Gawain is Arthur's nephew and the main focus of this poem. He is the son of Lot of Orkney and Morgause, and according to legend, once his father dies he becomes the head of the Orkney clan. In French versions of Arthurian legend, Gawain often has adventures that parallel but do not overshadow the adventures of the main hero, usually either Lancelot or Perceval. In the English tradition, however, Gawain is often the focus of the tale, and sometimes presented as the archetype of knightly chivalry and honor, though the extent to which that presentation holds in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is open to debate. He has obvious flaws as he was tested and did not pass them all.