Dialectical Journal For The Knight's Tale

Billy Powell

Mrs. Adams

English Honors 4

2018 May 4

The Knight’s Tale

1. The Knight is the one who tells this tale. From the general prologue, we learn that the Knight is a most distinguished man that follows chivalry, truth, honor, generousness and courtesy. He fought many battles and ridden into battle more than any other man. Everyone saw him as sovereign and wise, yet he was modest and never said a boorish thing. He possessed fine horses but was not gaily dressed. He wore a fustian tunic stained and dark with smudges where his armor had left marks. He had just gotten home from service and joined the group to do his pilgrimage and render thanks.

2. The Knight’s Tale revolves around two central characters: Palamon and Arcite. They are captured by Theseus, the king of Thebes, and imprisoned together in a tower. The knights spend their days looking out of the towers only window. One day they see Emelye, the queen’s young sister, walking around in her garden. Both Arcite and Palamon instantly fall in love with her. As they start to fight over her, they both realize there’s no point in fighting since they’re both trapped in the tower together and therefore equally unlikely to ever meet her. However, several years later, Arcite manages to escape the tower with the help of a friend. He also becomes a page in Emelye’s household, but never confronts her about his love for her. Meanwhile, Palamon spends several more years in

Dramatic irony occurs in the tale when Arcite escapes from prison and works for Emelye’s family in disguise. Then Palamon escapes from the prison and finds Arcite on Emelye’s property. It also occurs when the two men pray to Greek gods to help what they each think is most important to win Emelye’s love and hand in marriage, but Emelye secretly prays to stay single. These examples of dramatic irony is Chaucer’s way of pointing out that life is not always fair and is unpredictable, and comes with joys and sorrows and all the emotions in