Final answer:
In literature, hunting often symbolizes various human experiences and ethical considerations. Margaret Cavendish's 'The Hunting of the Hare' personifies the rabbit and criticizes the cruel nature of humans who hunt for sport, representing a broader perspective on the relationship between humans and animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The animals hunted in the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight are not directly specified in the question; however, we can draw from Margaret Cavendish's poem The Hunting of the Hare to illustrate the theme of hunting in medieval literature. In Cavendish's poem, animals such as the rabbit are heavily personified and symbolize fellow humans, implying that the act of hunting is equated with the cruelty towards other human beings. The poem serves as a critique of humanity's desire for dominion over others and an indirect assessment of human cruelty through the lens of animal hunting.
The excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, known as 'The Cunning Hunter,' implicates a range of animals such as birds, beasts of the forest, and marine life, all subjected to mankind's cunning and traps. Margaret Cavendish's work, therefore, amplifies the moral implications of such actions, portraying men as bloodthirsty monsters who kill not out of necessity, but for sport and the exertion of their dominion.
In contemporary literature, the act of hunting typically represents more than just the pursuit and capture of wild animals; it often embodies themes such as humans' relationship with nature, the struggle for power, and the ethical considerations of killing for sport. Cavendish highlights this in her portrayal of the hare and her overarching message about the human-animal relationship and the value of life.