When Gawain leaves King Arthur's court to meet the Green
Knight in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, he travels for a great
length of time, finding himself in North Wales and beyond. He asks any he meets for word
of the Green Knight.
And they all said no, never in their
lives
had they seen someone who was such a
shade
as
green.
Gawain moves
on, traveling through strange country. On his journey, he must fight dragons, wolves,
bears, boars, bulls and even trolls on occasion. Many times it is the grace of God that
he is not killed.
Only constant courage and the care of
his God
could save him sometimes from certain
death.
For if warfare was hard, winter was
worse...
He lay down half-dead, drenched
in his armor,
too many times to
bear...
Gawain
travels on, until Christmas Eve—he lifts up a prayer to Mary. Gawain worries about where
he will spend the evening.
"I beseech thee,
Lord
and Mary, the mildest, dearest of
mothers:
Help me to some haven where mass can be
heard,
and matins
tomorrow.
At that
very moment, Gawain's prayer is answered, for he discovers a castle where he hopes he
will be able to ask for shelter. Gawain approaches the gate to ask for admittance, and
the Porter gladly grants his request. Gawain enters and servants rush to his aid. Taking
his horse, they lead him inside. The lord (Bertilak) orders that Gawain be given a room;
he is taken to a beautiful chamber, where he changes and rests before the fire.
Downstairs, the table has been covered with a variety of wonderful dishes, and the
knight eats.
Conversation turns to Gawain home and who he
is. He tells the lord of Arthur and the Round Table. When the company learns who Gawain
is, the lord is delightfully surprised that such an honored knight has joined them.
After the meal, the group goes to mass: Bertilak, his wife and her ladies, and Gawain.
Soon after, everyone retires.
Christmas day is spent in
giving thanks, eating and visiting. After a couple of days, Bertilak decides to hunt but
Gawain, too exhausted, does not go. Bertilak challenges Gawain that each should share
with the other, the fruits of their labors at day's end. So agreed, the lord goes
hunting; but as Gawain sleeps, the lord's wife enters Gawain's room and tries to seduce
him. He courteously declines her offer, so she asks for a kiss. The chivalrous knight
does so, but then offers this kiss to Bertilak, when the lord presents his kill for the
day to Gawain. The next day the same thing happens, but Gawain remains strong. On the
third day, the lady comes again, but while he praises her, he declines her "offer."
However, she gives him a sash that is said to protect one from death. This he keeps, not
sharing it with Bertilak, though each day, Gawain returns the kisses to the
lord.
As New Year's approaches, Gawain gives his thanks and
departs the castle, calling down a blessing upon his
hosts:
'I
commend this castle to Christ, may He give it ever good
fortune.'
And so, Gawain
continues in search of the Green Knight. One man travels with him to guide him to the
location of the Green Chapel. His guide begs him to run away, but Gawain
refuses:
[If]
I passed here and fled for fear as thou sayest, then were I a coward knight, and might
not be held guiltless. So I will to the chapel let chance what
may...
With directions from
his guide, and a farewell, Gawain continues on alone, to the Green
Chapel.
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