A Character Sketch of Chaucers Knight Essay Example For Students

A Character Sketch of Chaucers Knight Essay The Canterbury TalesA Character Sketch of Chaucers KnightGeoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales, written in approximately1385, is a collection of twenty-four stories ostensibly told by variouspeople who are going on a religious pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral fromLondon, England. Prior to the actual tales, however, Chaucer offers thereader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way of what he refers to asa General Prologue. In this prologue, Chaucer introduces all of thecharacters who are involved in this imaginary journey and who will tell thetales. Among the characters included in this introductory section is aknight. Chaucer initially refers to the knight as a most distinguishedman (l. 43) and, indeed, his sketch of the knight is highly complimentary. The knight, Chaucer tells us, possessed/Fine horses, but hewas not gaily dressed (ll. 69-70). Indeed, the knight is dressed in acommon shirt which is stained where his armor had left mark (l. 72). That is, the knight is just home from service (l. 73) and is in such ahurry to go on his pilgrimage that he has not even paused before beginningit to change his clothes. The knight has had a very busy life as his fighting career hastaken him to a great many places. He has seen military service in Egypt,Lithuania, Prussia, Russia, Spain, North Africa, and Asia Minor where hewas of great value in all eyes (l. 63). Even though he has had a verysuccessful and busy career, he is extremely humble: Chaucer maintains thathe is modest as a maid (l. 65). Moreover, he has never said a rude thingto 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 theGeneral Prologue. The knight can do no wrong: he is an outstandingwarrior who has fought for the true faithaccording to Chauceron threecontinents. In the midst of all this contenton, however, the knightremains modest and polite. The knight is the embodiment of the chivalriccode: he is devout and courteous off the battlefield and is bold andfearless on it. In twentieth century America, we would like to think that wehave many people in our society who are like Chaucers knight. During thisnations altercation with Iraq in 1991, the concept of the modest buteffective soldier captured the imagination of the country. Indeed, thenations journalists in many ways attempted to make General H. NormanSchwarzkof a latter day knight. The general was made to appear as afearless leader who really was a regular guy under the uniform. It would be nice to think that a person such as the knightcould exist in the twentieth century. The fact of the matter is that it isunlikely that people such as the knight existed even in the fourteenthcentury. As he does with all of his characters, Chaucer is producing astereotype in creating the knight. As noted above, Chaucer, in describingthe knight, is describing a chivalric ideal. The history of the MiddleAges demonstrates that this ideal rarely was manifested in actual conduct. Nevertheless, in his description of the knight, Chaucer shows the readerthe possibility of the chivalric way of life. how the hell do you work this thing?