Knight's tale and medieval romance literature

Chaucer's The Knight's Tale

Jonathan Zaun

The societies which flourished throughout Europe during the medieval period were built upon a foundation of institutionalized honor known as chivalry. Orders of knighthood were established throughout the region which sought to produce exemplary soldiers and leaders of men. Medieval knights earned membership to this warrior class by defending their nation from external threats while always striving to uphold a personal code of conduct. The concept of chivalry emerged to encompass the entirety of a knighthood's commitment to virtue, at once describing his proficiency on the battlefield, his willingness to protect a woman's honor, and the supreme loyalty he pledged to his liege. A chivalrous knight was expected to demonstrate prowess in the art of combat, honesty and truth in his dealings with others, honorable behavior when confronting his enemies, and freedom from the hold of worldly possessions; displaying a courtly manner while seeking to attain true glory for country and crown. Geoffrey Chaucer's collection of stories, The Canterbury Tales, was written during the height of the medieval era and begins with The Knight's Tale, an epic poem which lauds the concept of chivalry throughout its prose while displaying the six components of knighthood in vivid detail.

Although expected to perform a wide range of duties, the knight's first priority was always the ability to vanquish a foe in fair combat. A knight's reputation and family name were defined by the prowess he exhibited during the heat of battle. Chaucer recognizes the importance of martial prowess within the confines of knightly chivalry, beginning The Knight's Tale by describing Theseus' as "such a conqueror that greater there was not beneath the sun (Chaucer 1)." By describing the duke of Athens and the "full many a rich country he had one," Chaucer immediately establishes the legitimacy of Theseus' chivalry by crediting him with victories in battle. Chivalry is further defined by a knight's sense of truth and his ability to live up to any and all commitments made. When Theseus encounters a group of grieving women on his journey, he reacts to their tale of woe by "giving them comfort understandingly" before he "swore his oath, that as he was a true knight, he would put forth so thoroughly his might." Chaucer describes the subsequent clash between Theseus and Creon by stating simply "he fought and slew him, manfully, like knight, in open war and put his host to flight." This portion of the Knight's tale reinforces Theseus' prowess while also establishing the truth of his word.

After conquering Thebes, Theseus' soldiers discover "two young knights lying together, side by side & #8230; pierced through with many a grievous, bloody wound." Although fully aware that these wounded knights, Arcita and Palamon, were "of Theban blood royal" and thus his rightful enemies, the Duke of Athens exhibits the honor inherent in knightly chivalry by choosing to spare the youths from execution. Theseus instead shows mercy on his defenseless enemies and orders Arcita and Palamon to be imprisoned; an act of beneficent clemency from a sure sentence of death. When the imprisoned pair first bears witness to the beautiful Emily, Palamon is the first to declare his love for the maiden and fully expects his cousin to defer his own feelings out of loyalty. This expectation is founded on the ideal of knightly freedom and the belief that chivalry requires a knight to relinquish his own possessions or desires in the name of fairness. After Arcita declares his own love for Emily, eschewing the bonds of chivalrous conduct, Palamon coldly tells his counterpart that "it will not prove to your honour, after so long a time to turn traitor to me, who am your cousin and your brother, sworn as we are, and each unto the other." Palamon's accusation of betrayal and dishonor speak to the prominence that freedom from desire played in the chivalrous behavior of a knight. Indeed, his immediate response to Arcita's declaration of love is one of confusion and shock, as he asks "do you say this in earnest or in play?" The import of this interrogation is that, as a knight bound to the code of chivalry, Palamon truly expected his cousin to surrender his own feelings in deference to fairness.

The spirit of chivalry expressed during the Middle Ages was unique in its inherent respect for women, an especially rare virtue during a time in which women were seen more as property than as people. A chivalrous knight was expected to show the fairer sex the utmost respect and reverence, and the concept of courtly love emerged from the era of knighthood. Palamon and Arcita's lyrical descriptions of Emily's beauty are classic examples of knightly courtesy and courtly love, bestowing upon the previously unknown woman the title of "goddess" and comparing her beauty to that of the mythical Venus. When Arcita opines that "the virgin beauty slays me suddenly, of her that wanders yonder in that place; And save I have her pity and her grace," he is again displaying the essence of chivalrous courtesy by ascribing the qualities of "virgin beauty" and "grace" to Emily before even meeting her.