English Literature on Women's Power

The lives of women in the Middle Ages were quite different from today. They were totally dominated by the male members of their family. Women were expected to obey their husband, father, brothers, and any other male members of the family. At a young age, noble women were sent away to study a range of subjects and skills, such as manners and etiquette. Marriage for love was a rare occurrence because they were frequently arranged so that both families would benefit (The Middle Ages Website). However, literature paints a different portrait of women in this time period. Medieval literature and poetry depict women as powerful figures, ultimately powering over men in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and killing the enemy in the Book of Judith.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Morgan le Fay and Lady Bertilak are the most important female characters. King Arthur's sister, Morgan le Fay, played an important role in arranging the entire game between Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain is mesmerized with Morgan le Fay's beauty- "the fair hues of her flesh, her face and her hair and her body and her bearing were beyond praise (David and Simpson, p.182, 943-944)." Although he is a noble knight, he completely surrenders to her beauty and asks "to be received as her servant as she so desires." Morgan le Fay played the role of God and had Sir Gawain at her fingertips.

As the match between the two men approaches, Sir Gawain sets off to find the Green Chapel to fight with the Green Knight. Sir Gawain comes to a castle belonging to Bertilak de Hautdesert and is asked to stay at the castle. The lady of the castle, Lady Bertilak, visits Sir Gawain's bedroom and tries to seduce him. She sits on his bed and watches as he sleeps. When he awakes, she softly announces her love for him:

"My body is here at hand, Your each wish to fulfill; Your servant to command I am, and

shall be still (David and Simpson, p.187, 1237-1240)."

Lady Bertilak is a prime example of how noble women in the medieval ages weren't supposed to behave. Although her advances to Sir Gawain resulted to nothing more than a few kisses, she showed that women didn't always perform as expected by society.

Sir Gawain's small scar and the silk girdle symbolize the further reduction of Sir Gawain's masculinity. On the morning of his departure, Lady Bertilak gave him a green silk girdle, which she promised was going to keep him from harm. After they exchanged three kisses, Sir Gawain goes off carrying the girdle with him. Because girdles were mainly worn by women, the fact that Sir Gawain took it with him signifies a softer side of him. He also accepts the fact that he isn't all-powerful and still needed some type of protection, even in the form of faith.

Sir Gawain's small battle scar shames him. As he approaches the Green Knight sharpening his axe at the chapel, Sir Gawain bends over to receive his blow. The Green Knight prepares to swing at Sir Gawain's neck, but then hesitated. On his third swing, he only strikes a small scar on Sir Gawain's neck. The Green Knight then revealed to Sir Gawain that they both had been played by Morgan le Fay. They were the toy subjects of a woman's game, and the Green Knight was really the lord Bertilak de Hautdesert. Sir Gawain felt ashamed and was upset that he didn't keep his promise with Bertilak to receive his blow. He returned home in shame, wearing the green girdle and his small battle scar.

In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the main character experiences a "blow." Sir Gawain fell for the beautiful Morgan le Fay and was fooled to fight with the Green Knight. Morgan le Fay demonstrated the effects that women can have on men, powering over men at their weakest spot. Lady Bertilak seduces Sir Gawain and refutes the notion that noble women were faithful and loyal to their husbands. She also weakened Sir Gawain's manhood by persuading him to wear a silk girdle. The most important feature that diminished his esteem was his small scar that he received from the Green Knight. He failed to keep his end of the bargain to the Green Knight, and a small battle scar was nothing for a noble knight to brag about. Sir Gawain was like a boy toy that the women played with.

In addition, the Book of Judith also portrayed the power of women during the medieval times. Judith is a female warrior whom saved her people from their enemy with the help of God. She is an example of what a true warrior should be. Although she is only a widow and a woman, she proved to everyone that women could do anything with God's help and if they set their mind to it. Her people were scared to step up to their conquerors, but she stepped up to the plate and freed them. Judith used her feminism to seduce the enemy general, Holofernes, and to kill him with his own sword.

In this story, Judith uses her power as a woman to gain the trust of Holofernes. The enemy general, like all men, thought that a pretty face like Judith couldn't do him any harm. With this perception, Judith gains first entry to his tent. Holofernes' weakest spot was penetrated when Judith slowly withdraws herself to him. He then becomes drunk, and everything else falls in her hands. That's when Judith decapitates Holofernes with his own sword. She then takes the head back to show her people. The Assyrians withdraw, and Israel is saved. This is another victorious defeat over man by a woman. Because Judith was a woman, she was able to capture the enemy in his most vulnerable moment.

Judith disproves the image of a woman in the early historical ages. In reference to Adam and Eve from the bible, Eve was thought as the corrupter. She took a bite out of the forbidden apple, therefore, damming the lives of mankind. In the Book of Judith, Judith forms a pact with God to free her people. God helped her and gave her the strength to accomplish this heroic task. Even as a woman, Judith was loved and chosen by God. She also refuted the idea that women sat back and let men take all the actions. When all the countrymen didn't have the strength to stand up to the Assyrians, Judith did. She showed the world what a woman can do.

In summary, medieval literature and poems depict women as heroes and powerful enough to control men. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain was manipulated and played by the significant women of the story. His ego was reduced by the women's power over him and his own wrongdoing of falling into the hands of beautiful women. In the Book of Judith, Judith illustrated the power of women when she decapitated Holofernes and saved her people. Overall, women were not just viewed as a man's shadow, but also as the sun itself.

David, Alfred, and James Simpson. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York:

W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2006.

"Noble Women in Middle Ages." The Middle Ages Website.