Canterbury Tales - The Knight
Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, written in approximately
1385, is a collection of twenty-four stories ostensibly told by
various people who are going on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury
Cathedral from London, England. Prior to the actual tales, however,
Chaucer offers the reader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way
of what he refers to as a General Prologue. In this prologue, Chaucer
introduces all of the characters who are involved in this imaginary
journey and who will tell the tales. Among the characters included in
this introductory section is a knight. Chaucer initially refers to the
knight as "a most distinguished man" (l. 43) and, indeed, ...
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life as his fighting career has
taken him to a great many places. He has seen military service in
Egypt, Lithuania, Prussia, Russia, Spain, North Africa, and Asia Minor
where he "was of [great] value in all eyes (l. 63). Even though he has
had a very successful and busy career, he is extremely humble: Chaucer
maintains that he is "modest as a maid" (l. 65). Moreover, he has
never said a rude thing to anyone in his entire life (cf., ll. 66-7).
Clearly, the knight possesses an outstanding character. Chaucer
gives to the knight one of the more flattering descriptions in the
General Prologue. The knight can do no wrong: he is an outstanding
warrior who has fought for the true faith--according to Chaucer--on
three continents. In the midst of all this contenton, however, the
knight remains modest and polite. The knight is the embodiment of the
chivalric code: he is devout and courteous off the battlefield and is
bold and fearless ...
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"Canterbury Tales - The Knight." Essayworld.com. September 4, 2004. Accessed May 30, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Canterbury-Tales-The-Knight/13833.
"Canterbury Tales - The Knight." Essayworld.com. September 4, 2004. Accessed May 30, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Canterbury-Tales-The-Knight/13833.
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