Theme Of Chivalry In The Knight's Tale

Elements of the medieval romance are evident in the movie First Knight. As such Chivalry is clearly evident through the action of Lancelot in the First Knight. This is shown when he goes out to rescue Lady Guinevere from the ambush in the forest and from Malagant castle where she is being held captive after being kidnaped in Camelot, Therefore, this is a clear depiction of chivalry in where the knight goes out to save the damsel in distress from danger. Another act of chivalry is when Lancelot embarks into the gauntlet which is a contraption that test one’s courage, bravery, and skill to be able to pass. Therefore, Lancelot goes through the gauntlet without any protection to display his skill and bravery to impress Guinevere. Consequently,

"The Knight's Tale" shows what happens when the rules of two different systems – chivalry and courtly love – come into conflict with one another. Palamon and Arcite have sworn a knightly oath to be loyal to one another, but they both fall in love with the same girl. The problem is,

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.

Although the Nun holds a lower position in society than the Knight, she tries to act similarly to the Knight by attempting to show good manners and a sophisticated attitude. Chaucer writes that the Knight is “ever honored for his noble graces” (Chaucer 146.50), demonstrating how the sophisticated way the Knight acts results in him being liked and honored by many. Chaucer describes the Nun’s usage of manners by writing “no morsel from her lips did she let fall” (Chaucer 148.132). Here, it is made apparent that the Nun did her best to act in an experienced, worldly manner, even though at the time it was unusual for a nun and a knight to have similar manners due to the large hiatus between their positions in the social hierarchy. Chaucer uses both of these characters’ manners to contribute to the overall theme of The Canterbury Tales by giving a specific example of

"The Knight's Tale" is one of many tales from the Canterbury Tales. This story sets in the city of Athens. Which opens into the theme of violence, foolishness, impetuousness, and impulsiveness; initially exceedingly emotional responses. One example is when two of our main characters, Palmon and Arcite, both fall in love with Theseus's sister-in-law (Emelye). These two blood brothers, leave each other after seeing Emelye out of the window of the tower. Which, I believe is a very impulsive decision, for they have not got time to know who she is and her personality. Also, they act like mortal enemies after just seeing her, so this thought process was completely impulsive and based on her looks. And later, Arcite tries to get to know her better after he was released from his imprisonment sentence by disguising himself, so he can take a job as a page in Emelye's chamber. I believe this shows that he wants to know her, but also it shows he is not being honest with her, which shows he was being impulsive and deceiving. He only learned about the little things that she liked, not her personality. Emelye learned a little bit about Arcite after the little conversing they shared, so they learned a little of each other's personality. This shows that the friendship was growing and not an intimate relationship, like Arcite wanted. So the story goes on and both Palmon and Arcite have been released from prison. And they happen to both decide to wander in the woods. Then they confront each other, each claiming the right to Emelye. The next day, they were brutally hacking away at each other. Honestly, I believe they are being impulsive and violent, they still barely knew Emelye (especially Palmon), and they decide to go kill each other. Then here shows up Theseus, which a loving and wise duke, but he can also be a little impulse when it comes to violence (which is fairly normal for a duke in the 1390s). Theseus tries to be loving when he sees the two men fighting, but he changes his mind when he found out it was Palmon and Arcite fighting. And that they were fighting because they "love" Emelye. Then Theseus was about to respond by killing them, but his loving wife and Emelye intervened, pleading for their lives. They pleaded

In terms of literary quality, Chaucer went great lengths to give all elements a bit of attention. The work is primarily about a knight who is pardoned from a rape on the condition that he acquires the answer to one of life’s

This is a problem because the two men aren’t thinking about the code of chivalry, the code that binds them with honor. As knightly brothers, they shouldn’t be going against this sacred code they took to each other. They are abandoning each other and the promise they made to each other to win Emily. From the documentary, I interpreted that the code of chivalry is, or should be, above everything else to a knight, even courtly love. So, I think the way this documentary discusses the code of chivalry between knights shows that these men going at each other is a problem because they come to value winning a girl, and not the bond they took to one

The Virtuous code of chivalry is shown when the bodies of the women husbands were slain and dragged out into the plain by the the Lord of Thebes King Creon. The Duke showing his code of chivalry promising he would take vengeance “swore on his oath that he was a true knight he would take vengeance on this tyrant King” (29). The Duke

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight along with The Canterbury Tales features impressive knights that all boast a chivalric code. As Sir Gawain and the Green Knight unfolds, we readers are led to look beneath the attractive surface of chivalry and question exactly what chivalry is through examples such as: Sir Arthur , Sir Gawain, the Green Knight, Palamon, and Arcite.

In the tale of Equitan, the nature of knighthood and chivalry is shown through the relationship of Equitan and his knight. Although Equitan had said that he was a man who upheld chivalry, throughout the story he lusts, lies, and takes his knight’s wife for his own. He begs her and claims being sick until she is willing to be his, and this does not shed a positive light on his chivalry and king’s honor.

In Chaucer’s “Franklin Tale” the plot revolves around a married couple: the knight, Arviragus, his young wife, Dorigen, and a young squire, Aurelius who importunes and attempts to Dorigen. The characters can be said to oscillate between desire and their ego honor which affects what they say and do. Lacan’s definition of desire tells us that we desire for recognition from this “Other.” Our desire is to become what the other person lacks. Duby’s model of courtly love is a concept that focuses on chivalry, nobility and women being at the center. In this paper, I will examine what the story reveals about the relation each character has to his or her desire, how they act in accordance to their desire and the role magic or illusion plays in the plot and how it affect characters’ relation to desire.

The Canterbury Tales begin with The Knight’s Tale; which chronicles the tragic love triangle of Palamon, Arcite and Emilye. The following tale, which is told by the Miller, is also a love triangle, and is in many ways similar to the Knight’s tale. However, the Miller’s tale sharply contrasts the Knight’s, almost parodying it. The Knight’s tale is a tragic of nobility, heritage and focuses heavily on mythology and astrology, whereas The Miller’s tale is a comedy, focusing on the common-man and his less civilized, and bawdy lifestyle. The two stories mirror one another in many ways, but are presented from completely different sides of the spectrum. When the two tales are looked at closely, it doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that they occur

Chaucer’s most brutal attack was on the high ranking class and nobility, his use of satire allowed for him to make accusations of their lack of accountability for their actions. This concept was outlined in the Wife of Bath’s Tale, where a young knight physically assaulted a maiden the instance was brought to a court of the king and the knight was then sentenced to execution. The queen, however, chose to spare the knight’s life if he was able to find what women desired most within one year. He returned to the court a year later and revealed that women wanted freedom more than anything, and in return he was forced to marry an old lady that revealed the secret to him. This was what taught him the ultimate lesson. The old lady made a deal with the knight, he could have her old and ugly, but loyal or he could have a young and beautiful wife that he could not trust; when presented with the choice the knight chose to let the woman decide. “The knight thought long, and with a piteous groan at last he said, with the care in life, “My lady and my love, my dearest wife, I leave the matter to your wise decision. You make the choice yourself, for the provision of what may be agreeable and right in honor to us both, I don't care which; whatever pleases you suffices me.” (lines 374-381) The knight has learned that he cannot control his wife and have her love him, as a result of this revelation the lady changes herself into a loyal and beautiful wife. This lesson

Moving on to Chaucer’s second tale, there are many lessons to be taught about chivalry. This tale tells the story of a narcissistic knight that rapes a young woman alongside a river. Once King Arthur finds about this sin he demands the knights head. Fortunately, the knight is spared by the woman but in a redeemable manner. The knight is set out on a year long mission in order to answer one question- “what do women want the most?”. After the year long mission the knight returns and answers the question successfully. This answer the knight gives is what coincides with the prologue’s last lesson. “Women want the same self-sovereignty over her husband, as over her lover, and master him, he must not be above her”(Chaucer, 214-218). This saying, again, is addressing the balance in power within a relationship. There is no doubt that Chaucer believes a successful marriage needs a balance

Chaucer shows facts about the Middle English through the people of the court system in society. In the “Prologue” Chaucer reveals the honorable qualities of the Knight during this time period. Through the speakers words “To ride abroad had