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Essay about Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

In this passage taken from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Lines 1623-1718, the reader sees how Sir Gawain is the hero of the poem, through the tests of the host. Sir Gawain is speaking to the host of the castle where he is staying for a few days before journeying on to the Green Chapel. The host has just returned from hunting and killing some boar. While the host is out hunting for the boar, we learn that Sir Gawain is developing a love interest in a special lady friend, the wife of the host, who makes several attempts to seduce him. Before this hunt, Gawain and the host make a promise to each other that they will exchange whatever they may win that day for the other's winnings. The host gives Sir …show more content…

Do the kisses symbolize a feeling of affection between Gawain and the host, or is this just done because they have made a promise to each other? Although it is never really made clear in the text, I feel that the kisses are exchanged because of the agreement that they made between each other. Another scene in the passage that is striking is the flurtation between Gawain and the host's wife. "And ever our gallant knight beside the gay lady; So uncommonly kind and complaisant was she; With sweet stolen glances, that stirred his stout heart; That he was at his wits' end, and wondrous vexed" (Norton, 236, lines 1657-1660.) I found this scene to be quite humorous, and I am also able to see Gawain falling for her each time she comes to visit him. The scene adds a little flavor to the passage, even though it is another concealed test in Gawain's journey to the Green Knight's chapel.

The language used in this passage shows that both the host and Gawain are not afraid of anything. The is shown in the section of the passage where the host returns from killing the boar "Of the battle of the boar they beset in the wood; The other man meetly commended his deeds; And praised well the prize of his princely sport" (Norton, 235-236, lines 1628-1630.) This is also shown in the section of the passage where the host tells Gawain how he has tested him twice and will be testing him a third time: "For I have tested

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