The Knight's Tale Summary: Part 4

The tournament begins after many festivities and all of Athens goes to the arena to see the battle. Arcita arrives from the gate dedicated to Mars while Palamon enters from the gate of Venus. The morning of the battle Theseus had declared that he wants no noble man to die; so he ordered that all men that are defeated must be captured in battle rather than killed. After much fighting, Palamon is eventually taken captive. Arcita rejoices and is married on the spot to Emily. However, up in the heavens, Venus looks down with dismay and asks for Saturn to help her because she has been defeated. Saturn asks Pluto to send a fury to disrupt the end of the tournament. A fury arrives just after Arcita and Emily have been married. Arcita is atop his horse, but when the Fury appears, it scares the horse which topples over on top of Arcita. Arcita's chest has been crushed and they take him to Theseus' palace, expecting him to recover. However, Arcita succumbs to his injuries. Just before he dies, he asks Emily to take pity on him and that no man would love him more than Palamon once he is dead. After a great funeral pyre in the woods, years of mourning pass, felt by the citizens of Athens, Thebes, and most of all, Theseus, Emily and Palamon. Once a couple of years have passed a senate meeting occurs in Athens, in which a treaty between Thebes and Athens is proposed. Theseus sends for Palamon from Thebes to discuss the matter of the treaty. When the senate is assembled, along with Emily, Palamon and many onlookers, Theseus declares that Emily and Palamon shall be married. He says that they should stop their mourning and accept Arcita's fate. He says that Arcita passed away in his prime with all his honor and glory and that is something that should be admired not mourned. So he gives his blessing to Palamon and Emily and they are married happily ever after :)