Question- Write a detailed summary of poetry 'The Knight's Tale'.

Answer -

"The Knight's Tale" Summary

"The Knight's Tale" is a short tale within the Middle English work The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer during the late 14th century AD. The story follows a group of eclectic Christian pilgrims traveling to Canterbury telling each other tales. "The Knight's Tale" is the first story in The Canterbury Tales, told by the eponymous Knight. The tale itself was likely inspired by Boccaccio's Teseida, which followed the same characters and some of the same events.

"The Knight's Tale" concerns itself with two young Theban nobles, Arcite and Palamoun, and their devotion towards a woman Emily, whose existence undermines their brotherly bonds.

Part I: The story opens with Theseus, duke of Athens, returning from his conquest of the Amazons. He has heard that Creon, the tyrant of Thebes, has been refusing to bury his enemies, condemning their shades to wander the Earth for eternity. The ensuing battle leaves two young Theban nobles, Arcite and Palamoun, wounded. Theseus condemns the two to a life in prison.

Palamoun and Arcite catch sight of Emily, Theseus' sister-in-law, from the window of their tower cell and fall desperately in love. Though they had once sworn never to let love damage their friendship, they begin bickering over who should pursue Emily. A friend of Theseus eventually secures Arcite's release from prison on the condition that Arcite never returns to Athens. Both men lament their own position in relation to the other: Arcite wishes that he were still in prison where he could gaze upon Emily, while Palamoun wishes to be free so that he may gather men and make war on Athens.

Part II: Arcite's separation from Emily turns into lovesickness and takes a physical toll on him, leaving him unrecognizable. The God Mercury comes to him in a dream, shows Arcite his own frightful visage in a mirror, then commands him to return to Athens. Arcite returns to Athens in secret, taking the name Philostrate and becoming a servant in Theseus' household so that he might see Emily once more. Palamoun, after seven years of imprisonment, escapes from his cell with the assistance of a friend and flees the city into the nearby woodland.

Arcite wanders through the woods and bemoans his inability to live under his own name, simultaneously crying out that love has stricken him so hard that he might die, and that Emily's eyes slay him. Palamoun, hearing this and not initially recognizing his old friend due to Arcite's disfigurement, leaps out and declares that only one may love Emily and that the other must die.

Arcite notices that Palamoun is malnourished and unarmed. He agrees to a duel to see whose love is stronger, but delays until the next day, where he brings Palamoun food, drink, armor, and a weapon. The fight is fierce and bloody. The sound catches the ear of Theseus, who was hunting in the forest. He, his hunting party, his wife Hippolyta, and sister-in-law Emily all arrive on the scene. Theseus commands the two princes to cease fighting and demands to know who would duel without judges.

Palamoun gives their true identities to Theseus and declares that both he and Arcite love Emily. Theseus, enraged, decrees their execution, but the intercession of Hippolyta and Emily shifts him towards mercy. Theseus acknowledges that both have suffered greatly at the hands of Love, and both of them went through great risks to pursue it. Either man, he says, would be worthy to marry Emily. Theseus offers to sponsor a tournament a year into the future, to which both Palamoun and Arcite will bring a hundred knights. Whichever man slays or defeats the other will win Emily's hand.

Part III: Theseus constructs a grand arena for the coming competition, complete with temples to Mars, Venus, and Diana that are described in detail. Upon Arcite and Palamoun's return, Arcite prays to Mars for victory, whilst Palamoun beseeches Venus. Emily, in the meantime, visits the temple of Diana. All three receive some divine message that foreshadows their victory or, in the case of Emily, her coming marriage.

In Olympus, Venus and Mars argue over which champion should succeed. Jupiter finds a compromise: Arcite will have victory, but Palamoun's love will be fulfilled.

Part IV: Abundant feasts and celebrations arise in Athens as the tournament nears. Come tournament day, Theseus announces rules for the melee. The fighting will continue until either Arcite or Palamoun are defeated.

The two groups and their respective leaders engage in combat that lasts throughout the day, periodically paused by Theseus for breaks. Palamoun is eventually brought down by the combined effort of twenty men. Theseus stops the fight and, up in the heavens, Venus' frustrated tears flow so heavily that they fall into the arena below. Saturn consoles her, saying that while Mars' champion has had his success, now it is the time for hers.

As Arcite makes a victorious lap about the field (to the approving eye of Emily,) his horse rears. Caught by surprise, Arcite hits the pommel of his saddle and falls from his horse. Badly injured and bloodied, he is dragged to a physician while crying Emily's name.

Confident that Arcite will recover, Theseus proclaims both sides the winner (as even though Palamoun was downed, it took twenty men to accomplish it.) He gives gifts to all participants and holds a three-day feast.

Arcite's wounds worsen and death becomes imminent. He asks for Emily and Palamoun. Arcite apologizes to Emily for his situation, but he offers the service of his spirit. He asks that Emily think of Palamoun if she ever considers a husband. Arcite dies with Emily's name on his lips in his final moments.

Everyone is taken by sorrow, even Theseus. Theseus makes lavish arrangements for Arcite's funeral.

Some years later, the council of Athens decides to make an alliance with Thebes. Theseus sends for Palamoun and gives a speech on the temporality of mankind and the changing nature of the world. Theseus asks Emily to take pity and marry Palamoun to seal the alliance. Palamoun's devotion is so great that he and Emily never encounter any strife while married.

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