Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
VI: Sir Gawain explained
Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, is renowned for his courtesy.
What happens
Sir Gawain, nephew of King Arthur, is renowned for his courtesy. When King Arthur is captured by a grim baron and must answer what women most desire, a loathly lady reveals the secret: women want their own will. In return, Arthur must find her a husband. Gawain volunteers to marry the hideous lady. On their wedding night, she transforms into a beautiful woman, explaining she was enchanted. By Gawain yielding his will to hers, the enchantment is broken, and she and her brother, the grim baron, are freed from their curses.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Transformation
Gawain's willingness to marry the loathly lady and his yielding of his will to hers leads to her physical transformation and the breaking of the enchantment, illustrating love's power to change.
Hospitality and Its Violation
The grim baron violates the code of hospitality by imprisoning King Arthur and demanding a ransom, contrasting with Gawain's courteous acceptance of the loathly lady.
Characters to notice
- Sir Gawain
Nephew of King Arthur, known as the sage and courteous Gawain. He volunteers to marry the loathly lady to free his uncle, and by yielding his will to hers, breaks the enchantment.
- King Arthur
King of the Round Table. He is captured by the grim baron and must discover what women most desire; he learns the secret from the loathly lady and promises her a husband.
- Queen Guenever
Mentioned as part of Arthur's court; present during the marriage of Gawain and the loathly lady.
Key passages
“Be not sad, my lord, for I will marry the loathly lady.”
Gawain tells King Arthur not to worry, as he is willing to wed the hideous woman to save him.
Gawain's selfless offer to marry the loathly lady demonstrates his loyalty and courage.
“She says all women would have their will, This is their chief desire”
The loathly lady reveals that the thing women most desire is to have their own way.
This answer frees King Arthur from the grim baron's demand and sets the stage for Gawain's marriage.
“Sweet blushes stayned her rud-red cheek, Her eyen were black as sloe, The ripening cherrye swelled her lippe, And all her neck was snow.”
After the enchantment is broken, the loathly lady transforms into a beautiful woman with rosy cheeks, dark eyes, red lips, and fair skin.
The transformation is described in vivid, romantic imagery, symbolizing the reward of Gawain's virtue.