The Canterbury Tales | The Knight's Tale Summary & Analysis | Geoffrey Chaucer

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29 Nov 201703:19

Summary

TLDRThe tale follows Theseus, the Duke of Athens, as he returns from war with his new wife, Hippolyta, and her sister Emily. He encounters grieving women whose husbands were killed by King Creon, prompting Theseus to conquer Thebes and avenge them. He takes two knights, Arcite and Palamon, as prisoners, both of whom fall in love with Emily. After a series of events involving escape, rivalry, and divine intervention, a grand battle is held for Emily’s hand. Though Arcite wins, fate takes a tragic turn, leading to Palamon marrying Emily in the end.

Takeaways

⚔️ Duke Theseus, a powerful conqueror, returns home with his wife Hippolyta and her sister Emily.
😢 Theseus encounters grieving women whose husbands were killed by King Creon, and they cannot retrieve their bodies.
💪 Angered, Theseus sets off to Thebes, kills Creon, captures the city, and returns the remains of the slain men to their wives.
🛡️ He takes two prisoners, Arcita and Palamon, cousins and sworn brothers, who both fall in love with Emily after seeing her through their cell window.
🚶 Arcita is released from prison and, though exiled, disguises himself as a servant in Emily's household, becoming one of Theseus' trusted men.
🏃 Palamon eventually escapes from prison and confronts Arcita, leading to a duel in the woods, which Theseus interrupts.
🤝 Theseus proposes a formal battle between Arcita and Palamon, with 100 knights each, for Emily's hand in marriage.
🙏 Palamon prays to Venus for love, Arcita prays to Mars for victory, and Emily prays to Diana to remain a virgin, though Diana tells her she must marry.
⚔️ Arcita wins the battle, but as he rides towards Emily, his horse suddenly dies, causing him to be fatally injured.
❤️ In the end, Theseus encourages Palamon and Emily to marry, ensuring a peaceful and happy conclusion, where love triumphs.

Q & A

Who is the Duke of Athens in the script?
-The Duke of Athens is a mighty conqueror who returns home from a conquest with his new wife, Hippolyta, and her sister Emily.
Why is the Duke of Athens angered in the story?
-The Duke of Athens is angered because he comes upon a crowd of grieving women whose husbands have been killed by King Creon and cannot retrieve the bodies.
Who are Palamon and Arcite?
-Palamon and Arcite are cousins and sworn brothers who both fall in love with Emily when they see her through the bars of their prison window.
What does Arcite do after being released from prison?
-After being released from prison and exiled, Arcite dresses like a poor worker to serve in Emily's household, becoming one of Theseus' most valued men.
How does Palamon escape from prison?
-Palamon escapes from prison after spending several years there, and he goes into hiding in the woods.
What happens when Arcite and Palamon encounter each other in the woods?
-When Arcite and Palamon encounter each other in the woods, Palamon recognizes Arcite and challenges him to a duel.
How does the Duke of Athens intervene in the duel between Arcite and Palamon?
-The Duke of Athens intervenes in the duel when he comes upon the fighting men while hunting with Hippolyta and Emily, breaking up their fight.
What solution does the Duke of Athens propose to resolve the conflict between Arcite and Palamon?
-The Duke of Athens proposes that Arcite and Palamon each bring one hundred knights and battle for Emily's hand in marriage.
What are the temples devoted to in the stadium built by the Duke of Athens?
-The temples in the stadium are devoted to Venus, Mars, and Diana.
What does Emily pray to Diana for?
-Emily prays to Diana that she may remain a virgin.
How does the contest between Arcite and Palamon end?
-The contest ends with Palamon being wounded and unhorsed. The Duke of Athens declares Arcite the winner, but then a sudden turn of events leads to Palamon being chosen to marry Emily.
What is the final resolution of the story regarding the marriage of Emily?
-In the end, the Duke of Athens tells Emily and Palamon to marry and live in contentment and love unbroken.

Outlines

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🏰 The Duke's Conquest and Love's Emergence

The Duke of Athens returns victorious from battle with his new wife, Hippolyta, and her sister Emily. Upon encountering grieving women whose husbands were killed by King Creon, he avenges them by conquering Thebes and killing Creon. He takes Palamon and Arcite as prisoners, who both fall in love with Emily. The story sets the stage for a love triangle and the eventual conflict between Palamon and Arcite.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Theseus

Theseus is the Duke of Athens and the central figure in the narrative. As a mighty conqueror, he plays a key role in shaping the events of the story. His decisions, such as avenging the grieving women by killing Creon and later organizing the duel for Emily’s hand, drive the plot. His character represents nobility, justice, and power, and he is depicted as a figure of authority who values honor and chivalry.

💡Emily

Emily is the sister of Hippolyta and the object of affection for both Palamon and Arcite. Though she desires to remain a virgin, she becomes the prize in the battle between the two knights. Her beauty and gentleness are central to the theme of love in the tale, and her fate is determined by the will of the gods and the decisions of Theseus.

💡Palamon

Palamon is one of the two knights and cousins captured by Theseus. He falls in love with Emily upon seeing her from his prison window. His character is driven by love and idealism, and he prays to Venus, the goddess of love, to win Emily’s hand. His rivalry with Arcite reflects the theme of love overpowering brotherly bonds and chivalry.

💡Arcite

Arcite is Palamon’s cousin and sworn brother, who also falls in love with Emily. After being released from prison, he returns to Athens disguised as a servant to be near Emily. He prays to Mars, the god of war, for victory in the duel against Palamon. Arcite’s character highlights the conflict between love and honor, as well as the tragic outcome of fate when he wins the duel but dies shortly after.

💡Creon

Creon is the king of Thebes who dishonors the bodies of the fallen men, refusing to allow them to be buried. His actions provoke the wrath of Theseus, who sets out to conquer Thebes and avenge the wronged women. Creon’s role as an antagonist is brief but significant in catalyzing the conflict between Theseus and the Theban knights, leading to the capture of Palamon and Arcite.

💡Venus

Venus is the Roman goddess of love, to whom Palamon prays before the battle. Palamon’s devotion to Venus symbolizes his pure, unwavering love for Emily. In the narrative, Venus represents the power of love as a force that can shape destinies and drive men to great lengths, even at the cost of friendship and brotherhood.

💡Mars

Mars is the Roman god of war, and Arcite prays to him for victory in the duel for Emily’s hand. Arcite’s connection to Mars emphasizes the martial aspect of the tale, where physical strength and combat are central to the knights’ identities. However, the story also shows that victory in battle does not guarantee happiness or survival, as Arcite dies after winning the duel.

💡Diana

Diana is the goddess of chastity and the hunt, and Emily prays to her in the hope of remaining a virgin. Diana’s role in the narrative reflects Emily’s desire for independence and freedom from the romantic entanglements between Palamon and Arcite. However, the gods decree that Emily must marry one of the knights, showing how divine will overrides personal desires.

💡Fate

Fate plays a crucial role in the tale, as the characters' destinies are ultimately shaped by the gods. Despite the knights’ prayers and the efforts of Theseus to control the outcome of the duel, Arcite’s death and Palamon’s eventual marriage to Emily are governed by forces beyond human control. The tale explores the theme of fate versus free will, highlighting how fate can be both cruel and unpredictable.

💡Chivalry

Chivalry is a key theme in the Knight’s Tale, reflected in the actions and behavior of Palamon, Arcite, and Theseus. The knights’ honor, bravery, and devotion to courtly love are central to the story. The duel for Emily’s hand, fought under strict rules set by Theseus, exemplifies the chivalric ideals of fair play and noble conduct, even in matters of love and war.

Highlights

The Duke of Athens is depicted as a mighty conqueror returning from a conquest.

The Duke encounters grieving women whose husbands were killed by King Creon.

The Duke is angered by the injustice and sets off to Thebes to avenge the women.

The Duke kills Creon, captures Thebes, and returns the remains of the slain men to their wives.

Palamon and Arcite, cousins and sworn brothers, are taken as prisoners by the Duke.

Both Palamon and Arcite fall in love with Emily at first sight.

Arcite is released from prison and exiled, unable to see Emily, which upsets him.

Palamon envies Arcite's freedom and his ability to see Emily.

Arcite has a dream where the god Mercury tells him to go to Athens.

Arcite disguises himself as a poor worker to serve in Emily's household.

Palamon spends years in prison and eventually escapes.

Arcite and Palamon meet in the woods and engage in a duel over Emily.

The Duke, Hippolyta, and Emily go hunting and come upon the duel.

Palamon reveals his identity and exposes Arcite's disguise.

The Duke proposes a battle between Palamon and Arcite for Emily's hand in marriage.

A large stadium and temples are built for the knights to battle.

Palamon prays to Venus, Arcite to Mars, and Emily to Diana for their respective desires.

The battle is restricted with rules set by the Duke to prevent unnecessary violence.

Palamon is wounded and unhorsed, leading to Arcite's victory.

Venus is angered that Palamon did not win the battle.

Saturn reassures Venus that her plans will come to fruition.

Arcite's horse suddenly stops, leading to a resolution of the conflict.

The Duke declares that Palamon and Emily should marry and live in love and contentment.

The tale concludes with a marriage, typical of romances where love triumphs over all.

The characters are idealized, emphasizing the themes of love, sex, and fellowship.

Love is portrayed as the ultimate force that can transform men and their relationships.