1. The Knight’s Tale
By Geoffrey Chaucer

2. Introduction
Setting: Ancient Greece
Combination of medieval feudalism (knights) and Greek history/culture (setting, religion)

3. Theme
Def: The main idea of a story, poem, novel, or play, sometimes expressed as a general statement about life.
Theme: Love can be chaotic (anything can happen)

4. Characters - Athens Theseus – King of Athens Queen of Athens
Emily – sister in law (sister to the queen of Athens)

5. Characters - Thebes Creon – King of Thebes Palamon – Knight
Arcita – Knight
Palamon and Arcita are cousins
They consider each other “brothers” due to their close friendship

6. It Begins…
Theseus attacks Creon, the king of Thebes, for desecrating the bodies of men who tried to besiege Thebes
Theseus kills Creon and takes Palamon and Arcita, knights of Thebes, captive
They are locked in a tower in Athens

7. Excerpt #1 – Love at First Sight
Palamon and Arcita both see the beautiful Emily at the base of their tower
They both fall in love with her at first sight
This begins a bitter rivalry/feud between them

8. After Excerpt #1…
Pirithous, friend to BOTH Theseus and Arcita, asks Theseus to release Arcita from the tower prison—Theseus complies
Arcita is banished from Athens on pains of death if he ever returns
Palamon remains imprisoned

9. The Return of Arcita
Arcita, back in Thebes, pines away at the loss of his ability to even look at Emily
He becomes gaunt and physically changed because of his severe depression
Arcita is told by Hermes, the messenger god, to return to Athens

10. Arcita gets creative…
Arcita, physically changed by his depression, becomes a helper to a servant of the queen of Athens
For two years he works his way up to a squire
is even loved by Theseus himself, who does not realize his newest beloved squire is Arcita

11. Arcita and Palamon reunite, but not under good terms!
Arcita goes to the forest to fashion a garland of leaves
Palamon escapes the tower and runs into the forest
overhears Arcita talk of Emily
Arcita and Palamon fight…EXCERPT #2

12. Theseus makes the final decision
On a hunt with the queen and Emily, Theseus stumbles upon Arcita and Palamon bludgeoning each other in the forest
Theseus decides to kill them both but is held back by Emily and the queen

13. And the winner is…!
Contest: Both men will lead an army of 100 knights and fight until one submits
Theseus builds a grand stadium for the event
Outside the stadium Theseus builds three temples: one to Venus, goddess of love; another to Mars, god of war; and another to Diana, goddess of chastity

14. Hallelujah! Everyone asks for divine help…
Arcita prays to Mars for victory in battle
Palamon prays to Venus to help him win the battle because he’s in love with Emily
Emily prays to Diana because she doesn’t want to marry either

15. Whoa, gods and goddesses!
Venus, goddess of love, becomes worried that Palamon will not win because Arcita has asked Mars, god of war, for help
Saturn, Venus’ father, tells her not to worry—he’ll make sure Palamon wins
Excerpt #3…

16. Oh Despair!
Emily and Palamon are grief stricken over the death of Arcita
Mourning for Arcita lasts over a year
King Theseus becomes fed up with Emily and Palamon’s grieving and decides to intervene…
Excerpt #4 – THE END