1 . 특징 - alliterative poem -> alliterative revival - Arthurian Romance - Middle English - Bob and whell 2 . 줄거리 During a New Year ’ s Eve feast at King Arthur ’ s court , a strange figure , referred to only as the Green Knight , pays the court an unexpected visit . He challenges the group ’ s leader or any other brave representative to a game . The Green Knight says that he will allow whomever accepts the challenge to strike him with his own axe , on the condition that the challenger find him in exactly one year to receive a blow in return . Stunned , Arthur hesitates to respond , but when the Green Knight mocks Arthur ’ s silence , the king steps forward to take the challenge . As soon as Arthur grips the Green Knight ’ s axe , Sir Gawain leaps up and asks to take the challenge himself . He takes hold of the axe and , in one deadly blow , cuts off the knight ’ s head . To the amazement of the court , the now - headless Green Knight picks up his severed head . Before riding away , the head reiterates the terms of the pact , reminding the young Gawain to seek him in a year and a day at the Green Chapel . After the Green Knight leaves , the company goes back to its festival , but Gawain is uneasy . Time passes , and autumn arrives . on the Day of All Saints , Gawain prepares to leave Camelot and find the Green Knight . He puts on his best armor , mounts his horse , Gringolet , and starts off toward North Wales , traveling through the wilderness of northwest Britain . Gawain encounters all sorts of beasts , suffers from hunger and cold , and grows more desperate as the days pass . on Christmas Day , he prays to find a place to hear Mass , then looks up to see a castle shimmering in the distance . The lord of the castle welcomes Gawain warmly , introducing him to his lady and to the old woman who sits beside her . For sport , the host ( whose name is later revealed to be Bertilak ) strikes a deal with Gawain : the host will go out hunting with his men every day , and when he returns in the evening , he will exchange his winnings for anything Gawain has managed to acquire by staying behind at the castle . Gawain happily agrees to the pact , and goes to bed . The first day , the lord hunts a herd of does , while Gawain sleeps late in his bedchambers . on the morning of the first day , the lord ’ s wife sneaks into Gawain ’ s chambers and attempts to seduce him . Gawain puts her off , but before she leaves she steals one kiss from him . That evening , when the host gives Gawain the venison he has captured , Gawain kisses him , since he has won one kiss from the lady . The second day , the lord hunts a wild boar . The lady again enters Gawain ’ s chambers , and this time she kisses Gawain twice . That evening Gawain gives the host the two kisses in exchange for the boar ’ s head . The third day , the lord hunts a fox , and the lady kisses Gawain three times . She also asks him for a love token , such as a ring or a glove . Gawain refuses to give her anything and refuses to take anything from her , until the lady mentions her girdle . The green silk girdle she wears around her waist is no ordinary piece of cloth , the lady claims , but possesses the magical ability to protect the person who wears it from death . Intrigued , Gawain accepts the cloth , but when it comes time to exchange his winnings with the host , Gawain gives the three kisses but does not mention the lady ’ s green girdle . The host gives Gawain the fox skin he won that day , and they all go to bed happy , but weighed down with the fact that Gawain must leave for the Green Chapel the following morning to find the Green Knight . New Year ’ s Day arrives , and Gawain dons his armor , including the girdle , then sets off with Gringolet to seek the Green Knight . A guide accompanies him out of the estate grounds . When they reach the border of the forest , the guide promises not to tell anyone if Gawain decides to give up the quest . Gawain refuses , determined to meet his fate head - on . Eventually , he comes to a kind of crevice in a rock , visible through the tall grasses . He hears the whirring of a grindstone , confirming his suspicion that this strange cavern is in fact the Green Chapel . Gawain calls out , and the Green Knight emerges to greet him . Intent on fulfilling the terms of the contract , Gawain presents his neck to the Green Knight , who proceeds to feign two blows . on the third feint , the Green Knight nicks Gawain ’ s neck , barely drawing blood . Angered , Gawain shouts that their contract has been met , but the Green Knight merely laughs . The Green Knight reveals his name , Bertilak , and explains that he is the lord of the castle where Gawain recently stayed . Because Gawain did not honestly exchange all of his winnings on the third day , Bertilak drew blood on his third blow . Nevertheless , Gawain has proven himself a worthy knight , without equal in all the land . When Gawain questions Bertilak further , Bertilak explains that the old woman at the castle is really Morgan le Faye , Gawain ’ s aunt and King Arthur ’ s half sister . She sent the Green Knight on his original errand and used her magic to change Bertilak ’ s appearance . Relieved to be alive but extremely guilty about his sinful failure to tell the whole truth , Gawain wears the girdle on his arm as a reminder of his own failure . He returns to Arthur ’ s court , where all the knights join Gawain , wearing girdles on their arms to show their support . Quoted from : SparkNotes Editors . “ SparkNote on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . ” SparkNotes LLC . 2003 . http : / / www . sparknotes . com / lit / gawain / ( accessed October 1 , 2013 ) .