How is temptation represented in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?
The theme of temptation is central not only in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but throughout a lot of medieval poetry; this is worth taking note of when looking at Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, as this seems to be the first poem written where the author combines both the theme of the beheading game and that of temptation , which are inextricably linked in the story. (Temptation can also be seen in such medieval stories as Le Chevalier a l’Epée where Gawain is tempted by his host’s naked daughter with whom he has to share a bed; and when Morgan le Fay sends an over-persistent maid to tempt Lancelot, who he has to physically reject.) There is then the third interlinking theme of the exchange-of-winnings, which we must take into account when looking at how temptation is represented. Gawain fails to exchange the girdle with Bercilak because he falls to the temptation of the magic which the girdle possesses, and this in turn leads to the outcome of his meeting with the Green Knight. It is of course Bercilaks wife who tempts Gawain on a regular basis, and who finally tempts him to take the girdle. Bercilaks wife also tempts Gawain sexually, and seems very sexually empowered – this relates to the fact that another recurring component in medieval poetry is the idea that women have been put on earth to tempt men away from purity, and away from Christ; this is especially interesting in relation to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as Gawain always goes to mass or confession after the bedroom scenes. In the bedroom scenes when Bercilaks wife is attempting to seduce him, he is constantly struggling with the idea that he has to be courteous to both his host and to the Lady, as it is a Knights duty to do so. Knights are expected to prove themselves, and this is reflected in the bedroom scenes. Gawain states ‘And soberly your servaunt, my soverayn I holde yow/And yowre knyght I becom, and kryst yow for...