EN392 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: The Woman Question, Herd Mentality, Omnivore
EN392
Sir Gawain Part 2
Sir Gawain & the Lady
• The disputatio- fitting in with the idea and reverence of the idea of the debate
• Theological origins
• Consideration of his reputation
o Should have slept with the lady if he was staying true to his reputation but does not
• The lady – wants to have an affair with Gawain but he does not do it
o If he does have an affair with her, the last thing he does is ruin his reputation before
death
• Theme of female infidelity throughout several texts, often magical figures
o Undermines the kings and their reputations – comment on political reputations
o Parody of the real world perhaps
o Querelle des femmes – accusation for being unable to reason so they were banished to
the home
• He knows he is about to die so his reactions may be irrational
• What is the relationship between Bercilak and his wife in terms of power?
o Does she jump into bed with every guest that comes along?
▪ Could just be that Gawain is ridiculously attractive
• Description of Gawain as spring coming to the castle
o Sexual desire
o A spring sacrifice
• Could be a way for Bercilak to test his wife
o You have to speculate
• The idea of a game
o What are the consequences of Gawain engaging?
• The realm of if…
o He has to give I back to the king
o How would Bercilak react? Would he be tempted to kill Gawain?
▪ No one would find out in this remote place
o Would represet Arthur’s ourt & a tarish the reputatio
Fitt 3 – the Hunt
• The hunting scene:
• Very detailed
• Aristocratic hunting – on horseback with several people (servants) led by Bercilak
• Use greyhounds to hunt for game
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
• They are hunting in their own forest to give Gawain the treasure which he cannot take back or
do anything with
• Deer tpiall go ito a herd etalit ut oe a sta ehid ut it does’t ork
• Deer are cornered in a valley – ideal because animals are trapped
• Horrible mutilation and death in almost gleeful detail
o Wholesale slaughter – looking for volume
• Deer – innocence, not likely to fight back (prey), no antlers or anything to worry about
• Easy hunt – found them within the first line
o Perfect hunting occasion by the standards of the day
o Prime game meat for eating
• Allegorically they work well because they are often associated with romantic pursuits
• Several parallels between the hunt and what is going on between Gawain and the Lady
• Bercilak sets up Gawain to be emasculated
o Poer relatios ad eig itiidated Arthur’s ourt
Gawain during the Hunt
• Gawain is just lying in bed while the king is off on the hunt
• The lady comes in quietly just as the approach to the deer during the hunt
• Crosses himself when she enters
• She speaks first
• Nails him with the masculinity bit – h are ou i ed? I hae take ou ad I shall id ou i
our ed
• He knows he is caught and yields to her – not in a position to do much else
• Asks to get dressed but she says no
o She has him where she wants him just like the deer in the valley
• “he kos he’s Gaai ad his reputatio is at stake ith lords, ladies, ad all else
o Does not gauge his reputation as a knight just with ladies ut as a seual oiore
▪ Moving away from sexual norms
• She spells it out to him that they are entirely alone and that no one will bother them (1235)
o First conversation
o Ye are eloe to ourse ould ea a thigs ut realistiall, her body
o She is just standing there offering him whatever he wants
• She is very clever to suggest these things without outright suggesting them
o The lady is much smarter than everyone else presented here
o So much agency and ability to argue
• She talks about identification an awful lot
o She identifies him as Gawain
o “as he a’t e Gaai eause… at eer possile situatio – denies Gawain of his ID
▪ Not surreptitiously, but systematically cutting away at his individuality
o 1242- he is uorth – courtesy to be humble and denying himself
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
