Essay on Knight in Shinning Armour in Chaucers The...

The Knight in Shinning Armour in Chaucers The Canterbury Tales Chaucers The Canterbury Tales offers the reader an insight into our past, providing vivid glimpses into the 14th centurys social structure, and into the personalities, lives, and ethics of twenty-eight members of that society drawn together to travel on a pilgrimage. The General Prologue to the Tales deals primarily with introducing these people to us, providing physical descriptions and character outlines of virtually each pilgrim; it is a tribute to Chaucers skill that his descriptions (as filtered through the neurotically happy narrator) succeeds in creating such lively characters out of what are, essential, two-dimensional stereotypes from his era.†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, we are given a detailed explanation of the knights activities since he was a young boy (lines 51-63) He has fought countless battles, slain many a heathen and rebel alike, and engaged in fifteen tournaments to the death. There can be little doubt of the knights courage, tenacity, or skill i n combat. This listing helps to demonstrate that the knight is precisely what he seems, and ought to be: a brave defender of his people. Unlike many of the other pilgrims (such as the Nun and the Friar) who are ironically portrayed as been counter to the tenants of their profession, the knight remains the proud embodiment of virtue that he exemplifies. This leads directly to the most important characteristic of the knight: his morals, his ethics, his demeanour. It is said That fro the time that he first began/To riden out, he loved chivalrye, /Trouthe and honour, freedom and curteisye. (lines 44-46); also that ... though he were worthy, he was wis,/And of his port as meeke as is a maide. (lines 68-69) The knight, for all of his courage, noble deeds, love of virtue, and high social standing, remains a humble and courteous individual - just like an ideal knight ought to be; he remains ... a verray, parfit, gentil knight. (line 72). However, perhaps unable to create such a simple, perfect character, Chaucer does raise a few small doubts about the knight. The rust stains upon the knights clothing