The Knight - Ben Collins

**The Knight** is a character which appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's *The Canterbury Tales.* His story is the first in the collection, as well as the longest. His story reflects how many individuals romanticized the past.

## **Character Description**

The Knight is a very humble, yet powerful presence in *The Canterbury Tales.* He is a solider for the king, and has fought in many religious battles.

## **Class**

Knights were their own class in the middle ages. Considered to be an upper-level member of society, Knights were ordained by the king, and were a special type of armed forces used in battle against other Kingships.

## **The Knight's Tale**

### Part 1

The Knight tells a story from ancient Greece. The two main characters, Palamon and Arcite, are Theban cousins, who are captured as "prisoners of war" in Athens by Theseus. Both are confined to a tower, where they, from afar, watch a woman named Emelye, and they both fall in love with her. Arcite is later freed and returns to Thebes, but his leaving is bitter-sweet, as he is banished from Athens and will never be able to see Emelye again. He envies Palamon. However, Palamon believes Arcite will come back to Athens and take Emelye for himself.

The knight then poses a rhetorical question: Who is worse off, Palamon or Arcite?

### Part 2

Years later, Arcite has a dream in which Mercury, the messenger god, tells him to return to Athens. At this point, Arcite had grown frail from lovesickness. He realizes he could get into the city using a disguise. He does so and is employed in Emelye's chamber, changing his name to Philostrate. On another day, Arcite finds himself alone in the forest, singing and lamenting his situation, how he wants to return to Thebes, but he wants to be close to Emelye. As it turns out, Palamon had escaped from prison that very same day, and heard Arcite's singing. They confront each other and each claim the Emelye as theirs. The then duel and injure each other pretty well.

Theseus then catches them fighting, and hears who they are and why they are fighting. Theseus decides to kill them, but the Queen and Emelye both intervene, and the duke proposes that they fight in a tournament for Emelye's hand in marriage.

### Part 3

Theseus creates a large stadium for the event. He builds three temples near the gate, one for Mars, Venus, and Diana. Before the fight, Palamon visits the temple of Venus, asking her for help in the fight. The statue somehow shows a sign that she will help him. Emelye pleads Diana to halt the marriage, but Diana appears and tells her she must marry one of the the Thebans. Arcite, thinking reasonably, visits the temple of Mars, (THE GOD OF WAR) and pleads for victory. The statue of Mars whispers "Victory!"

### Part 4

The armies enter the colosseum, appearing of equal size and preparedness. The battle begins. Both armies fight valiantly, but it seems the end has come. Arcite has Palamon close to death, and Theseus proclaims Arcite victorious. Emelye rejoices.

Venus weeps.

Saturn tells her that the battle is not over, and he shakes the Earth beneath Arcite, causing him to fall off his horse. He is severely injured. Arcite tells Emelye that she should marry Palamon. He passes away. Emelye, Theseus, and Palamon become very sad because of his death. Years later, only Theseus has gotten past Arcite's death, while the other two dress in black to mourn him. Theseus tells them that they grieve too much. He tells them to marry, and they do, and they live together peacefully.

## **Imagery**

* As the storyteller is a knight, he explains this story using romanticisms, such as mentioning aspects of chivalry and knighthood that were not present during Grecian times.
* Chaucer explains love as some kind of physical pain, as when Palamon states, "But I was wounded lately through the eye Down to my heart, and that my bane will be. The beauty of the lady that I see..."
* Whether or not Imagery, it is important to note, that for whatever reason, the story is set in ancient Greece, however the names of the gods used are the roman variations.