does. The grisly butchering scene is described in detail,
with particular emphasis placed on splitting the deer.
The day ends with the lord and Gawain meeting in the
study, where they exchange their day’s winnings. The
lord presents Gawain with fresh venison, while Gawain
courteously kisses the lord once. They proceed to din-
ner, and each agrees the exchange was worthy.
The next morning, the lord and his men once again
wake early and proceed to the hunt. This time their
quarry is a wild boar, more vigorous and violent than
their previous prey. Three men are downed by the boar,
which then rushes off with the others in pursuit, its
thick hide repelling arrows as it fl ees. The scene shifts,
once again, to Gawain’s bedroom, as the lady creeps in.
This time, however, Gawain is awake and waiting for
her. She teases him, especially about his reputation for
courtesy and chivalry. Stung, Gawain angrily defends
himself. The lady responds by reminding him that he is
strong enough to force her (“Ye ar stif innoghe to con-
strayne wyth strenkþe,” l. 1496), but also that he would
never have to. Having said this, she kisses him. After-
ward, she begs Gawain to teach her about true love.
Gawain realizes he has been outwitted, and they spend
the rest of the afternoon laughing together. The lady
kisses Gawain and takes her leave.
The story then shifts back to the hunt, as the lord
continues the chase after the boar. Finally, the boar is
cornered, and the lord himself leaps off his horse,
sword in hand, to dispatch it. He strikes the beast in
the heart, and although it escapes temporarily, fl oating
downstream, the dogs converge, tearing it to pieces. As
the head is triumphantly returned to the lord, the scene
shifts back to the castle. He meets Gawain and presents
him with the boar’s head; in return, Gawain kisses the
lord twice. They feast, and plans are made for a fi nal
exchange on the morrow. The evening ends with the
lord praising Gawain, whom he has tested twice dur-
ing their exchanges, and whose faithfulness has proved
true.
On the third morning, the lord once again rises early
and hears mass before leaving for the hunt. He and his
men are soon in pursuit of a wily fox, who fl inches
from the baying hounds and runs in terror. The scene
then shifts to Gawain’s bedroom, where the lady has
once again come to visit. Dressed provocatively, she
enters while Gawain wrestles with a dream about his
impending death. She wakes him with a kiss, and he is
enthralled. Gawain’s chastity is in peril (“Nif Mare hir
knygt mynne,” l. 1769)—that is, unless the Virgin
Mary guards him against temptation. Gawain has
decided that he has been discourteous to the lady, and
he now sets out to charm her. He succeeds to some
extent, though she understands he is deceiving her.
Before she leaves, she kisses him and then begs a token
of him. Gawain demurs, fearing to enter into another
gift exchange and its accompanying obligations. The
lady then insists on giving him a gift instead. First, she
offers Gawain a red gold ring, which he declines
because it is too expensive. The lady then suggests that
he accept her “girdle” (a belt or sash) instead, as it
“gaynes [him] lasse” (l. 1829). Again, Gawain attempts
to refuse. This time, however, the lady insists he hear
her out. It seems that this is no ordinary girdle—it is
magical. Anyone who wears it cannot be harmed.
Gawain is immediately tempted, as he will soon be fac-
ing the Green Knight’s axe. Eventually he allows him-
self to be coaxed into taking the girdle. Moreover, the
lady beseeches him never to reveal it, “bot to lelly layne
for hir lorde” (l. 1863), keeping it even from her hus-
band. Despite his agreement with the lord of the castle,
Gawain agrees to the lady’s terms. She kisses him and
leaves. Gawain, feeling relieved, rises, bathes, dresses,
and seeks a priest. He confesses his sins—except that
he fails to reveal that he accepted the girdle—and
receives penance.
The scene then returns to the lord’s hunt. He has
cornered the fox, and skinned it. He returns to the
castle, where he is met by Gawain. Gawain, for the fi rst
time, takes the lead in the gift exchange and kisses the
lord three times. The host declares that Gawain’s prof-
its far outstrip his own, and he tosses the fox’s pelt
down. The two go in to a grand feast, where Gawain
laughs and relaxes as he has not before.
In the morning, the lord sends a servant to conduct
Gawain to the Green Chapel. Leaving before daylight,
Gawain sets out into a gloomy storm, wearing the gir-
dle underneath his armor. As Gawain descends toward
the chapel, the terrain gets bleaker, the air fouler, and
the atmosphere wilder. As a fi nal temptation, the lord’s
servant suggests to Gawain that he fl ee this awful place,SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT 411