The Knight in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales

 The Knight



For a session on this topic, visit YouTube lecture

After the General Introduction, Chaucer spends the next 36 lines (l. 44 to 78) to introduce the Knight.

What all must have influenced Chaucer to choose the Knight as the first in his portrait gallery?

From the start of the work itself, Chaucer tries to give the work a secular air than a sacred or religious bend.

England’s patron saint St. George is a knight.

Knighthood commanded respect and admiration from the people. Knights were known for their valour, patriotism, courage, exemplary behaviour and codes of conduct, loyalty to the land, enrichment of experience, and above all, a sincere piety.

The Knight stands on the top of the social ladder among all the pilgrims.

Chaucer doesn’t choose a person of religion because it may not be appreciated by his readers who are exposed to the ill practices of the church of the times.

The Knight is a standard of virtues and values against which one can measure all other pilgrims.

A mention of the Knight’s wide travels and exploits is a matter appreciated by Chaucer’s primary readers, when England craves for such exposure and is at the threshold of the Renaissance.

The Knight - a heavily idealised figure?

It is true that the picture of the Knight is heavily idealized. But Chaucer purposely places him on an elevated pedestal; he balances this with the next person described: the Squire, who is the Knight’s son: a person presented as someone who has high values and codes of behaviour, yet a young man who enjoys life and its brighter shades.

The pattern of description

Winding up the General Introduction, Chaucer had given us a promise: he will describe the pilgrims in a certain manner: who they are; what their condition is; and how they are dressed. This pattern is well fulfilled in the description of the Knight. 

The description of the Knight may be understood in four segments:

Segment 1 (44 – 51): The Knight’s Ideals

44. A knight there was, and he a worthy man,
45. Who, from the moment that he first began
46. To ride about the world, loved chivalry,
47. Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy.
48. Full worthy was he in his liege-lord's war,
49. And therein had he ridden (none more far)
50. As well in Christendom as heathenesse,
51. And honoured everywhere for worthiness.

Chaucer describes the Knight in superlative terms. A worthy man, who right from the start had all virtues in him: chivalry, truth, honour, freedom and courtesy. He was a worthy fighter for his liege lord (King Edward III). No one else has extensively travelled like him, both in the Christian world and other lands. Everywhere he had gone, he was honoured.

In segments 2 and 3, Chaucer lists out the places where the Knight had been through the course of his exploits:

Alexandria
Prussia
Lithuania
Russia
Granada in Algezir (near Gilbraltar)
Benmarin
Lyeys (in Armania)
Satalye (now, Adalia, in Asia Minor)
The Mediterranean Sea
Tramyssene (in Algeria)
Palatia
Turkey

Chaucer, himself a diplomat, is happy to mention places of significance beyond England.

Segment 2 (52 – 61) The Knight’s Military Involvement


52. At Alexandria, he, when it was won;
53. Full oft the table's roster he'd begun
54. Above all nations' knights in Prussia.
55. In Latvia raided he, and Russia,
56. No christened man so oft of his degree.
57. In far Granada at the siege was he
58. Of Algeciras, and in Belmarie.
59. At Ayas was he and at Satalye
60. When they were won; and on the Middle Sea
61. At many a noble meeting chanced to be.

This knight had helped conquer the city of Alexandria in Egypt (an event that took place in 1365).  He had dined with royalty in Prussia on many occasions, and his position was above the knights of all other nations. He had fought in Lithuania and Russia more times than any other Christian knight. He was involved in the siege of Algeciras in Grenada, Spain, and had conquered enemies in Benmarin (North Africa. Lyeys (in Armania) and Satalye (in Asia Minor). He was also all over the Mediterranean Sea.

Segment 3 (62 – 68) The Knight’s fight for faith

62. Of mortal battles he had fought fifteen,
63. And he'd fought for our faith at Tramissene
64. Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe.
65. This self-same worthy knight had been also
66. At one time with the lord of Palatye
67. Against another heathen in Turkey:
68. And always won he sovereign fame for prize.

Here, the narrator presents more episodes in the life of the Knight – more serious and direct involvement in battles. The warfare described here appears to be for the Christian faith: a continuation of the spirit of crusades. He’d been in fifteen battles. There were also three duals or lists, where he fights hand-to-hand against a single person, till the death of one of them.  This knight had even fought with the pagan king of Istanbul in Turkey against another non-Christian.

Chaucer may want to give us some impressions:

The descriptions reach to personal exploits only at a later point; the Knight may have spoken them out only after some prodding; he is a person who doesn’t want to blow his own trumpet.

The Knight was not just an ordinary soldier; his fights, on several occasions, were for his faith. This would have been an impressive description for a nation that is proud of its faith and its defence. Further, it connects a bit with the underlying current of the text: a pilgrimage.

Segment 4 (69 – 79) The Knight’s Character and Appearance

69. Though so illustrious, he was very wise
70. And bore himself as meekly as a maid.
71. He never yet had any vileness said,
72. In all his life, to whatsoever wight.
73. He was a truly perfect, gentle knight.
74. But now, to tell you all of his array,
75. His steeds were good, but yet he was not gay.
76. Of simple fustian wore he a jupon
77. Sadly discoloured by his habergeon;
78. For he had lately come from his voyage
79. And now was going on this pilgrimage.


Fustian - a variety of heavy cloth woven from cotton

Jupon - a tight-fitting garment like a shirt often padded and quilted and worn under medieval armour





 Habergeon - a sleeveless coat of mail or scale armour


Despite his illustrious career, the Knight was wise and humble. He was not given to slander or evil talk throughout his life. Indeed, he was the most perfect knight in every way possible. Now, about his dress and appearance: he rode fine horses, but he didn’t wear flashy clothes. He wore a simple cotton shirt that had stains all over it from the armour he’d worn in the war he had involved, just before coming for the pilgrimage.

Task

Locate instances of the Knight's appearance in the Canterbury Tales. (Hint: The Knight's Tale; the Knight's interference upon need in the course of the story telling by others - eg. The prologue to the Nun's Priest's Tale (reference to the Monk's tale).

Questions to be considered:


How does the description of the Knight suit the social temperament of the times?
What all aspects of the Knight are portrayed in the description? 
The medieval society of England was closely related to religion: comment from the understanding obtained through the description of the Knight.

Prepared by Jacob Eapen Kunnath

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