FEB 2026 Armitage's "Sir Gawain..." PART III

Simon Armitage's translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

INTRODUCTION
PART I
PART II
PART III (this thread)
PART IV
FINAL THOUGHTS

Discussion for PART III covering stanzas #46-79 (lines 1126-1997)

In this Fitt, a battle of wits and wit, between both Gawain and his host, the Lord of the castle, as well as between Gawain and the Lady.

I took special note of the ways the tests manifested, as well as how the "deal" was framed. So while there are a good many lines and imagery that were pleasing as I read them, I won't comment on those. My hope is to revisit the poem (perhaps after screening the 2021 Lowery film, The Green Knight). But now like Gawain I'm on a mission, for my part an attempt to figure the significance of this trial. Why write a poem about Gawain making foolish "deals" with unknown adversaries? Why pit him against a Lady in a test not of arms or strength, but in a Catch-22 of chastity and nobility?

First, the deal with the Lord. I warned everyone in Part II: I can't help but notice that at no point has the Lord identified himself. Despite making a solemn pact with the man, and hours of intimate time with the Lady, and despite everyone calling Gawain by his name and title ... Gawain is not given the same honour by the Lord! I thought perhaps it is only the reader that does not know: with everyone taking their formal leave of one another, and toasting one another at table, perhaps everyone in the poem has shared their names & noble titles, and the Poet just hasn't bothered to share that with the reader. That is possible ... though it seems a bit odd that we know Gawain's horse by name, and not the Lord and Lady. More than a bit odd, however, is that the reader does learn their names, much later in the poem, and in a manner suggesting it was not shared before then.

Again, I point out this was true to begin with, as well. Gawain makes the deal with the Green Knight, before the Knight introduces himself. And this is done pointedly. At some point in Fitt III, he renews the deal "in front of the court" and again, no mention of the Lord's name though it would seem a fine place to declare it formally.

As for the Catch-22, it's not so much a surprise that the test with the Lady is of chivalry. That makes perfect sense for a Knight to be so tested. But I was surprised to read at various points, the Poet strongly suggests that the Lady does this sincerely. She is not playing a part, that is not just teasing or trying to snare him, she seems truly in love with Gawain, and knows the position her advances put him in (he a Knight, she a wed Lady), yet goes ahead.

Stanza 69
But love would not let her ladyship sleep
and the fervour she felt in her heart would not fade.

Perhaps she is ensorceled. I will keep an eye out for evidence of that.

>3 elenchus: "ensorceled" is a real word....who knew! ha

Stanza 46: preparations for the Lord's hunt: men, horses, dogs, and lots of bugling.

Stanza 47: as the poet describes the hunt I feel hyper aware that the time of this poem was before film, and a good story-teller was prime entertainment. I'd say the poet did a good job here of creating excitement.

Stanza 48: Lime trees are lovely. I finally looked them up since it is often mentioned in British literature, always with seeming affection. Oh yeah, and the Lady stealthily entered Gawain's bed chamber. He crossed himself for protection, ha.

Stanza 49: In some cartoon of the poem I came across when we first started reading, the artist depicted her as sexy, but dark and evil-looking. I don't see that in the poem. Her intentions may not be honorable, but she seems plenty attractive and definitely very, er, let's call it flirty.

Stanza 50: I think this says it quite clearly that Gawain was succumbing to her charms. It feels much further than chivalry to me.

That lovely looking maid,
she charmed him and she chased.
But every move she made
he countered, case by case.

Stanza 51: The poet pulls back. Gawain hasn't done anything wrong. Not yet.

Stanza 52: Gawain is playing an untenable game of chivalry. If he kisses her, he is not being chivalrous toward her husband. And if he does not kiss her, he is not being a knight that would do anything as he promised he would to a lady. This is a third game that Gawain has fallen headlong into. Their talk of Christ in the bedroom seems like it broaches blasphemy. (I'm telling you, I'm infected with alliteration.) He goes to Mass after. Is it inferred he will be able to confess at that time? I would think someone with a mortal meeting looming would be mightily worried about any unconfessed sins.

This stanza ends with a creepy reference to both the cute one and the crone being happy.

Stanza 53: Yuck! But that "cleaving" is an apt foreshadow.

Stanza 54: More yuck about animals' dead flesh, but glad to read that the dogs and the men who helped were rewarded with part of the take. Seems weird that it is noted that Gawain welcomes home the lord, too. As if their roles had been reversed.

Stanza 55: Well, Gawain was clever by giving that hug and kiss but not revealing where he had "won" them. Still, not cool, Gawain, not cool.

Stanza 56: They agree on the same game the next day. "Game" is an interesting word in this context--the game of the hunt, and the game of Gawain, or is it the game of the Lady?

Stanza 57: The dogs and hunters are now harassing an old large wild boar.

Stanza 58: While the lord was out hunting, assuming his guest was honorable (I wondered about the assumption of honor before), Gawain lounged around in bed with the lady all day! Where does he got off thinking this was good knightly behavior?

Stanza 59: Do we believe they are in love, just like that, more like lust to me, in spite of all the sprinkling of love around it.

The two then talk of love:
its grief; also its grace.

. Ignore me. I'm a skeptic of romance. Does anyone like a cheater?

Stanza 60: I'm no fan of Gawain laying bed all day with this lady, nor am I fan of her laying around with him all day, prodding him into behaving how he shouldn't by half-insults for his not taking things further. And oh yeah, she reminds him her husband is away.

Stanza 61:

But to take on the task of explaining true love
or touch on the topics those love-tales tell of,
with yourself, who I sense has more insight and skill
in the art than I have, or even a hundred
of the likes of me, however long we live,
would be somewhat presumptuous, I have to say.

ha! Ditto.

I love your commentary here, @DebiCates, and the quotes you selected! Unintentionally I suspect, but there are very droll aspects to this poem.

Stanza 77
'Oh, fiddlesticks to the fee,' said the other fellow.
'As long as I have given the goods which I gained.'

>9 elenchus: Thanks, E! Glad you enjoyed my ramblings. I wonder if it is as droll in the original, to the original listeners, that is. The poem is a contemporary to Chaucer, so humor wouldn't be wild injection here. However, I think a present day reader finds more occasion to laugh at the preposterous situation. Hm, or maybe not. We always think of ourselves as so much more sophisticated than our ancestors, but Shakespeare alone should have cured us of that silly notion.

>9 elenchus: I haven't got to that stanza yet. But I decided I need the word "fiddlesticks." Don't be surprised if you see it show up among my future exclamations.

Stanza 62: A boar is more dangerous than deer.

Stanza 63: That was cinematic! And makes the gift of the Lord's bounty to Gawain even more meaningful and Gawain's own "bounty" that he gives up to the Lord more shady AF.

Stanza 64: What's this with the gory details? Different times. Certainly I'm a different audience (as a non-flesh eater).

Stanza 65: More foreshadowing of who the Lord is and is capable of! A bit of a warning if Gawain was more astute.

And Gawain is quick to compliment the conquest,
praising it as proof of the lord's prowess,
for such prime pieces of perfect pork
and such sides of swine were a sight to be seen.
Then admiringly he handles the hog's great head,
feigning fear to flatter the master's feelings.

Now it is two kisses that Gawain gives to the Lord as per their exchange. I think the Lord would not be so tickled if he knew from whom those kisses originated.

Gawain took him by the back of the neck...that evokes more sexuality in the kiss. And one assumes, these are kisses on the lips. Wonder how the poet's contemporaries felt about that. Was it funny? Or shocking? Or perhaps titillating? Our age would definitely attribute some deeper possible expression to it.

>12 DebiCates: A boar is more dangerous than deer.

Yup. Those tusks are razor sharp and the perfect height for disemboweling.

What's this with the gory details?

To the original audience that was just a part of life. I imagine they would have been thrilled by the hunt, nodded at the accuracy of the butchering, and marveled at the quality of the meat being given to Gawain. (I find these scenes grisly, too, and I'm a committed flesh-eater.)

This is actually my favorite section of the poem. I love the juxtaposition of the lord's hunt with the lady's pursuit of Gawain, and how the bountiful gifts are on the days Gawain gives all he received, and the measly fox on the day he held back.

Stanza 66: Like most covert lovers, they are not as discreet as they should be nor as they think they are.

Stanza 67: Why would the Lord encourage Gawain to "...lie in your room and laze at your leisure"? That seems so unknightly. Is that what knights dream of being able to do? Of course, Gawain has company, but let's presume the Lord does not know that (a big presumption), it still seems odd. Perhaps Gawain would enjoy the hunt. But he's never been invited. Also, isn't Gawain getting worried about his rendezvous? Poem says he slept peacefully, so I guess not. Ah youth, to sleep well even under those circumstance.

Stanza 68: The last hunt: a fox. Why do they hunt foxes? They aren't game but rather sport. Are foxes a big threat to livestock, other than chickens. Or is it rather that they are a good challenge for horsemen and dogs?

Stanza 69: The Lady comes to Gawain again...is she dressed more scantily this time? She is bold--and reckless--that's for sure.

Stanza 70: Oh, I see. He's not sleeping as well as he had previously.

Stanza 71:

For that noble princess pushed him and pressed him,
nudged him ever nearer to a limit where he needed
to allow her love or impolitely reject it.
He was careful to be courteous and avoid uncouthness,
cautious that his conduct might be classed as sinful
and counted as betrayal by the keeper of the castle.

Well good to know. I certainly wondered how he was feeling about this dangerous dalliance.

'You judge wrong, by Saint John,'
he said to her, and smiled.
'There is no other one
and won't be for a while!'

Yikes! Doesn't she know she is taunting a dead man walking?

Stanza 72: She asks him for a token, but he says he has none worthy to give her. Afterall, he didn't come carrying bags of gems, he came to have his head hacked off.

Stanza 73: Nevermind (she is rather irritatingly persistent to have her silly way), she'll offer him, instead, a gift. He refuses the ring because of its high value. She offers him instead something more humble, her belt (girdle). Yikes, something a bit more personal. But he refuses it too.

Stanza 74: She tells him, though, something he doesn't know. That whoever wears it can come to no harm. Well, that's a different thing all together. Gawain decides to take it, to keep it and justifies that he will give the three kisses to the Lord, but not the belt. He must know will break his side of the deal. Who wouldn't do the same? Oh, I guess a King Arthur Knight wouldn't.

Stanza 75: Gawain goes to confession. Gets a clean bill of health. Then spends the day reveling with the ladies, as per usual, and everyone remarks how he's the happiest since he first came. Is it the life-saving belt he's wearing under his clothe that makes Gawain remarkably happy? Or that he resisted the dangerous advances of the persistent Lady?

Stanza 76: Reynard? Who is Reynard? The fox! Huh, looks like the poet was aware of another poet and his poem. Renard is name of the fox who is hero of the French beast epic Roman de Renart, from Middle French Renart, Renard.

Good lord, this poet does delight in the ravishing of animal flesh.

Stanza 77: Here's that line the @elenchus mentioned. I don't get its meaning. What double-speak or double-entendre is this? Too witty for me.

Stanza 78: The Lord and Gawain party down..."only lunatics and drunkards could have looked more delirious."

Stanza 79: Gawain again is bid a tearful farewell by a court as he goes off to bed to sleep....one last time?

End of Part III

At this point, ignoring what little I know of the end, I don't want Gawain beheaded but his character does seem to walk the edge of that good knightly morality. All that cheering for him and tearful goodbyes (twice) do seem that Gawain does not wholly deserve them. That belt was a deception. He might have justified it a little to himself that the Lady asked him not to tell her husband, and thus again can beg that he was only following good courtly manners. But if it works as she says it does, he gains his life by that lie, which rather taints any high ground he might like to present.

The Lady...she's Eve all over again, isn't she?

Harrumph.

The old crone...she's a future witch no doubt.

Harrumph again.

Seems Mary is the only good lady in the piece. Fiddlesticks! She's the one lady we know who had a child conceived out of wedlock. (That's sacrilege, I'm sure.)

>13 amanda4242: I love the juxtaposition of the lord's hunt with the lady's pursuit of Gawain, and how the bountiful gifts are on the days Gawain gives all he received, and the measly fox on the day he held back.

Ah, obvious now that you point it out. Profound though. And it fits with what @DebiCates mentioned, too: the first hunts were dangerous and were game, this is far less dangerous and for sport. Interesting how that aligns with the situation in the castle.