Chaucer's Canterbury Tales - Chivalry by the Knight and the Squire

In the late 14th century that is represented in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the most perceived element of a true gentleman was conceivably chivalry. This element is demonstrated in two of the many characters in the story, the Knight and the Squire. The Knight and the Squire are father and son who are both members of the aristocrat class; both ride honorably on their horses and have the aura of a true gentleman, but despite their similarities, they are different. Though the Knight and the Squire share the same profession and are both members of the same aristocratic class, they differ in the fact that the Knight portrays the ideal society while the Squire displays the reality of society.

Chaucer satirizes knights and chivalry in two different ways: in the prologue and in the Knight's Tale. The first way in the prologue is with the pilgrim Knight's character. Chaucer wanted to present a realistic knight, but he also wanted to give the Knight some very

In the Medieval Period, knights dedicated their lives to following the code of chivalry. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a number of characters performed chivalrous acts to achieve the status of an ideal knight. Their characteristics of respect for women and courtesy for all, helpfulness to the weak, honor, and skill in battle made the characters King Arthur, King Pellinore, and Sir Gryfflette examples of a what knights strove to be like in Medieval society. Because of the examples ofchivalry, Le Morte d’Arthur showed what a knight desired to be, so he could improve theworld in which he lived.

The Knight and the Nun are two significant pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous poem The Canterbury Tales. The Knight is respected by many and his main job was to defeat enemies successfully. The Nun had a lower social position than the Knight and her overall job was to praise the Lord and serve others. While the Knight appears to be a more respected pilgrim in comparison to the Nun, Chaucer uses both of the characters to contribute to the overall theme of humankind’s tendency to strive to be accepted and respected by their peers.

In The Canterbury Tales, the knight is a modern type of knight. Although the description of this character’s personality is vague, it is not hard for modern day people to visualize him. In the prologue, it mentions that the knight follows the five basic ideals that a good knight should possess: “chivalry, Truth, honour, generousness, and courtesy” (Chaucer 4). The knight fought in the Crusades, wars in which Europeans traveled by sea to non-Christian places and tried to convert people’s culture by brute force, which was considered noble and brave hearted. From his love of the five basics ideals previously mentioned to his impressive military career, the knight is a perfect example of how a knight should be represented. Indirectly, the tale is discussing both the knight and the idea of how a knight should be. The tale does not describe much about the knight as in physical appearances and characteristics of this knight but as the tale comes to an end, the book starts to unfold how this story connects with this character. The tale itself is not important yet it’s what the tale represents that is important, such as pursuing courtly love, risking death, and respecting women. All of the previously mentioned attributes are ones that knights should possess to achieve expected standards.

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, the author encapsulates chivalrous characteristics in his telling of a battle for love. In its fundamental form, chivalry idealizes a knight’s conduct, both on and off the battlefield (Gregory-Abbott). Chaucer employs this “heroic code [of] bravery, loyalty, and service to one's lord” to illustrate the idillic knight throughout the narrative (Rossignol). Chaucer’s poem, The Knight’s Tale, exhibits the ideals of chivalry in the form of two knights, desperately in love with the same woman, and a wise Duke who embodies the voice of reason. Each knight upholds honor through compassion, troths, and heroism on the battlefield, despite their afflictions with each other.

Chivalry and courtly love were two major parts of being a knight in the medieval time period. Chivalry was the code that knights lived by and consisted of bravery, unselfishness, and other traits of being a good protector. Courtly love is the love between a knight and a woman that he was attracted to. In the movie, A Knight’s Tale, William has courtly love with Jocelyn, but so does Adhemar. They fight for her heart so that she can see which one she wants to love and adore. William conveyed more knightly traits than Adhemar through his love for Jocelyn, showing mercy when he was jousting the prince, and playing the role of a knight.

The medieval time period brought along a unique style of romance. Romance during the Medieval time referred to French and German poetry dealing with chivalry and the quests of knights in warfare as well as their bravery and courage (Wheeler 1). The chivalry of knights towards women is demonstrated in Milun, Sir Orfeo, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Each of the writings have a different way of unveiling the knight’s chivalry, yet they all share a common theme. Although chivalry is a common theme in all three texts, medieval romance can vary greatly. Some other themes shown throughout the three texts are loyalty, trust, compassion, respect, and devotion.

To what extent was William Marshall’s life as a knight different from other knights of the time? Invariably it was not that much different than those of his peers until his later life. The one thing that set him apart from other knights was his fierce dedication to loyalty.

Squire is the lesser of the two in terms of keeping to the code of chivalry.

“The horse that the knight sits on and that takes him wherever he needs to go signifies the common people, for the people must likewise bear the knight and attend to his needs […] so that he may protect and defend them night and day. The knight sits astride the common people, for, just as the knight spurs his horse and guides it toward the goal he chooses, he has the task of guiding the people according to his will and in legitimate subjection; indeed, the people are under him, and that is where they are meant to be”7.

Chivalry is a code of conduct which began in the middle ages, 449-1485. The mannerism was based on a foundation of common morals and how to hold oneself socially then flourished into numerous different aspects of life such as war and courtly love. Chivalry was then infiltrated into the military and became a phenomenon among knights and how they should behave themselves in and out of war. Chivalry and courtly love were practiced by nobility then trickled down to the working class where they began to imitate it. Chivalry can be confused with feudalism which was (Schofield, "Chivalry in Medieval English").

Critics write social criticisms to bring attention towards the flaws of society’s social structure. Such is the case with Joseph P. Roppolo who wrote the social literary criticism “The Converted Knight in Chaucer’s ‘Wife of Bath’s Tale’” on the novel The Canterbury Tales. Set in London during the fourteenth century, The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffery Chaucer presents stories told by the travelers as they journey their way to Canterbury for the pilgrimage. The tales include the “Wife of Bath’s Tale” which tells of a knight who rapes a young maid out of lust and greed, repudiating any chivalric ideals. Close to being decapitated by Arthur’s Court for his crime, he is given a second chance to save his own life when the queen announces a

The narrator insists: "He was a verray, parfit, gentil knight," but some modern readers, ill at ease with idealized warriors, and doubtful about the value of the narrator's enthusiasms, have questioned this evaluation. His son, the Squire, is by contrast an elegant young man about court, with fashionable clothes and romantic skills of singing and dancing. Their Yeoman is a skilled servant in charge of the knight's land, his dress is described in detail, but not his character.

In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer comments on moral corruption within the Roman Catholic Church. He criticizes many high-ranking members of the Church and describes a lack of morality in medieval society; yet in the “Retraction,” Chaucer recants much of his work and pledges to be true to Christianity. Seemingly opposite views exist within the “Retraction” and The Canterbury Tales. However, this contradiction does not weaken Chaucer’s social commentary. Rather, the “Retraction” emphasizes Chaucer’s criticism of the Church and society in The Canterbury Tales by reinforcing the risk inherent in doing so.