Chivalry + Courtly Love in: CT/Knight's Tale/SG+GK

Explain Courtly Love

an idealized way of a Knight’s behavior:

• associated with tournaments: ennobled knights and drove them to succeed

• knights would fight for a woman’s honor + devote themselves to her

• lady was often unattainable and coy

Overall, drove knights to be polite, fight nobly, be loyal, and devoted

Explain the code of chivalry and how it governed the lives of Knights.

The Code was a way for the Knights to act:

• honor, loyalty, honesty, faith, courage, prowess, nobility, defense, justice

• When not in war many knights held tournaments to stay out of trouble

The Canterbury Tales is written in which form of English?

Middle English

When was CT written

Middle Ages (1066-1485)

Who was CT written by

Geoffrey Chaucer

Name 4 significant events in the Middle Ages (CT)

1. Hundred Years War ( E vs F)

2. War of the Roses (E Civil War)

3. The Crusades (Holy Wars)

4. Black Death (Plagues)

Who was Geoffry Chaucer

Father of English Literature, born in London, 1340ish-1400

Who introduced Royal Rhyme to Poetry?

Geoffrey Chaucer

What was the purpose the journey to Canterbury (Canterbury Tales)?

To visit the holy relic to prove their devotion to their faith and find spiritual fulfillment

How many Pilgrims meet in The Canterbury Tales?

29

Who are the main characters in CT?

Knight, squire, prioress, monk, friar, wife of bath, parson, host, narrator

Desc the Knight in CT

A noble and chivalrous warrior who has fought in various battles. Represents the ideal of chivalry. Squire’s dad

Desc the squire

The Knight's son, characterized by youth, courtesy, and prowess in battle. He is also a romantic figure.

desc The Prioress (Madame Eglantine)

A nun who is overly concerned with manners and etiquette. She is refined but shows signs of vanity.

Desc the monk

 A worldly and modern monk who enjoys hunting and fine living, deviating from traditional monastic ideals.

Desc the friar (Hubert)

a jovial and social friar skilled at begging, also arranges marriages

desc The wife of Bath (allison)

A lively and outspoken woman who has been married five times. She is skilled in the art of love and has strong opinions on marriage.

desc the parson

A sincere and devout clergyman who preaches by example. Represents the ideal of a humble and dedicated pastor.

Which two religious characters were described by the narrator of The Canterbury Tales positively?

the prioress + the parson

What does the Host suggest in CT

game

Explain the game in CT

Each pilgrim tells 2 stories to Canterbury, and 2 on the way back - winner gets free dinner

Main characters in the KNights tale

1. Palamon

2. Arcite

3. Emily

4. Theseus

5. Hippolyta

How mant times was the wife of bath married

5

Whats the name of the Inn where pilgrims meet?

The tabard inn

What time of the yr did ppl usually go on pilgrimages

spring

What is the relationship between arcite and palamon

noble cousins+friends form thebes

How do Arcite and Palamon become imprisoned?

They are captured by theseus during a battle between thebes and athens

who is emily + how does she feel for the knights

sis in law of theseus

she does not reciprocate feelings for the knights, but is compassionate

how does arcite excape prison

Theseus releases him on his friends behalf , but he cannot come near emily

What disguised does Arcite use when he returns to Athens

He disguises himself as a poor servant named Philostrato and works for Emily

who is hippolyta

Theseus’ wife

How do thesus + hippolyta get involved in the Knights’ conflict

Thesus discovers p + a fighting in the forrest; hippolyta and emily beg them to stop + for Theseus to have mercy on them

How does thesus decide to resolve their conflict?

he organizes a tournament for them to fight for emily

What is the condition of Palamon’s imprisonment after Arcite is released

he remains in prison

What are the conditions of Theseus’ tournament

both arcite and palamon can bring 100 men each to fight with them

what Gods do arcite, palamon, and emily pray to before the tourney

a > mars (war)

p > venus (love)

e > diana (virgin)

desc palamon

brave, loyal, emotional, idealistic

desc arcite

brave, loyal, pragmatic, determined

What happens to Arcite at the end of The Knight's Tale? and how did it happen?

he dies after winning the duel for Emily’s hand due to a fatal injury from a horse accident - Saturn throws him from his horse and he succumbs to his injuries

who marries emily

palamon after arcite dies

who won the tournament

arcite

freewill vs fate in the knights tale

the gods that sabotaged arcite show fate, freewill is shown in theseus’ arrangement of the tournament

Courtly love in The knights tale

It pictures an idealized and obsessive love that drives the men to suffer and compete for their maiden

who wrote SGGK

anonymous

when was sggk written

14th century

a chapter in sggk is called

a fitt

the # of fitts in sggk

4

how is gawain related to arthur

gawain is arthur’s nephew

what is the name of gawains horse

gringolet

wher + what holiday does sggk occur on

camelot + christmas/nye

desc the green knight

a large, supernatural figure with a green complexion and a giant frame

why has the gk come?

To test the abilities of the famous King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table

what game does the gk suggest

a hit for a hit: today he will let some brave soul hit him once with the huge axe

who first volunteers for the gk’s game + who takes his place

king arthur; sir gawain

Why does Gawain say he should be the one to challenge the Green Knight?

someone has to step up and hes the weakest + best to die

Name foes that Gawain meets on his journey through the wilderness in search of the Green Chapel

Winter, The Wilderness, Lady Bertilak, Sir Bertilak

What was the servant’s advice and why doesn't Gawain take it?

1. Not to proceed with his journey because there is no way he can come out alive

2. He wants to keep his word/doesn't want to be a coward

Who is Lord Bertilak?

1. Owner of the castle he stayed at

2. challenged Gawain to the 3-day game

3. the green knight

what does gawain win on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day

1. one kiss form lady bertilak

2. two kiss from Lady Bertilak

3. three kiss from Lady Bertilak and a green girdle

what does bertilak give gawain in order

1st night: deer

2nd night: wild boar

what is special about the green girdle

1. it can protect him from harm, and Gawain accepts it out of a desire to survive the Green Knight's blow

2. it initially symbolizes protection and later represents Gawain's failure to uphold his chivalric code

Why doesn't Gawain tell the Lord about the sash given to him by the Lady?

1. The Lady asks him not to

2. He believes it will protect him from the Green Knight

What happens the first time The Green Knight swings his Danish-style axe? what is his punishment

he flinches + he gets a cut on the neck for his lack of chivalry/honesty

did gawain pass or fail

FAILED

1. kept the green girdle to himself

2. flinched in fear

What does the green sash represent to Gawain?

His Cowardice/Lack of Loyalty/the time he failed to uphold the code of Chivalry

Why do the men of the round table decide to wear green sashes?

HONOR GAWAIN

1. for his bravery

2. for his loyalty

3. for his honesty to his promise

chivalry in sggk

1. LOYALTY to arthur

2. COURAGE for accepting the gk game

3. COURTESY in Bertilak’s castle

4. HONORs the games (mostly)

Courtly love in sggk

1. gawain is HONORABLE/LOYAL to bertilak

2. he is COURTEOUS/CHARMING to lady bertilak by accepting her gifts + keeping his word to her