Huzaifa Islam Dr. Gill English 205 16 September 2024. Contrasting Worlds: The Hunt and Sir Gawain’s Rest. While Sir Gawain sleeps peacefully in the castle, a hunt rages in the forest. The poet uses multiple literary devices to express the juxtaposition of these two scenes. The passage starts with the hunt, and the poet uses alliteration to emphasize the chaotic nature of the chase: “massed to meet him, marauding” (1720), “welcome of wounding words” (1724), and “bayed bloodily” (1721). The poet uses alliteration in line 1720 to show that many hunters and bloodhounds are ready to attack the fox they are hunting. In line 1724, the author uses alliteration while also making an ironic statement. It implies that the fox will be attacked physically …show more content…
The poet changes the setting subtly but the difference is crucial, as the beginning of the passage is focused on killing and chaos, and after line 1731 it is focused on slumber and seduction. This is the main juxtaposition. The poet uses imagery to capture the peaceful setting: “snoozed contentedly at home” (1731) and “kept from the cold” (1732). Line 1731 specifically says that he is sleeping at home, even though he isn't. Sir Gawain is sleeping as if he has never left on this journey and is still at home sleeping. The word “home” has a great meaning in this quote, as it emphasizes peace. In line 1732 it says that he is kept from the cold, this is another way of showing how peaceful it is because he is a knight and all the other knights and hunters have gone on the hunt in the cold and he is resting in a bed being protected from the cold. The seduction in the passage also adds to the serenity of the setting, the setting outside the castle is chaotic and inside the castle Lady Bertilak wants to seduce Sir Gawain and show her affection. The poet uses personification: “love would not let her ladyship sleep” (1733). “love” is being personified