While staying at the lord’s castle, Sir Gawain meets several new characters and forms a particular relationship with the lord’s wife. The lord, described as “the most welcome of men,” readily greets his new guest along with his beautiful wife, “most winsome in ways of all women alive.” In this initial interaction, Sir Gawain also meets a much older woman, well respected by everyone.
The Green Knight’s offer was not the only deal made between the characters. Eventually, the lord and Sir Gawain agreed on a bargain: a trade of the lord’s hunting “win” for the Knight’s “achievement” of the day. In this way, the lord brought his guest a deer on the day of his hunt. On the other hand, the lord’s wife took an interest in Sir Gawain’s presence the same day as they exchanged a kiss amongst themselves.
Due to the arranged deal between the men, the Knight had to return the gesture to the lord for each kiss received from the lord’s wife. Hence, as days passed and the relationship between the guest and the lord’s wife developed further, Sir Gawain eventually received a “girdle of green silk” from the lady. Although the bargain required the Knight to gift the lord the girdle, Sir Gawain decided against doing that.