The skillful creator of the 14th century poem "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" skillfully leads his reader with a trail of words through the mysterious world of "a paper cutting of the castle..." (Sir Gawain 802). Here he subjects his main character, Sir Gawain, to the most dangerous test for an Arthurian knight, the test of honor. The gentle author constructs a very cunning component to his story, which the intelligent reader will conclude is a prophetic counterpart. His clues are copious. Of particular importance are the "hunting" scenes of which the poet writes for 802 lines. These scenes, which move from hunting animals in the woods to Gawain's "hunt" in the bedroom, mirror each other and amplify the somewhat hidden similarities of their respective sports. This comparison therefore clarifies the important aspects of knighthood and honor that are so central to this romantic world. The ultimate significance of these three hunting scenes in the larger story is their ability to challenge Gawain to a degree that forces the reader to see him as a worthy, true hero. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay When the poet has led the reader to the hunting scenes, the reader has already seen Gawain honorably agree to play a game with the menacing Green Knight. Now the reader comes across another game in which Gawain has agreed to share with his host everything he receives during the day in exchange for everything the host receives during the hunt. The first hunt is in search of deer. The “Stag rushed through the valley, stunned with terror” (1151) as he tried to escape “the whistle of the arrows” (1160). After this descriptive passage, there is a smooth transition to what happens inside with Gawain and the Lady: "Thus the lord in the lime-tree leads the hunt / And Gawain the good knight lies in a merry bed" (1178-79) . This line is important because it directly follows a discussion of the outdoor hunting scene, first, alerting the reader that they are somehow related and, second, because it sharply contrasts Gawain with the hunters who "Long before daylight [...] left their beds" (1126). This allows us to correlate Gawain with the prey and not the hunter. This notion is further perpetuated when the Lady enters Gawain's bedchamber and he waits "there cautiously to see what [happens]" (1186). This connects him to the dazed and terror-filled stag (1151). Gawain feigns sleep; however, upon awakening he must do his best to survive the Lady whose "affectionate glances flicker" (1205), reminiscent of the hunter's arrow. In this scene, the Lady hunts Gawain just as men hunt deer. He is not aggressive or prepared. While the deer are described as "game" (1167), Gawain, as is increasingly evident, has become the subject of a game. In this particular round his courtesy is at stake. He passes this test quite well because he is in a difficult situation. He is unable to accept the Lady's advances, and in the end he "fears that he has made a mistake in the form of his speech" (1295). He maintains his courtesy. The second hunt is that of the wild boar. Not only do hunters chase a boar, but "The best of all boars [...]" (1439); he is "peerless, an old renegade" (1440). The hunters' arrows that had easily "torn the tawny hide [...]" (1162) of a deer, "had no power to pierce [the] hide" (1456) of the boar. Furthermore, the boar is repeatedly personified as him; "he was by far the largest" (1441), "he grunted [...]" (1442). This is a, 2000.