The Knight's Tale Summary: Part 1

The story begins with a Duke named Theseus who was a lord and governor. He is returning to his home in Athens when he comes upon a group of widows mourning for their murdered husbands in the road. They tell him that they were all once queens but were outcasted from their home in Thebes by the tyrant Creon. Having just conquered the land of Femeny and the realm of the Amazons, Theseus took it upon himself to conquer one more city. Theseus rode straight to Thebes,  sending his wife, Queen Hippolyta, and her younger sister Emily, to Athens. Theseus easily captured Thebes and took two knights as prisoners. He said that no ransom could free the two men, who were cousins of the former King. So both men were condemned to the prisoner tower in Athens for the rest of their lives. One day Palamon, one of the two knights, looked out the window of his tower, into the gardens where Emily was picking flowers. He instantly fell in love with her and bid that his cousin, Arcita, come look upon her beauty. Arcita fell in love with her too, and thus created a quarrel between the two men. Palamon said that Arcita's love was a betrayal and that they would be enemies because of it. Arcita acknowledged the fact that they would never meet her and should be content with just catching glimpses of her. Shortly after their fight, a friend of Theseus, named Perotheus, paid a visit to Athens. Perotheus was also a friend of Arcita and asked for his release, which was then granted. However, terms for Arcita's release were created, one of which was that Arcita was exiled from Athens forever. This devastated Arcita, because even though he was free, he could never see Emily again. He thought that Palamon had the better of the two situations because even though he was in prison, he could see Emily.

The narrator describes the rest of his company in the prologue. He mentions a merchant that could handle any trade, and knew all the currency exchanges because of his extensive travels. There is a scholar who lives for the sole purpose of learning. He was a student at Oxford and seldom spoke unless to learn of something new. The next man was a sergeant-at-law that upheld justice wherever he went, and was said to have studied all the court cases since William the first. There was a franklin travelling with a freeman. He was known in the countryside as the patron saint of travellers for his hospitality by welcoming and holding a feast for all who came. The narrator then describes various middle, working class men that had respectable positions. He mentions a sea captain who knew every port from Holland to Northern Africa. There was a doctor that was 'skilled to pick out the astrologic moment for charms and talismans to aid the patient,' which obviously was impressive to the time period, but seems a tad phony to me. He describes a bussiness woman who had been married 5 times and was essentially a 'certified' mistress. He says that "she was 'gap-toothed,' if you take my meaning," but I  don't take his meaning at all.

Canterbury Tales background and intro:

Written in the late 14th century by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales is a story of a pilgramage to Canterbury Cathedral. Among the company are: a knight and his son, three priests, two nuns, a friar, a yeoman, and the narrator himself. After introducing the intention of his voyage, the narrator proceeds to describe his companions. The knight is escribed as being "the very pattern of a noble knight." He has traveled from Russia to Egypt and is as strong as he is courteous. His son is a man of twenty who fares well with women. The nuns and priest are gracious, respectful and civil. The narrator describes the friar as man who keeps to the 'new order' rather than following the archaic order of St Maurus or St Benedict. The friar enjoys hunting hares with his well trained greyhounds and horses, and is a man of sturdy build instead of that with the typical pale complexion associated with most monks.