Question

In "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," what does Sir Gawain do with all but one of the gifts the lady of the castle gives him?

a) Accepts them gratefully
b) Refuses all of them
c) Keeps them for himself
d) Shares them with his fellow knights

Answer 1

Sir Gawain accepts all but one of the gifts from the lady of the castle gratefully, except for the green girdle that he keeps secret, thinking it will protect him from the Green Knight.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain accepts all but one of the gifts the lady of the castle gives him. Initially, he refuses the gifts, understanding the code of chivalry and seeing the potential for impropriety.

However, he eventually relents and accepts them gratefully, with the exception of one: the green girdle. He keeps this particular gift secret, believing it will protect him from harm in his upcoming encounter with the Green Knight. This act of concealing the green girdle represents one of the central moral dilemmas for Gawain, as it conflicts with his knightly vows of honesty and transparency.