Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: "three"

A recurrent theme in almost all works of Old English involves the presence of the number "three". Just as Beowulf fought the dragon in three rounds; King Arthur sent Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake three times. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by J.R.R Tolkien, the number three is of triple importance. The bedroom scenes correlate with the hunting scenes; therefore, each one must be understood in reference to the other. On each of the three days, the behavior of Sir Gawain corresponds to that of the animal, which had been killed on that day. On the first day he is cautious like a deer; on the second he is more like a boar and on the third he is cunning like a fox. These are not the only similarities between the two plot elements. Hunting is generally used in literature as a metaphor for the pursuit of love that is for courting. This metaphor probably had already been known in the Middle Ages and was used by the Gawain Poet as well. In this story a parallel narrative occurs including three different events that each happened in three stages, the three hunts of the Lord, the three seductions by the Lady, and the three swings of the ax that the Green Knight took, all which relate to each other.

The honor of Sir Gawain is his best value, though he suffered a set-back. His honor is the catalyst for what happens through the rest of the poem. First, Sir Gawain respectfully asks to participate in the game with the Green Knight. He feels he is the person to act in the game as he is "the weakest, the most wanting in wisdom...And my life, if lost, would be least missed, truly" (354-5). This surely is not true, but to Gawain the valor is necessary. It is also honorable as King Arthur had first accepted the challenge by the Green Knight. King Arthur's possible death, as head of the state, would be devastating to the community. As Gawain tells King Arthur; "this affair is too foolish to fall you" (358). The rules of the game are set and Gawain swears to find the Green Knight again in a year. "Here is my oath on it, in absolute honor" (403)! He proves his honor by setting out to find the Green Knight a year later; even though he does not know where he lives and is certain his death will come about from the meeting. The poem's main theme is Gawain's honor and it is tested. He basically keeps his honor even in the face of great temptation. Just as when the Lady of the house tries to seduce him. Nevertheless he falters in trying to protect his life. But, he does redeem himself by admitting his duplicity to the Green Knight, and learning from his experience. Gawain's honor differs from King Arthur's because Gawain feels he has more to prove than King Arthur. King Arthur naturally is honorable and wise. He acts when it is necessary.

The hunting and the seductions are both closely related to each other, but there is a little twist involved with the characters of these situations. The role of the game that the Lord is hunting is also the role of the Lady, yet in the seduction scenes, it is the hunter being hunted by the prey.

In the first hunt, the Lords prey was a deer. The deer was skittish and not much of a challenge, just like the first time the Lady tried to seduce Sir Gawain. She was a little skittish and not much of a challenge. Also, the Lord, "Let the bucks go by, with their broad antlers, for it was counted a crime, in the close season, if a man of that demesne should molest the male deer" (1154-6). Just as it was a crime to hunt deer at that time, it was also a crime for the Lady to "molest the male deer." But, she was only following the will of her Lord, something that Sir Gawain did not know at the time. The Lady's seduction intimidated Sir Gawain, and this is where we can relate the first swing of the Green Knight's ax. The Green Knight stopped his swing the first time because Sir Gawain flinched as the ax was coming. This fear of his death can be related to his fear of the seduction by the Lady. For both of the situations he had his life to fear because in this time period adultery is punishable by death. In the end, Sir Gawain exchanged the one kiss he received from the Lady for the deer that the Lord killed, as in their agreement of whatever was won would be exchanged at the end of the day.

The second swing of the ax, Sir Gawain stood brave and still, but the Green Knight still did not complete his swing. The Green Knight said that he was only testing Sir Gawain to make sure that he would not flinch again. Although Sir Gawain was brave, he was not struck by the ax this time, and he also was not fully tested by the Lady. But, the Lady was still a challenge, even more so this time. Her counterpart prey was a boar, and the hunt for the boar was challenging. The boar was a tough fighter, and did not give up without a huge fight. It was not until the boar tired that they were able to slay it. The Lady also put up a good fight by staying for a long time, "thus she tested his temper and tried many a time," (1549) and was able to get two kisses from Sir Gawain. Both of these kisses were exchanged