Have you ever read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? Oh well, you have to read it!
Ok this is my paper on analyzing the hunt scenes!
The Hunt Scenes
The hunt scenes of the poem "Sir Gawain And The Green Night" can be linked with the bedroom scenes mixed with each hunt. Three scenes are discussed: the deer, boar, and fox. The hunt scenes characterize Sir Gawain and the attempts of the lady of the castle to woo him to sin and test the limits of his knightly honor. However, the honorable knight fails when he breaks the covenant with the lord of the castle by not revealing the gift that he received from the lady of the lord.
On the first morning the lord of the castle leaves with his fully prepared hunting party determined to bring back a prized game to give to the famed knight for their covenant. The huntsmen sever their arrows through the hids of the dashing deer and then cut and clean the carcasses. The deer is such a shy and innocent animal such as Gawain's knightly qualities of courtesy and chivalry. Another hunting scene takes place in the knight's bedchambers. The Lady of the castle sneaks into his chambers and seemingly admires the fine qualities of the knight, both physical and his courtly fame but the knight was embarrassed (she was bound for his bed - abashed was the night - line 1180). Innocently, the Knight feigned in his bed, pretending that she was not there. Perhaps the hunter would not find the prey or leave in pursuit of another obsession. However, the prey surrendered himself to the Lady (line 1215), and gave her good conversation. Like the moon goddess of the hunt Diana, the lady pursued the knight with her hands, wanted to bind him to the bed and make him her captive knight (I shall bind you in your bed -1210). With the door to the bedchambers locked tight and the master away, the knight was left alone sealed with the huntress and her dangerous pursuit of the captive knight. She tried to woo him with her praise and compliments of his knightly chivalry, of which, the knight humbly denied. The lady, realizing that her hunt had came to nothing, gave request to leave the courteous knight's chambers and praised him for his fair demeanor and pure manners and then gave a kiss to the knight as she commanded.
On the second day of the hunt, the lord of the castle pursued a wild boar, which proved more difficult to capture and kill than the deer from the day before. The boar was resistant and fought back with its brute strength. In the bedchambers, the lady of the lord tried once again to seduce the knight in his bed with her charms. Gawain appreciated that the beautiful wife of the lord visiting him (It is a pleasure surpassing, and a peerless joy, that one so worthy as you would willingly come and take the time and trouble to talk with your knight - 1536), but Gawain was extremely defensive and hesitant to be involved with the lady for three important reasons. Firstly, the lady is the host's wife. Gawain would be violating his loyalty to the host if he coveted the lady. Secondly, if he were to sleep with her, he would have to exchange the love making with the lord of the castle! Finally, Gawain is afraid to commit sin before God, knowing of his future death at the hands of the Green Knight.
On the third day, the lord of the castle hunted a fox, which was the most difficult to catch. The fox was clever in evading capture and death just like Sir Gawain was clever in evading the seductive advances of the lady and questioning her true intentions. However he is tricked in his courteousness and loyalty to the lord of the castle that he takes a girdle from the lady for good fortune and protection. He did not exchange this small gift with the host that night and thus betrayed the host by breaking their covenant with his lie. The lady outfoxed him.
In conclusion, Gawain remains faithful to the lord of the castle by evading the seducing huntress and her pursuits. However, the knight that is praised of perfection with every noble characteristic and chivalric trait is humbled by a simple lie. Although the knight strives for perfection, he realizes that this cannot be true. The knight is only human, and can make mistakes. But Gawain believes that he has failed in the knightly codes of chivalry and marred his reputation. Despite all that has happened, Gawain is still a loyal, noble, honest and courteous knight.
THE END
Tell me what you think!
- Mood:
indescribable
