The Promise (...continued)
We see from Sir Gawain's encounter with the beautiful seductive lady, and his behavior with the lord, that Sir Gawain possesses high moral values, indeed. While he knows that certain death awaits him at the hands of the Green Knight, he still follows the chivalric code of an honorable knight. He does not switch over to the philosophy of "seize-the-day" ("carpe-deum") and does not take the immoral lady up on her tempting offer. Sir Gawain proves true to the lord on a double count: first, he withstands the lord's wife who entices him to sin, and second, he gives the lord what he receives while in the castle. And, as Sir Gawain tries to relax within the warm walls of the castle away from the icy winter winds and furious snowstorms, he faces the greatest danger and is greatly tested within these "safe" and "benign" walls.