Gawain

Fitt 4Part 3

Weather Returns

• Storms• Bitter cold• Freezing snow

Suiting Up

• Golden Armor, shield• Gringolet’s saddle• Green Sash

The Green Knight

• Horrible creature• Grim wildman• Loves to kill• Stronger than 4 of Arthur’s best knights

Yet more attempts

• Lord Bertilak claims to know and love Gawain• Begs Gawain to save his life and retreat• Promises no one will know he faltered

Christian Connections

• Gawain hopes God will save him• Believes the green knight is the devil

personified

Encountering the Knight

• A crevice in a crag• Bear neck but is weak in the knees• Draws shoulders slightly• Criticized for flinching with the 1st stroke

* Gawain gave the kisses so in return he got air.

Stroke 2

• Gawain vows to remain still• The swing of the axe nicks the skin• Gawain armed and defensive, meeting the

demand• Bertilak demands the sash, exposing Gawain’s

flaw

*Bertilak understands he failed for love of his life and not lust for the woman.

• Bertilak gives it to Gawain as a keepsake of his adventures.

• The sash serves as a bitter reminder of his failure

The Reality

• Morgana (Morgan la Fay) sent Bertilak t the castle to test the reputation of the Round Table

The Return

• Gawain returns to Camelot• “Alive by the gracious mercy of God”• Wears the belt as a sign of “sorrow, sin and

shame.”• All the knights wear the belt.

ONY SOYT QUI MAL PENCE

Shame to him who finds evil here

What is the significance of the last line?