The bedroom and hunting scenes in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” are two parallel lines of storytelling, united by the same meaning. In addition, despite the differences in content, descriptions, and even the length of the text, there are many common elements in these episodes. The author combines them since they are two components of one narrative episode. The reason for the narrative appearance of these scenes is a deal made between Gawain and the lord of the castle where he stayed. They agreed to give each other what they caught in a day for three days (Weston, 1898). Consequently, from this point on, the narrative splits into two parallel lines that show the reader the perspective of the lord and Gawain throughout the day.
However, this division also implies some comparison of the activities of both men. Just as the lord needs to hunt and overcome difficulties, Gawain must be extremely careful to conduct a dialogue with the lord’s wife, by all means avoiding her attempts to seduce. From a certain point of view, the reader has the opportunity to observe a comparison of two hunting processes – literal and allegorical, which a woman leads concerning a knight. With each subsequent day, this procedure becomes more complex. On the first day, the lord goes out to hunt deer, a relatively simple and easy process. At the same time, his wife makes the first attempt to seduce the knight without showing strong persistence (Weston, 1898). The next day, both the intensity of the hunt and seduction increase. Finally, the third day is the culmination and also carries additional meaning, as there is a hunt for a fox: a cunning animal that seeks to save its life. Gawain, like the fox, also tries to be cunning, which ultimately leads to hiding the sash given by the lord’s wife.
Thus, the combination of these scenes by the author serves as a means of representation. In addition, such examples most clearly convey the characters’ personalities since they find themselves in ambiguous situations. Gawain is tested by various temptations, undergoing tests of loyalty and the principles of virtue. These three scenes show us Gawain as a man of chivalry and courtesy. However, in doing so, the reader is shown a conflict between the word given by the lord and the duty to keep the gift from the lady. The knight resolves this conflict by favoring the lady, remaining faithful to her. Having gone through all the temptations and seductions, he received a gift that allowed him to save his life, and Gawain protects it, putting the honor of the lady and his courtesy above the promise to the lord. Thus, the author shows us the knight as an imperfect person, despite all his knightly virtue. The reader sees that despite all his heroism, in the end, Gawain does not part with the gift that can save him from a terrible fate.
This moment is key to understanding the entire text and the meaning inherent in it. The situations shown to the reader, hidden behind the images of the Green Knight, the lord, and his wife, reflect the conflicts typical of the literature of that time: the test of temptation and the opposition of man and nature. The first element is the classic elements of chivalrous novels – the heroes of the stories overcome certain temptations, which allows them to become stronger and receive powerful gifts. Against this background, a much larger and deeper confrontation unfolds between order expressed in the form of chivalry and the chaotic force of nature in the form of the shortcomings of the human personality. Thus, the analysis of these scenes allows a deeper understanding of Gawain himself as a character and to find elements that open up to the reader an understanding of the meanings inherent in the work.
Reference
Weston, J. (Trans.). (1898). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. David Nutt.