked with a word or a phrase that comprises two syllables as well as a quatrain which when combined are known as ”the bob and wheel”. This technique helps to spin the content and the narrative in a complex manner. A sense of suspense is created by this technique that leaves the readers guessing of what will happen in the next episode.

The poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is told in four parts. A feature used in ancient folklore and romance, where three narrative strings are connected to bring out a collective meaning. The first narrative is found in the ancient folklore derived from pagan myths that involve agricultural seasons of crop planting and harvesting (Armitage, n.p). The heroes are temped of their loyalty, honesty, and chastity in the second and third narrative which is a style found in the romance of middle ages. All these three plotlines are separate but connected and intertwine amazingly.

The subject matter used in this poem cuts across society’s beliefs and practices that are experienced in everyday life. For instance, we find that there is a narrative of hatred that is expressed by Morgan le Fayes towards Arthur and Camelot which is his court (Armitage, n.p). The enemy of the round table who appears as a legend and a sorceress is Arthur’s half-sister. Ancient readers knew the role Morgan played in the fall of Camelot. A depiction of the social model of operation is brought out portraying how hatred can result in jealousy and falling of kingdoms.

A historical frame is seen in the second frame of the poem. The myth of Britain’s lineage that is found in the city of Troy is used to begin and end the references through Brutus who was the founder of the Trojans (Joseph, p. 269). From these references, we see the root of the Arthurian romance as traditional literature which is old and more elevated as compared to courtly literature where England and Rome were linked in the fourteenth literature. Thus, we can conclude that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem presents to us the transfer of culture from classical antiquity to mid-age England. An ironic tone is applied in the poem as well as elevation of the legends that hail from his country and its history, in particular, the Arthurian romance.

The theme of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight comprises an open-ended poem where relativism is its character that allows the reader to enjoy the freedom of choice. This is found from the argument ”it is not firmly placed in the perspective of the perspective of absolute values”. The argument points out the poem to be transgressive writing in that it counter runs the expectations that stem from pervasive mid-age philosophies in art. Interpretations of the Green Knight are critical and divergent which is interesting to support the reading. John Speirs explains that he saw Green Knight as a god’s descendant while L.D Benson describing the same character as a combination of a Green Man and woodwose. The Green Knight is a center of controversy and different people interpret differently the exact meaning of this character. Death, devil, and Christ are all interpretations from different people, hence the theme of the poem has been designed to include all the societal superpower beings where humans have minimal or no power. The knights of Camelot are challenged for a beheading game by the Green Knight. This character can be described as ambivalent. The character is represented as half-giant even though he does not share traits that are associated with giants described in medieval romance. His body is well proportioned and his dress code suggests he belongs to the courtly culture.

In a recap, the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has been used to transfer the culture from classical antiquity to medieval England. British literature has been used to study literature where it has it started with Anglo-Saxon to modern literature. The story has also used adventures and characters with unique characteristics in a creative way. Fantasy in the poem is seen in that the characters do not resemble the normal known giants where they are green in appearance- the Green Knight- while others are a sorceress. The poem structure has been built with alliteration and repetition of consonants to connect the two lines of the poem. Agricultural seasons have been incorporated and mixed with the context to bring out the bigger picture of the social setting. Heroes pass through hardship by having to win battles and adverse adventures to become victors. These are the same hardship that is associated with humans in their struggle to survive. Sir Gawain and the Green Night poem has been a piece that has revealed diverse writing styles that employs different tools in literature in expressing societies’ problems.

Works Cited

1. Armitage, S. ”Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: an Introduction.” The British Library, 31 Jan. 2018, www.bl.uk/medieval-literature/articles/sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-an-introduction.
2. Joseph, St J. ”(PDF) Perspectives in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Medieval Transgressive Text?” ResearchGate, 1 Dec. 2016, www.researchgate.net/publication/334430071_Perspectives_in_Sir_Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight_A_Medieval_Transgressive_Text.

Romances are now commonly seen as simply love stories, but the original meaning of a romance is the story of a near perfect hero who goes on a quest. Even though all romances contain the of the same elements, often they differ completely by the way the author writes the story. “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade show many romantic similarities that include: an evil enemy, supernatural elements, near perfect heroes, and female figures; but the differences are how they each face their tests, and how they accomplish their quests.

First off, both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain face an evil enemy, which is not just an actual person or entity, as much as their own personal character flaws. Indiana Jones has a real evil enemy which starts out being the Nazis, but eventually he realizes that his perseverance, that is almost blind and overpowering. this becomes an evil that he has to overcome. Towards the end of Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade he is reaching for the grail and is in danger of falling into an abyss and dying and he says, “I can get it. I can almost reach it, Dad…” And Dr. Jones, his father, says: “Indiana… let it go.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Because he decided to leave the grail, his dad was able to pull him up out of the abyss, they managed to escape and live. But the strong perseverance almost cost him his life and it wasn’t worth it just to get the grail. Like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sir Gawain also starts out with an enemy, the Green Knight, who eventually becomes just an object to reveal the true enemy, a cowardly and disloyal attitude. “Cursed be cowardice and covetous both, villainy and vice that destroy all virtue!” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) says Sir Gawain when he realized that the true enemy is “cowardice and covetous.” The fact that both stories contain a physical evil enemy and also a character flaw which becomes an evil they must overcome, is a similarity between “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Secondly, the romances contain supernatural elements such as: the Holy Grail, and a mysterious knight who gets beheaded and still lives. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” there is a knight dressed totally in green, the Green Knight, who comes into the castle when King Arthur and his knights are sitting at the round table and allows Sir Gawain to swing at his neck with an axe if the Green Knight can swing at his neck with the axe a year later. Sir Gawain agrees and later in the story the Green Knight says: “My head fell off at my feet, yet I never flickered.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) The Green Knight had his head chopped off and it didn’t even harm him, he just picked up his head and rode off. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana meets an old knight who warns him about the mythical Grail and says: “But choose wisely, for while the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) What the knight meant by that is that while the real Grail will give you everlasting life, one of the false grails will make you die quickly. Both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” contain supernatural elements that show they are romances.

Another similarity between both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain is the fact that they both are near-perfect heroes and have character flaws that they deal with in the story. Indiana Jones is a near-perfect hero who is facing an evil enemy and his father refers to both of them being good guys in the story when he says: “My son, we’re pilgrims in an unholy land.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Because they are pilgrims in an unholy land that means that they are the guys doing the right thing. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” Sir Gawain is a near-perfect hero but has a definite character flaw. The Green Knight says to him: “I’m convinced you’re the finest man that ever walked this earth.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) This was right after Sir Gawain’s test, which he failed, but despite his character flaw, the Green Knight still says that to him. That is how Sir Gawain and Indiana Jones are both near perfect heroes.

Yet another similarity is that both Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain deal with a female figure that is somehow part of their test. Indiana Jones has a difficult test because he and the female figure, Elsa, both want to keep the grail, but cannot because the knight told them not to take it past the seal. Indiana says: “Elsa don’t cross the seal. The knight warned us not to take the grail from here!” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) Indiana could have just said, “OK, Elsa. We got it, lets go!”, but he told her not to take it past the seal and that shows that the female figure was important in his test. In “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, there is a female figure who is also part of his test. The female figure in this story is also an important part of Sir Gawain’s test. She is the wife of a lord who Sir Gawain stays with, but the lord is actually the Green Knight who is using his wife to test Sir Gawain. “My own wife gave it to you, as I ought to know. I know, too, of your kisses and all your words and my wife’s advances, for I myself arranged them.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) This is where the Green Knight tells Sir Gawain of how he used his wife to test his loyalty. This shows that both romantic stories have female figures and how they are involved in the testing of the heroes.

So even though Indiana Jones’ test and Sir Gawain’s test both involve female figures and are tests of their a part of their character, only Indiana passes his test. Sir Gawain has a very difficult test, which he almost passes, except for the third part of it. The Green Knight explains it to him: “And so for the first two days, mere feints, nothing more severe. A man who’s true to his word, There’s nothing he needs to fear; You failed me, though, on the third Exchange, so I’ve tapped you here.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) The Green knight was telling Sir Gawain of how he passed the first two tests by giving him the kisses he received, but failed the third by not giving him the sash that his wife gave him. But unlike the Sir Gawain, Indiana Jones passes his central test. He realizes that the grail is not the most important thing and then gives his father his other hand, and is pulled to safety. “I can get it. I can almost reach it, Dad…” Then Dr. Jones says: “Indiana… let it go.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) That is where Indiana passes his test, when he turns from the grail and gives his father his other hand so he can be pulled to safety. So even though both Romantic heroes did have central tests of their character, only Indiana passed his.

Finally their quests differ in that Indiana starts to look for his father than for the grail, but Sir Gawain is just looking for the Green Knight to let him take a swing at his neck. Indiana Jones goes on the quest to find his father and to find what his father was looking for. In a certain part of the movie Indiana is telling Elsa, quite angrily, about their quest so far: “Listen. Since I’ve met you I’ve nearly been incinerated, drowned, shot at, and chopped into fish bait. We’re caught in the middle of something sinister here, my guess is Dad found out more than he was looking for and until I’m sure, I’m going to continue to do things the way I think they should be done.” (‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – Memorable Quotes.’) That sounds very dangerous and he seems quite unsure of what exactly he is looking for. But on the other hand Sir Gawain has figured out where he is going and he knows he has to be there by a certain day. “You’ve timed your travel, my friend, as a true man should. You recall the terms of the contract drawn up between us: at this time a year ago you took your chances.” (“from “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”.”) Sir Gawain knows exactly what he faces unlike Indiana Jones, who has a new danger around every corner. That is how Indiana Jones’ quest and Sir Gawain’s quest differ from each other.

So even though there are many similarities, such as an evil enemy, supernatural elements, and female figures, there are also differences. Both have totally different tests, and different quests. Indiana Jones and Sir Gawain both face an evil enemy who is actually just an object to reveal the real evil; which are their character flaws. There are supernatural elements in both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” such as the Holy Grail that gives eternal life and a Green Knight who gets his head chopped off and isn’t even harmed. In both Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” Indiana and Sir Gawain are near perfect heroes, that have a character flaw that they have to deal with in the story. There are female figures, such as Elsa in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and the Green Knight’s wife in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” that are important in the central test of both Indiana and Sir Gawain. But one of the differences between the two stories is that even though both heroes have female figures and other things in their tests, only Indiana passes his test, while Sir Gawain is disloyal and fails his. The last difference I explained was the differences in Indiana’s and Sir Gawain’s quests. Indiana’s quest is very unpredictable and he is unsure what he is looking for, but Sir Gawain’s quest knows exactly where he is going and knows exactly what, or who, he is looking for. In spite of the similarities and differences in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” both stories contain elements that allow them to be classified as romances.

Women are often portrayed as temptresses in medieval literature such as in the works of “The Miller’s Tale,” by Geoffry Chaucer and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” by, Gawain Poet. In literature, women are often blamed for the downfall of the strong man in the story throughout all history. In both of these stories women are viewed as objects of affection. Temptresses in these stories are made up of the same components and have similar men who think they deserve any woman they choose.

In the story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” by Gawain Poet is a tale about a Green Knight who starts a game with Sir Gawain, leading him to go on a trip to finish the game. When Sir Gawain arrives at Lord Bertilak’s castle he meets the Lady Bertilak, he viewed her as an object of beauty, “she who was fairest in face, form and looks.”(Gawain Poet 40) In this story the Lord Bertilak tries to control his wife, much like in “The Miller’s Tale.” The lord leaves the queen alone often so she is left to fill the absence of love in her life. The Lady Bertilak finds comfort in Sir Gawain’s presence rather than her husbands so she does anything to be closer to him. Bertilak has a certain willingness to leave his wife alone with Sir Gawain which is particularly interesting. At the end of the tale, although it is Sir Gawain who did not follow the rules, Lady Bertilak is blamed by Sir Gawain for his failure to win the game with Green Knight, “but no wonder if a fool finds his way into folly and be wiped of his wits by womanly guile.”(Gawain Poet 253) Lady Bertilak is said to have seduced Sir Gawain but her husband didn’t care how lonely she was when he leaves her to hunt. The women have similarly poor marital structures throughout these tales and are forced to do what they have to, to find someone who they feel cares for them in the way they need.

In the story “The Miller’s Tale,” written by Geoffry Chaucer is about a jealous carpenter and his wife who starts an affair. Similar to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the temptresses have wealthy husbands in the story John is “a rich gnof that gestes heeld to boorde”(Chaucer 284) married to Alisoun. Alisoun was “wilde and young, and [John] was old,”(Chaucer 285) leading him to have possessive tendencies. Alisoun is a beautiful women that many men are drawn to but they try to buy her love in some way “and for she was of twone, he profred meede.”(Chaucer 288) Jealousy among the spouses of the temptresses plays a role in both stories, when Alisoun and the scholarly Nicholas begin their affair she tells hims him that her husband is so jealous that, if they don’t keep their relationship private, “[Alisoun]woot right wel I nam but deed.” (Chaucer 286) Alisoun is feeling so caged in her marriage that the chivalrous sight of Nicholas causes her to begin her affair. Men in this story, such as Nicholas and Absolon can’t take no for an answer and keep demanding a change in Alisoun’s response to their confessions of love. Absolon continues his efforts in gaining Alisouns affection by showing up to her house and urges her for a kiss, without one he wouldn’t leave, “woltou thanne go thy way therwith”(Chaucer 295) she states after agreeing to a kiss. Alisoun is pressured by mostly all the men in her life and after time it becomes very hard not to give in to the men’s demands. When Alisoun tricks Absolon because she doesn’t want to kiss him, she sticks her butt out of the window, so he seeks to get revenge on her even though it was him who could not leave her alone. She didn’t return her love for Absolon but that does not give him the right to try to hurt her with a hot iron.

Both women crave a strong male in their life because of their husbands control on them. The attempt to have relationships with other men is because their husbands are absent most of the time as well as jealous. Both women seen as damsels in distress but prove that they are smarter than given credit for. Self control of the men in both tales is lacking, Sir Gawain couldn’t stay away from the queen and her gracefulness and Absolon and Nicholas both wanted to win Alisoun over even though she had a husband. Both women were like minded, attractive, and knew how to get what the wanted.

The characters in each story embody misogynistic stereotypes about women suggesting that they are nothing more than their beauty. The temptresses have husbands that make their lives equally feel a void that the women need to fill. The “temptresses” in both of these stories live remarkably identical lives, with beauty unlike others to possessive natured husbands. The women aren’t really temptresses but are just misunderstood because of their marriages.