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