The Knights Tale: Part 1

Arcite and Palamon

Characterization

They are knights found in battle...wounded and near death.

They are also cousins.

"The remainder of my tale is long enough, and I would also not hinder any of this company; let every comrade in turn tell his tale, and let us see who shall win the supper. And where I left off I will begin again."

After the battle and defeat, the villagers were busy to search through the heaps of dead, to strip them of harness and garments; and so it happened that in the heap they came upon two young knights, lying near each other, pierced through and through by many grievous, bloody wounds, both bearing arms of one style, richly fashioned; of these two, the one was called Arcite and the other knight Palamon. They were not fully alive nor fully dead, but by their escutcheons and their accoutrements the heralds knew them among the rest to be of the royal blood of Thebes and born of two sisters.

The Knight

Their Characterization

Palamon Remains in Prison

They display the character traits we expect from knights throughout the entirety of their imprisonment...until.

Arcite is upset that Palamon remains jailed while he is set free.

This passed on by day and by year until it happened, once upon a May morning before daybreak, that Emily, who was fairer to see than the lily upon its green stalk, and fresher than May with its new flowers (Her cheeks competed with the rose--I know not which was the fairer.)

I have received just now a wound through my eye into my heart, one that will be my death. The fairness of that lady, whom I see yonder in the garden roaming back and forth, is the cause of all my crying and pains. I know not whether she is a woman or a goddess;...And upon that, Arcite observed where this lady roamed here and there, and the sight of her beauty so hurt him that, if Palamon was sorely wounded, Arcite was hurt as much or worse; and he said piteously with a sigh, “The fair beauty of her who roams in yonder spot suddenly slays me, and if I will not have her pity and her grace, at least to see her, I am dead; there is no more to say.” When Palamon heard these words, he looked at him furiously and answered, “Do you say this in earnest or sport?”

“No, in earnest, by my faith,” said Arcite. “So God

help me, I have very little stomach for sport!”

Tells a tale of Greek origin...in both setting and content.

While the speaker is stating things that do not need to be said...says them anyway.

The essence of the story is about Arcite and Palamon, however we do not get there for quite some time.

Blissfully may you dwell in prison. In prison? No, in paradise, surely. Well has Fortune cast the die for you, who have the sight of her, as I only have the absence! For it is possible, since you are near her and are a knight, a worthy and an able one, by some chance of changeful Fortune you may sometime attain your desire. But I who am exiled and so barren of all grace and hope that neither earth, water, fire nor air, nor any creature made of them, can help or give me comfort, well may I die in distress and despair! Farewell, my life, my joy and gladness!

What does this mean?

Arcite is Released

His response to his freedom is what we expect?

We strive like the hounds that fought all day for the bone and won nothing; amid all their rage a kite came and bore away the bone from between them.

How great is Arcite’s sorrow now! He feels death stab him through his heart. He weeps, wails, piteously cries, and watches for a time to slay himself in private. He said, “Alas, the day that I was born! Now is my prison worse than ever; now I am doomed forever not to purgatory but to hell. Alas, that ever I knew Perotheus; otherwise I would have dwelt with Theseus evermore fettered in his prison. Then I would have been in bliss, not woe. Though I would never win the grace of her whom I serve, only the sight of her would have sufficed me well enough.

What is Chaucer's Point?

Satire? Jokes on the social class?

They will fight and come up with NOTHING....Why?

The Knight's Tale: Part 1