Comparison Between Paradise Lost and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

The women in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Paradise Lost both had a serious impact over the men in their lives. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the host’s wife heavily influenced Sir Gawain’s thoughts and strategies through seduction, especially when she offered her girdle. The host’s wife was put there to test Sir Gawain’s loyalty, and he gave in. In Paradise Lost, Eve was beneficial to Adam in many ways. Eve provided Adam with companionship, gave Adam confidence, and also helped convince him to eat the apple. Both women held crucial amounts of power, and effected the outcome in both poems. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the host’s wife tried to seduce Sir Gawain. This was a test created by the host himself to test Sir Gawain’s loyalty and morality. The only way to test Sir Gawain’s loyalty and ethics was with the temptation of a woman. This shows how much power the host’s wife had, and in fact she had more power than the host himself. The reason the host invited him was to test him, and the only way he could test him was with his wife. The wife tempted Sir Gawain three different times. The last time she told him to take her green girdle; taking it would allow him to live. She made him believe that if he took the girdle from her, he would be safe from the green knight. Sir Gawain took the green girdle, and believed the host’s wife. Sir Gawain was supposed to give the girdle back to the host, but he kept it instead, hoping it would really save his life. The host’s wife holds so much power, that she made someone think that a green girdle would save them from death. She held so much power that she manipulated him into taking the girdle, and thinking it would save him. Because Sir Gawain took the girdle and did not return it, the host cut him on his neck. If Sir Gawain did what he was supposed to do and gave the girdle back, he would not have had the cut on his neck. Sir Gawain also felt shame after he realized what he had done. He felt shame and