Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Poem

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The poem’s journey was set in motion by Morgan le Fay the half-sister of King Arthur. . Although her reasoning behind her quest is questionable her characteristic description allows readers to question if the writer wanted us to focus more on the story between the lines rather that the beauty usually associated with medieval women in poems. Morgan le Fay who was never mentioned in the story until the end is describe in comparative criticism to the wife of Bercilak (who by the way is never named) as being too ugly that she was covered from head to toe in black with the exception of her eyes, lips, and mouth and even those where hideous. An ugly hag she is described as while Bercilak’s wife is the definition of beauty when comparing the two and yet it is obvious who had not only controlled Arthur’s court into participating in trial of honor [that could have ended in unknown punishment for Arthur and perhaps his court also had Gawain failed] but also seems to in power of Berilak’s household, with her sitting on the fair of Hautdesert and Bercilak’s wife standing the power structure sift to the hag and her hold on Hautdesert strong.

Giving that Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem is a medieval romance poem Morgan’s ugliness although surprising perhaps had another clue that her presence is not a surface mention of one an Arthurian legend but something behind the beauty of women her time focus more on the significance of Morgan herself. Giving the fact that she was the one who set the plot in motion and subsequently holds the power over every character, the reasoning behind this adventure can be said to have failed to be satisfied or justified. Every journey has a point of origin and reason why the hero is set on this journey. Home...

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... the full blow did not cut him. At that Gawain become angry and demands that the knight deliver the blow, so the knight does what he was told but not killing him, the knight only inflicted a small cut on Gawain’s neck. When he got cut, Gawain declares that the knight delivered his blow and that he (Gawain) was free of the bargain. When the knight laughs at him, Gawain is told that he (the green knight) was Bercilak who was transformed by Morgan le Fay to not only test Arthur’s court but to frighten Guinevere to death. Gawain, ashamed of his deceit to Bercilak returns to Camelot wearing the girdle as a symbol of shame and weakness. When he got home, he told his fellow knights the tale and his journey and explained to them what he thought his failure was, and after hearing the story the knight forgives him of any blame and stated to wear girdle in a show of support.

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