Classical poetry
Course instructor: Mam Ayesha
B.S English
Semester. 5th
Character Analysis The Knight
Socially, the Knight is by far the most prestigious person on the pilgrimage. He has
fought in many battles and served his king nobly. (Readers should note that the Knight
has not fought in secular battles; all his battles have been religious battles of some
nature.) He is the very essence of chivalry, honor, and courage. Similarly, he is the
epitome of gentility, a man who loves truth, freedom, and honor. Everyone in the
pilgrimage looks up to and respects him.
Despite his elevated position, the knight is also filled with humility. He does not
participate in the quarreling or complaining, nor does he condemn it. Although he has
distinguished himself several times in battle, he never talks about his brave and
valorous deeds. He is completely satisfied with his station in life and is courteous to the
other pilgrims without becoming friendly with them.
The Knight's Tale perfectly fits the Knight himself. He chooses a story filled with knights,
love, honor, chivalry, and adventure. The main emphasis in the story is upon rules of
honor, decorum, and proper conduct. For his hero, he chooses the Greek hero of
legend, Theseus, who was the most highly thought of man in Ancient Greek culture;
indeed, Theseus was the King of Athens, and Sophocles, in the Oedipus Trilogy,
presents him as the ideal king. Thus Theseus, like the Knight himself, is an embodiment
of all the ideal human virtues.
The Knight's tale summary
The Knight’s Tale in The Canterbury Tales is a romantic and chivalric story of love, rivalry, and
fate set in ancient Greece. It follows the lives of two noble cousins, Palamon and Arcite, who are
captured in battle by Duke Theseus of Athens and imprisoned in a tower. While confined, they
both fall in love with Emelye, Theseus’s beautiful sister-in-law, whom they see from their
window. Their love for Emelye turns the cousins from friends into rivals.
Arcite is eventually released on the condition that he never returns to Athens. However, unable
to stay away, he disguises himself and serves in Emelye’s court. Meanwhile, Palamon escapes
from prison, and the two meet in a forest where they begin to fight over Emelye. Theseus
discovers them and decides to resolve the conflict through a grand tournament. Each knight is
given a year to prepare and assemble an army, with the winner earning Emelye’s hand.
Before the tournament, Palamon prays to Venus for love, Arcite prays to Mars for victory, and
Emelye prays to Diana, asking to remain unmarried. The gods intervene: Mars grants Arcite
victory, but Venus ensures Palamon ultimately wins Emelye. After winning the tournament,
Arcite is tragically thrown from his horse and fatally injured. On his deathbed, he gives his
blessing for Palamon to marry Emelye.
In the end, Theseus arranges the marriage between Palamon and Emelye, bringing closure to
the tale.
Analysis of The Knight's tale
Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale predates The Canterbury Tales and is believed to have been
composed in the early 1380s. It draws heavily from Boccaccio’s Teseida, which itself was
inspired by Statius’ Thebaid. The tale aligns with the Knight’s character as a noble romance
exploring themes of chivalry, courtly love, and fate. However, its protagonists, Palamon and
Arcite, often fail to embody the ideals they aspire to uphold.
The story begins with the two knights, Palamon and Arcite, imprisoned by Duke Theseus after a
battle. While in captivity, they both fall in love with Emelye, whom they see from their prison
window. This moment captures the essence of courtly love, where admiration is from afar:
> “And so bifel, by aventure or cas,
That thurgh a window thikke of many a barre
Of iren greet and square as any sparre,
He caste his eye upon Emelya.”
Their love for Emelye leads to rivalry, but this feud is far from chivalric. The two knights bicker
over who has the greater claim to her love, despite both being confined and having no
interaction with her. Their conduct contrasts with the ideals of knightly honor and decorum,
suggesting a critique of chivalry.
When Theseus discovers their quarrel, he initially sentences them to death but is persuaded by
the women of the court to spare their lives. Theseus declares that their conflict will be settled
through a tournament, a decision that brings order and civility to their otherwise petty feud. This
act highlights Theseus’ role as a figure of justice and moderation:
> “The regne of mannyre and of ek resoun.”
Despite the grand tournament that follows, the tale emphasizes the futility of human endeavors
against the whims of fate. Arcite wins the tournament but is fatally injured shortly after, echoing
the medieval understanding of fortune’s unpredictability:
> “For in the sterres, clerer than is glas,
Is writen, God woot, al this futur cas.”
This moment reflects Chaucer’s possible inspiration from Boethius, whose philosophy suggests
that human life is subject to the caprices of fate. The sudden death of Arcite serves as a
reminder of life’s fragility, especially poignant in the aftermath of the Black Death.
One critique of The Knight’s Tale is the lack of distinction between Palamon and Arcite. While
both are passionate and impulsive, their personalities are not sufficiently developed to represent
distinct qualities or values. Their love for Emelye appears more an abstract pursuit of an ideal
than genuine affection for her as a person.
Ultimately, the tale explores the tension between human desires and divine intervention.
Emelye, who prays to Diana to remain chaste, is ultimately married to Palamon after Arcite’s
death, illustrating how personal agency is often overridden by cosmic forces. The tale’s
conclusion underscores the transience of earthly pursuits and the inevitability of fate,
encapsulated in Theseus’ philosophical reflection:
> “The Firste Moevere of the cause above,
Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love.”
Chaucer’s inclusion of these themes suggests a nuanced critique of chivalric ideals, reflecting
the shifting cultural attitudes of the 1380s. With war and death looming large in public memory,
The Knight’s Tale offers a meditation on the limits of human ambition and the enduring power of
fate.
Major themes of The Knight's tale
1. Chivalry and Honor
One of the central themes of The Knight’s Tale is chivalry, which governs the
actions of Palamon and Arcite as they compete for Emelye’s love. Their adherence
to the chivalric code, which includes loyalty, bravery, and respect for women,
defines their rivalry. However, their actions also highlight the tensions between
personal desires and societal ideals. For example, the tournament organized by
Theseus emphasizes the importance of resolving disputes honorably:
> “Thanne was it schewed how the feeld sholde be;
Nat fully quyte of armes, nor of paves,
But oonly with two swerdes and namo,
And point by point ther was acorded so.”
Their willingness to fight for Emelye reflects the courtly ideal of love, which often
involves proving one's worth through valor and sacrifice. These ideals, while noble,
also lead to destructive consequences.
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2. Love and Desire
Love, especially as an overwhelming and idealized force, drives the plot of The
Knight’s Tale. Both Palamon and Arcite fall in love with Emelye upon first sight,
exemplifying the concept of courtly love:
> “I noot wher she be womman or goddesse,
But Venus is it, soothly, as I gesse.”
This love becomes the source of intense rivalry, disrupting their friendship and
leading to violence. Palamon declares:
> “Whoso wol seken up in holy bookes,
Ne may nat fynden, as I gesse,
That man may love his enemy by no weyes.”
The tale also portrays love as a dual force—both noble and destructive. Arcite’s
lamentation in exile reveals the torment of love:
> “Allas, why pleynen folk so in commune
Of purveiaunce of God, or of Fortune,
That geveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse
Wel bettre than they can hemself devyse?”
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3. Fate and Divine Will
The role of fate and divine will is a prominent theme in the tale, reflecting the
medieval belief that life is governed by forces beyond human control. The
interventions of Venus, Mars, and Diana underscore this idea. Arcite prays to Mars,
the god of war, for victory in the tournament:
> “Strengthen my herte, that with thy brest it be,
And so I shal ful fayn his lady se.”
Meanwhile, Palamon prays to Venus, the goddess of love, to win Emelye:
> “Venus, if it be thy wil, yow heried be
In this bataille.”
Despite their prayers, fate ultimately dictates the outcome. Arcite wins the
tournament but dies tragically, underscoring the idea that human efforts are subject
to the whims of the gods:
> “What is this world? What asketh men to have?
Now with his love, now in his colde grave.”
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4. Death and Mortality
Death looms over the tale, serving as a reminder of life’s fragility and
unpredictability. Arcite’s sudden death after his victory epitomizes the fleeting
nature of triumph and human existence. Theseus reflects on this inevitability:
> “This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo,
And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro.”
The tragic ending reinforces the idea that no matter how noble or honorable one’s
actions, death is an inescapable force. This theme resonates with the medieval
audience, who were acutely aware of mortality due to events like the Black Death.
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5. Justice and Order
The tale emphasizes the importance of justice and societal order, embodied by
Theseus, who serves as a mediator. His decision to resolve Palamon and Arcite’s
feud through a tournament reflects his commitment to fairness:
> “The regne of mannyre and of ek resoun
I have yow set.”
Yet, the ultimate outcome of the tournament, where Arcite wins but dies, highlights
the limits of human justice in the face of divine will. Theseus’ philosophical
reflections at the end of the tale underscore the balance between maintaining order
and accepting the unpredictability of life:
> “The Firste Moevere of the cause above,
Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love.”
Theseus’ words serve as a reminder of the harmony and order intended by divine
providence, even when human lives appear chaotic and unpredictable.