Friday, October 24, 2014
"The Knight's Tale" Part II Reaction
- - - Explain two things on this blog: 1. Exactly how Chaucer uses satire to create a social commentary about knighthood, and what exactly that commentary suggests. 2. What institution or segment of society is like the knighthood in Canterbury Tales? In other words, if Chaucer were alive today, instead of knighthood, what would he target with his satire.
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1.) The satire that chaucer uses in part two is still about courtly love. Knight's are supposed to be honorable and more adult like. In Part II, Palamon and Arcite run into each other in the woods and start fighting like two little girls. This all over a women that they had never met or spoken to. Chaucer is making fun of the Knight's and how they are supposed to be manly, yet they are being very unknight like in this story.
ReplyDelete2.) If chaucer was still alive today instead of the knighthood his target for his satire would be "love at first site" Love at first site would be chaucers target because how do you love someone without knowing anything about them. In chaucers writing two knights locked in jail fall in love with a girl that they cant even talk too and saw through a window. This is a example of chaucer using satire toward love at first site in the knights tale. Chaucers thoughts on love at first site is that it can not happen and that people are stupid who think they have it. This would be a reason for chaucer to express his feelings through satire at love at first site during todays age.
Chaucer uses satire to show how knighthood really means nothing and it is very childish. When Arcite and Palamon fight over Emily and duel eachother just for a woman they saw once shows how childish knights are and how knighthood is extremely over rated. f
ReplyDeleteIn today's society Chaucer might target the U.S. Congress, because of how prestigous we make the job out to be and we vote them in. Yet they more than often fail to do their job. Either by failing to pass a budget or the insane standoffs between democrats and republicans. Chaucer would target the U.S. congress because of how backwards they are and their lack of getting things done.
Part II: In addition to furthering the action of the Knight's story, this section reinforces the traits of each of the main characters. Theseus, in acquiescing to the women's pleas, illustrates that his defining trait is his reason: Despite his own passion (anger, in this case), he is moved to rational compassion. As absurd as the knights' behavior may be, Theseus understands it because he himself has been a servant of love. Similarly, in his lament, Arcite illustrates that he is blind to his good fortune and primarily embroiled in physical matters. Palamon, in demanding that both he and Arcite be killed for their crimes, demonstrates his own willingness to live (and potentially die) by the chivalric code.
ReplyDeleteThe passage also highlights several conventions and customs valued by medieval society. For example, when Arcite returns to Athens, he is "al allone, save only a squier." His condition of being "all alone" is significant in terms of medieval society. No person of significance would travel all alone. (Note that the Narrator-Knight speaks repeatedly of the social significance of traveling with companions or in a "compaignye.") Arcite's "aloneness" allows Theseus to pity him and make him one of his "company," thus Arcite is close to Emilie.
Another important convention of medieval society was the purpose and form of the chivalric code, a code of conduct that defined not only proper forms of behavior but also appropriate interactions among people. That the two knights — ideally bound to chivalrous conduct — fight like animals and not men (they are compared to lions, tigers, bears, and boars) indicates how far they have fallen from the knightly idea. When Theseus stops their duel, he rebukes the knights for their unlawful ceremony and, true to his portrayal in this tale, reimposes the behavioral and social code by proposing an alternative to lawless dueling: a formal tournament in one year with each knight supported by one hundred knights.
Additionally, the passage further illustrates the role of men and women in medieval culture. Women are expected to appeal to, rely on, and acquiesce to men's strength, wisdom, and compassion. Men are expected to rule, maintain order, and use reason above other emotions. Thus we have the women's pleas for mercy for the knights and Theseus' acquiescence. Similarly, the decision regarding who shall win Emilie's hand is the man's, not Emilie's.
1. Chaucer uses satire towards knighthood because I believe he wants to show the other side of knighthood that usually isn't shown from other stories from that time. In other stories, knights are shown as these tough guys who show absolutely no emotion towards anything but fighting the bad guy. In The Knight's Tale, we see the other side of the knights. We see that they kind of have a soft side, due to them fighting over a girl, which leads to one of them weeping over Emily. The humor and mockery shown towards the knights is trying to tell us that these knights weren't all that we thought they are. We are led to believe that they are strong warriors, but Chaucer shows us that they are often times the opposite.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that the institution that Chaucer would of used if he wrote the tales today would be the police. In today's world, the police are shown as the only matter of authority throughout where you live, and Chaucer would of made us believe that they are not what we believe they are. He would put them in a similar situation as the knights, and with the problems with the police are having now, with police brutality, we would be able to relate to the tale, like those of the past related to the knights.
If chauser were still alive he would most likely direct his satire at those involved in politics or those in high power especially those who have been corrupted with power. He would also target famous people who have done regrettable and unforgettable things such as some pop stars with bad reps.
ReplyDelete1.) Chaucer cleverly uses satire to create social commentary about knighthood. He is suggesting that knighthood is silly and kind of ridiculous to use within any time period, he makes fun of the whole concept in general saying that they are sworn to protect and obey.
ReplyDelete2.) Knighthood is kind of like the modern day military, because they are our army of " knights " that are sworn to protect the people of the united states from terrorism and war.
Chaucer uses satire to really describe the knighthood a lot. He gives you a visual importance of what the knight really is. The commentary puts a sense of what is really was like as a knight.
ReplyDeleteI think he would put it as a everyday working man, who goes out and does what they are told. Being a knight is similar to going to work each day. Like how the knight goes to a town kills the enemy, similar to a man going to work and slaving over a desk all day.
1. Chaucer uses satire to create social commentary about the knights. Knighthood was unbelievable back in the early days. He make fun of the fact that the knights were there to protect their kingdom and obey the king and Chaucer makes fun of that.
ReplyDelete2. I think he would make fun of simple everyday people that go to work and obey there boss. A knight and a working man or women are very alike. The knight helps people and fights for his kingdom just like how a woman would go to work to serve and do what her boss tells her.
1. The satire that chaucer uses in the poem is used to kind of make fun of knighthood and chilvary. He shows how it falls apart when a woman is introduced in the story to the 2 men. He also try to portray knighthood and chilvary as dying cultures that are no longer relevant.
ReplyDelete2. I think that in today's society Chaucer would criticize the government. He would do this because he would see all of the major faults in it just as he saw in knighthood an chilvary back in his time. There are many faults that the government has that he can use against them. In current times he could also be more direct and use less satire.
Chaucer uses satire a lot through out the poem to describe the knighthood. He thinks that the knighthood is silly and quit ridiculous to be used at all, and makes fun of the concept of knighthood. Because Chaucer shows us that these knights are not just strong warriors they have another side to them, a soft side and they show that by fighting over Emily.
ReplyDeleteTo me being a knight is similar to the military because the military protect us everyday and that what knights job were to to protect people.
1. The satire that chaucer uses in the poem is used to kind of make fun of knighthood and chilvary. He shows how it falls apart when a woman is introduced in the story to the 2 men. He also try to portray knighthood and chilvary as dying cultures that are no longer relevant.
ReplyDelete2. I think that in today's society Chaucer would criticize the government. He would do this because he would see all of the major faults in it just as he saw in knighthood an chilvary back in his time. There are many faults that the government has that he can use against them. In current times he could also be more direct and use less satire.
1. Chaucer uses satire to create social commentary about the knights. Knighthood was unbelievable back in the early days. He make fun of the fact that the knights were there to protect their kingdom and obey the king and Chaucer makes fun of that.
ReplyDelete2. I think he would make fun of simple everyday people that go to work and obey there boss. A knight and a working man or women are very alike. The knight helps people and fights for his kingdom just like how a woman would go to work to serve and do what her boss tells her.