There are one in few ladies once again in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (now referred to as SGGK) so there is once more little representation on the views of women and those views have not changed much since the earlier days of British literature. With SGGK the most prevalent example in this comes in the form of Bertilak’s wife, whose sexuality plays a very important role. Right of the bat she is quickly presented as a temptation and test to Sir Gawain, her sexuality and lust represents a test of faith that Sir Gawain must pass.
Bertilak’s wife is nothing quite like the women in which the time she was written in. She is very much everything that is described as corrupt and shameful. She is in control and takes initiative when it comes to her object of desire. The Lady’s role as a temptress is further enforced as she expresses her desire to do as she pleases with Sir Gawain, “I shall imprison you in your bed, be certain on that” (1211). She is not afraid of being an adulteress, she show’s no fear of her husband returning as he is not anywhere near where he can interrupt
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The main character may live in the medieval times but she is no simple portrait of a woman of those times. She is complex, she is shameless about sexual exploits, she is not afraid to speak freely or use her “sexual power to obtain what she wishes”. (Smith) She is a strong-willed and dominant woman who gets what she wants when she wants it. However this also brings back up the negative aspect of the female sexuality and being female in general during this time. She speaks of how she uses this power of this men to manipulate and get what she wants, “Why sholde men elles in hir bokes sette, That man shal yelde to his wyf hir dette? Now wher-with sholde he make his payement, If he ne used his sely instrument?” (130) This further enforces the idea of women being only manipulative and deceitful