When Sir Gawain first sets off in search of the Green Knight, he is determined that throughout his quest he shall remain a knight of integrity; he will bring honor to his name and distinction to the court of his uncle, King Arthur. Gawain has every intention of fulfilling his promise to the Green Knight. However, after stumbling upon the castle of Lord Bertilak, Gawain’s mission is put in jeopardy, for he meets Bertilak’s wife, a seductress in all sense of the word, and unbeknownst to Gawain, the lady has a mission of her own. She is instructed to lead the good knight into temptation, and she does so with success using the codes of courtly love and chivalry to her advantage. Lady Bertilak manipulates Sir Gawain using the principles of courtly
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Throughout the narrative of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Gawain is constantly reminded that he must follow the rules of courtesy, especially in regards to Lady Bertilak. For, in many instances, when Gawain does not reciprocate the lady’s advances, she chides him for it. One such instance would be when Lady Bertilak visits Gawain’s bed for a second …show more content…
As far as the initial proposition, Morgan skillfully uses spontaneity to catch Gawain off guard. For, when Lady Bertilak first approaches the knight, she does the unthinkable; the lady sneaks into his chambers alone and lies next to him in bed. In doing this, Lady Bertilak gives Gawain little time to think about or to react to the situation she has put him in, and her scheme works brilliantly, for Gawain has no idea on how to proceed. By being extremely bold and forward with Gawain, the lady puts the knight in an awkward position, for he is a guest of her husband; Lord Bertilak has been nothing but kind and generous towards Gawain, and to behave in this manner with the lady is a great betrayal of the lord’s generosity and trust. Lady Bertilak makes it extremely difficult for Gawain to respond, leaving him very few choices. Gawain cannot call out, for others would presume he was guilty as well. He cannot push the lady away, for that would offend her, but he cannot be too kind with either, for that would encourage her to behave this way again. No matter which decision he makes, there seems to be a potential consequence for each one. However, by remaining calm and genteel towards Lady Bertilak, Gawain allows the affair between them to continue. Although, that is not what he intends
Throughout the narrative of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”, Gawain is constantly reminded that he must follow the rules of courtesy, especially in regards to Lady Bertilak. For, in many instances, when Gawain does not reciprocate the lady’s advances, she chides him for it. One such instance would be when Lady Bertilak visits Gawain’s bed for a second …show more content…
As far as the initial proposition, Morgan skillfully uses spontaneity to catch Gawain off guard. For, when Lady Bertilak first approaches the knight, she does the unthinkable; the lady sneaks into his chambers alone and lies next to him in bed. In doing this, Lady Bertilak gives Gawain little time to think about or to react to the situation she has put him in, and her scheme works brilliantly, for Gawain has no idea on how to proceed. By being extremely bold and forward with Gawain, the lady puts the knight in an awkward position, for he is a guest of her husband; Lord Bertilak has been nothing but kind and generous towards Gawain, and to behave in this manner with the lady is a great betrayal of the lord’s generosity and trust. Lady Bertilak makes it extremely difficult for Gawain to respond, leaving him very few choices. Gawain cannot call out, for others would presume he was guilty as well. He cannot push the lady away, for that would offend her, but he cannot be too kind with either, for that would encourage her to behave this way again. No matter which decision he makes, there seems to be a potential consequence for each one. However, by remaining calm and genteel towards Lady Bertilak, Gawain allows the affair between them to continue. Although, that is not what he intends