Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Fit III

3 Hunts/3 Temptations Deer/1 kiss = the Flesh Boar/ 2 kisses = the Devil Fox/3 kisses and a girdle = the World 3 in 3!

The Deer Hunt Allegory Describes the terror-stricken deer Gawain lies paralyzed in bed when the lady makes her advances

The Boar Hunt Allegory The fiercest encounter for the lord Gawain makes desperate verbal shifts to preserve his chastity

The Fox Hunt Allegory A tortuous hunt in which the fox seems at once to escape, but then runs unluckily into a pack of dogs Gawain did not expect the twist of a magic, life-saving talisman and falls into its trap

Gawain’s 3 Conflicts Loyalty to his host Loyalty to the lady and courtly love Desire to save himself The three temptations of Christ?

3 Forms of the Goddess (from Robert Graves) Mother = birth Bride = love Crone = death

3 Forms of the Goddess Mother = Guinevere (birth of the Sun Diety, beginning of the year, Mary in his shield) Bride = the beautiful lady (spring) Crone = the old woman (death of the Sun Diety, the end of the year)

3 Forms of the Goddess The 3 Fates The 3 Horae The 3 Marys?

The Romance Lady 1. the Lady who declares her love and vows service to a knight 2. the enchantress who will enthrall the knight (La Belle Dame Sans Merci) and deflect him from the quest

The Enchantress Enslaves the victim when he is induced to fornicate with her If Gawain succumbs to her wiles, he becomes prey to the husband