Temptation is a universal theme that exposes a lot about a person’s character. This dilemma stirs a war between instinctive desire and the morals and virtues one chooses to live by. In the poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” Gawain faces temptation with the beautiful and cunning Lady Bertilak. Without knowing that Lord Bertilak connives with Lady Bertilak to test him, Gawain suffers an internal conflict. He must decide whether to take her or to refuse her advances, with the danger of rudely rejecting her. Gawain is chivalrous and respected, but at the same time, he still has basic human desires. His decision to keep the belt a secret is understandable and instead reflects the temptation of avoiding death. Undoubtedly, the three temptation scenes are abundant with metaphors, similes, and compliments that encompass the characteristics of courtly love. The first …show more content…
Lady Bertilak tries to determine what kind of man Gawain is around women by being heavily flirtatious. She emphasizes that they are alone in the castle and are free to do whatever he pleases. Her initial stage of the hunt between predator and prey is her stalking the movements of her prey. She starts with innocent, playful remarks and a metaphor of how Gawain is her hostage, boldly claiming “I’ll lock you where you lie, and sit where I am” (1224). She immediately exerts her dominance over Gawain through this metaphor, representing her game of manipulation. From here on, she will continue to toy with his feelings and try and stimulate physical desire, creeping up on Gawain like a predator sneaking up on its prey. Additionally, the first animal Lord Bertilak hunts is a doe, and does represent gracefulness, peace and beauty, which are qualities Gawain sees in the Lady. Although Gawain acknowledges