Our Essential Questions for This Tale

Humanities The Knight’s Tale Our essential questions for this tale: How does the knight see the universe—as friendly and sympathetic, or as generally hostile? Why does he view it the way he does? To what extent does the Knight continue to believe in the chivalric code and, along with it, his religion? Is he struggling to live a good life even though he no longer believes in the comforts of religion? In what ways does he compare and contrast to Achilles and Ajax, the other two great warriors we have considered thus far in the course?

Brief Summary of the Story

Summary taken from Friedlander ER (1999) Enjoying "The Knight's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer Retrieved Dec. 25, 2003 from http://www.pathguy.com/kttale.htm

Theseus, king of Athens, marries Hippolyta, an Amazon lady he has defeated in battle. The king of neighboring Thebes (Creon) is a tyrant who impiously forbade the burial of enemy dead. Theseus marches on Thebes and defeats the tyrant. After the battle, he condemns two prisoners of war, Arcite (arr-KEE-tay) and Palamon to life in prison for no evident reason.

In prison, Arcite and Palamon both fall in love with Emily, Hippolyta's sister. Arcite is eventually released and returns in disguise to court Emily. Palamon eventually escapes. The two men meet by accident in the woods and are fighting viciously when Theseus finds them. He decides to let them fight for Emily's hand.

To prepare for the fight, Theseus builds an amphitheater with shrines to Mars (god of war), Venus (goddess of love), and Diana (goddess of hunting, the moon, and celibacy). Arcite prays to Mars to win the battle. Palamon prays to Venus to marry Emily. (Interestingly, Emily prays to stay celibate.) The god Saturn comes up with a plan by which both Mars and Venus can grant the prayers of their supplicants.

Arcite wins the battle, but his horse then throws him and his chest is crushed. Dying, he wishes Palamon to wed Emily. Theseus says that in a world of blind luck ("Fortune") and much sadness, we should try to find happiness and to love each other when we can. Palamon and Emily are married and live out their days in complete happiness.