I really enjoyed reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I feel like there are so many subtle references and allusions to pick up on that give a richer sense of meaning to the text as a whole. For example, the whole section when Gawain first arrives at Bertilak’s castle is full of language that emphasizes Gawain being coaxed into staying at the castle, and eventually being led to trial and danger. As soon as Gawain enters the castle grounds, the people take his weapons and armor away, replacing them with rich, extravagant clothing meant for flattery. This could symbolize Bertilak stripping Gawain of all his defenses. Bertilak also makes sure that Gawain is good and drunk on the first night, further displaying his persuasive tactics. One other nuance that I especially noticed was how Bertilak explicitly makes a point to detain Gawain from leaving the hall after the festivities. He does this three times; he first “catches his coat” (l 936), then “brings him to his chamber” (l 1030), and finally “Seize[s] his arm and seat[s] him there” (l 1083). This shows how Bertilak physically tries to manipulate Gawain, even with such a thing as going to bed. This makes one wonder how he is capable of manipulating on a larger scale. Not only does this uphold the theme of the number three throughout the rest of the poem, but this emphasizes the strong will of Bertilak in the art of persuasion.