Essay About Upper-Class And Knight’S Tale

Chaucer
Chaucer
My decision to answer the first question, was based on
class discussion and the text giving more detail about the
appropriateness of each tale to that of how the Miller’s
Tale was a mirror to the Knight’s Tale.
Basically the Knight’s tale is appropriate to the
teller, because he is a knight, considered part of the
upper-class, telling a story about upper-class people
“Palamon and eek Arcite …” (24; line 173). The knight is the
person of highest social standing on the pilgrimage, his
status being “ …second highest rank of the second
estate…”(MOORE). The beginning of the text gives a
description of the knight. As in “…he loved chivalrie,” and
that he is wearing the bloody armor from a battle. (24; line 45)
The knights tale can be taken as a romance, love story and
love triangle. Two young knights namely Arcite and Palamon,
who are in prison, see a beautiful young lady by the name
of “Emelye” and fall in love with her(39; line 1061).
The next aspect that makes the tale appropriate, is
the underlying fact that the knight is described throughout
the introduction as being “…parfit gentil knight”
determined and of having high ideals (24; line 72).Arcite gets
out of prison first, and instead of staying away from the
town, he risks all and is willing to be imprisoned or
killed if he is found just to see his beloved Emelye .
Although this process of making his way back to the city
where “…And at the gate he profreth his servyse” (44; line
1415), is a lengthy process, its done in the name of love.
Palamon meanwhile, who has been is prison while Arcite
finds his way back to the city, eventually figures out a
way to escape prison “…For he hade yeve his gayler drynke”
and is able to escape successfully (45; line 1470).As if by fate,
they both stumble upon each other and with each still
professing undying love for Emelye they decide to do the
knightly ‘thing’ and fight for the right to have her, which
Palamon “… replied I graunte it thee” (47; line 1622). Although
they both went through different struggles, their
determination to have the one they love was relentless at
times. These qualities are easily matched with that of the
knight telling his tale and further show the
appropriateness of the tale to the tellers.
After they are found fighting by Theseus, they are
saved from execution when the women ask “Have mercy, lord,
upon us wommen alle”(49; line 1757). He spares immediate death,
but they are ordered to do battle, to determine who should
have the love of Emily, in a tournament. The ‘finale’ of
the tournament sees Arcite capturing Palamon and he is
announced the winner. A drastic turn of events sees Arcite
thrown off his horse “… That in the place he lay as he