The Knight's Tale is a short tale within the Middle English work The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer during the late 14th century AD. The story follows a group of eclectic Christian pilgrims traveling to Canterbury telling each other tales.

1. THE KNIGHT'S TALE
By: Geoffrey Chaucer

2. OVERVIEW
“The Knight's Tale” is a
famous medieval romance
written by Geoffrey Chaucer in
his renowned work, “The
Canterbury Tales”.
The story revolves around
two noble knights, Arcite and
Palamon, who become rivals
for the love of Emelye.

3. The tale explores themes of love, honor, fate, and the complexities of
human desires.
It incorporates elements of chivalry, courtly love, and the power
dynamics within the medieval social hierarchy.
With its vivid descriptions, intricate plot, and moral dilemmas, it remains
a significant literary work that offers insights into medieval culture and
values.

5. BRIEF SUMMARY
THE KNIGHT’S TALE

6. Palamon and Arcite are
cousins and soldiers. They
are captured by Theseus
while fighting for Creon.
From their prison, they
see Princess Emelye, who is
Theseus’ sister-in-law.
Palamon sees her first and
instantly falls in love,
followed by Arcite.

7. Arcite is released from
prison and sentenced to
exile instead.
He later returns to Athens
and becomes a slave for
Emelye.
While, Palamon escapes
the jail.
He wanders in the forest
and comes up Arcite.

8. Arcite and Palamon begin
to fight in the forest for
Emelye, but are found by
Theseus.
He proposes that they
instead have a tournament
to decide who will have
Emelye.

9. They agree to battle over
Emelye, and the winner will get
to marry her. They both get 100
men to fight on their side.
Palamon prays to Venus that
Emelye will be his wife, while
Arcite prays to Mars that he will
win the duel.
Emelye prays to Diana that
she will marry the one who truly
loves her.

10. Palamon is wounded in the
fight and Theseus declares the
battle over.
Arcite has won, but then he is
thrown off his horse and fatally
wounded.
As he dies, he tells Emelye to
marry Palamon.
All three prayers have been
fulfilled.
Emelye and Palamon marry,
and live happily for many years.

11. SHORT ANALYSIS
THE KNIGHT’S TALE

12. FATE
The Knight suggests that the
characters’ fate are not always up
to chance.
There seems to be a fortune or
“Prime Mover” that controls much
of what happens, as many of the
events in the story seem too
unlikely to just be coincidence.
Many of the characters still praise
the gods and acknowledge there is
some greater order to the universe.

13. GENDER ROLES
This tale deals with a lot of gender
roles that were accepted back in the
Medieval Ages.
The woman in this story are
potrayed as emotional and irrational.
They make men do senseless things,
like how Emelye is the reason the
two good friends fight.
Theseus, by comparison, embodies
male values of rationality. Even
when fighting, Arcite and Palamon
uphold the order of chivalry and
honor.

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