Examples Of Deception In Sir Gawain

Deception is common place within our society. Nobody is perfect and more often than not, someone will try cheating to gain an advantage. This is evident especially in the political system, but can even trickle all the way down to something as innocent as stealing a cookie from a cookie jar. The question may arise whether deception is just lying or rather it also includes withholding the truth. In reality, when we withhold the truth from a person, we are altering the view of what is true for that person. Hence we are deceiving them. A perfect example of this would be Gawain, in the text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Gawain may not be as honorable and truthful as he seems; he selfishly deceives others because he values his life and

There are multiple occasions when Gawain is supposed to uphold a promise or deal with someone else, but instead deceives to gain an advantage. One occurrence of this is when he hides a girdle from lord Bertilak of the castle. Gawain takes a girdle from lady Bertilak after she tells him of its magical powers to protect him from danger. They also agree to tell nobody of the gift (page 36). However, Gawain made a deal with lord Bertilak to give him everything he should acquire while living in the castle. Gawain keeps this promise for a few days until he is given this magical girdle, that can supposedly protect its wearer from harm. Gawain realizes that he can use it to protect his life from the Green Knight’s blow so he chooses to hide it from lord Bertilak out of fear for losing his life. By doing so, he reveals that he values his life above being truthful. If Gawain was truthful, he would have revealed to Bertilak that he was given a girdle and given it to him as part of their deal. Gawain deceives the Green Knight in a similar way. When Gawain is caught wearing the magical girdle during the encounter with the Green Knight, he confesses, “For fear of thy blow cowardice bade me make friends with covetousness and forsake the customs of largess and loyalty, which befits all knights” (page 44). Gawain admits to fearing the blow from the Green Knight and reveals how Gawain values his own life more than being open with

Gawain receives a kiss from lady Bertilak one day while he’s staying in lord Bertilak’s castle. Keeping the deal that they made, Gawain gives a kiss to lord Bertilak when he returns from his hunt. Lord Bertilak—to Gawain’s surprise—asks him where he acquired the kiss, but Gawain refused to answer, saying, “That was not in the bond. Ask me no more: ye have taken what was yours by right, be content with that” (page 29). This would be fine and dandy should the lady he received the kiss from have not been lord Bertilak’s wife. This shows how Gawain feels almost ashamed for having received the kiss from who he did. The fact that Gawain hides this from lord Bertilak shows that he values his honor above being truthful. How honorable would it be to say to a man that he just received a lovely kiss from that man’s very own