Mia asked about how the lady’s actions are interpreted and what they mean. What about Gawain’s response to her actions and what do they mean in regards to the overall theme of the story?
Medieval Feminism
ENGL 361 and WGST 322 | Spring 2020 | Dr. Myra Seaman
Gawain’s response can best be characterized as being polite. When the lady first begins to seduce him he first says how he doesn’t deserve her by saying “I hardly deserve to receive such respect whereas you are genuinely joyful and generous” (line 1266-1267). Here is he trying to evade the lady’s seduction while also humbling himself while also uplifting her. In that same scene she says she would have picked Gawain instead of her husband and he goes onto to say “in fairness…you found better” (line 1276). Here he is once again evading her compliments but also remaining loyal to the lord who is hosting him. Their interactions continue like this and he allows her a kiss, likely again to not insult her, but tries his best to remain chaste. This ties into the theme of knighthood and the characteristics you see of knighthood throughout the poem. Gawain remains loyal, courteous, and kind throughout the encounters, which helps reveal strengthen his character as the classic hero, protagonist archetype. His responses in comparison to her actions try to make her appear to be malicious, manipulative, disloyal etc. It is solidified that this may be the aim of these encounters when later Gawain complains about the disloyalty of women and cites instances in which women are the cause of the downfall of men. While this demonstrates the power women have, its still placed into a bad light as it in an attempt to bring down a powerful, beloved man. Again this can be clearly seen in the interactions with Gawain and the lady which are only amplified as Gawain’s seems to embody goodness, even as he breaks out of those knightly characteristics.
Sir Gawain is a perfect example of a chivalrous, God-fearing knight. His actions are cautious and planned as he is interacting with Morgan the Goddess, for he fears upsetting/shaming her, but he also fears that he might step out of bounds with a woman who is married to the lord who houses him so kindly. One of the overall themes is in regard to trickery, which is what Sir Gawain deals with while in the Green Knight’s home as well as when confronting him at the Green Chapel. Morgan is portrayed to be this woman of trickery; it is obvious that something is not right when she, a married woman, comes into his room multiple times in attempt to seduce him. But, the reader finds out that the Green Knight has put her up to such a deceiving task in order to trick his foes. Sir Gawain appears to already have a wariness about women, as he later brings up several women from Christian stories that “bamboozled” men who, “were fellows from fortunate families. / excellent beyond all others existing under heaven” (183). Sir Gawain cries that, “if only we could love our ladies without believing their lies,” which indicates an inner distrust of women. Although the Green knight announced his entire plan to Gawain, Gawain still blames Morgan for her actions, despite her abiding her husband wishes to complete a deceitful task for him. Though Sir Gawain is putting blame on a woman for his mistakes by saying, “yet all were charmed and changed / by wily womankind,” it is his fault alone for accepting the girdle, despite knowing he must give it to the lord after his hunt. Overall, it is a mixture of chivalry and deep misogyny created by their patriarchal society that leads him to lay blame on a woman for his follies.Though Morgan is not completely from blame, for she guided the Green Knight to begin the game in King Arthur’s court. Everyone is at fault for some reason, whether it be deceit or giving into selfish desires.
Gawain’s responses to the lady’s advances are very respectful and chivalrous. His resistance to her shows him to be God-fearing, loyal to her husband, and respectful of the fact that she is a married woman. I think this lends to the overall theme of the story because it reasserts Gawain’s nature as a good knight; it also helps him in the end because he was polite to the lady. It also suggests, though, that women cause problems for men. The lady is meant to seduce Gawain and prove his earthly desires over his loyalty to the lord. He even blames the lady’s charm for him taking her girdle rather than his own desire for more protection from the Green Knight.
Gawain’s response of action to the Lady’s advances fit the theme of the story due to the knight not being able to back down from a challenge. In Fitt 1, he cannot back down from the challenge of the Green Knight due to the stranger attempting to attack his honor. The lady also does this by stating that Gawain is “So good a knight as Gawain is rightly reputed / In whom courtesy is so / completely embodied, / Could not easily have spent so much / time with a lady / Without begging a kiss, to comply with politeness, / By some hint or suggestion at the end of a remark”
(1297-1301). She is attacking his honor to seduce him into falling for her tricks. She uses the same tactics of questioning Gawain’s honor that her husband does, which is what gets him into the deal originally.
Gawain is polite in response to the ladys actions. He never means to disrespect her husband even as he takes gifts from her. He has good intentions but theyre laced with his desire. Even though he doesnt wish to disrespect her husband, he still accepts her kisses and her gurtle. When he returns the kiss to him it reflect his respect and honor as a night. The interactions between Gawain and the lady mostly reflect badly on the lady rather than Gawain. They show his loyalty and respect as a night and build him as a good person.
Gawain is respectable to the lady, which is in contrast to other pieces from the era. He is only doing these actions for the greater good. He respects the lord instead of desiring the lady. His interactions show the character that Gawain process as the protagonist in the story.
Throughout the story, Gawain has never been a conventional character. In a traditional telling of medieval stories, people in close relation to royalty usually value the safety that that relationship provides. Gawain is unconventional in this manner because he says that his relation to the king is the only thing adding value to his life. Gawain adds to his list of uncharacteristic qualities by not making any advances towards women, specifically women showing interest in him. I think by not showing interest in the lady, it adds to the depth of Gawain’s personality. Gawain’s response is also a tremendous deviation from the expectation of a man during the time. Instead of being strong handed and forthright, he is much more mild and meek.