All is Fair in Love and War.

In Geoffrey Chauffer’s, Canterbury Tales, there are many themes and motives, which are the basis of each tale. Each tale entails a story of a life of a certain person or persons which they feel teaches a lesson. In the first two sections of “The Knight’s Tale,” I found that the two themes were love, as the main motive, and competition, as the second motive and product of love. if these are the two motives, then what could the lesson be for just in these first two sections?

The first section begins by describing a grand duke named Theseus, who governed over the city of Athens, in Ancient Greece. The character telling the tale, makes sure to take his or her time to elaborate on the greatness of this duke. He or she tells of the lands he has conquered and of the beautiful wife he married. The character also tells of his grand heart (theme of love begins) and of his great talent for battles (theme of competition).

“He was war, as he caste his eye aside, Where that ther kneled in the heighe weye A compaignye of ladyes, tweye and tweye, … But swich a cry and swich a wo they make … " who hath yow mysboden or offended? And telleth me if it may been amended,… I, wrecche, which that wepe and wayle thus, Was whilom wyf to kyng Cappaneus, That starf at Thebes -- cursed be that day! --… We losten alle oure housbondes at that toun,… He, for despit and for his tirannye, To do the dede bodyes vileynye… Hath alle the bodyes on an heep ydrawe,” (lines 897-944) These women demonstrate the great LOVE they had for their husbands; therefore, Theseus felt pity for them and rode off to Thebes to get revenge (COMPETITION). Thesues goes to Thebes, conquers the city, kills Creon (the king of Thebes), and finds two thebian soldiers fatally wounded. He heals them but sentences them to a lifetime in prison. it is here that they meet the beautiful Emelye. They see her in the garden and are enchanted by her beauty (LOVE). Because both of the brothers are enchanted, they then feel the need to have her. With just this much information on the first section, we can infer that the lesson being taught is the extent of courtly love and how loyalty can be lost even between sworn brothers. This leads to the second section.

In the second section, the gods come into the tale to take part in the battle for the fair Emelye. One of the “sworn” brothers escapes the imprisonment but is exiled. He continues to look for ways to go back to marry the beautiful maiden (LOVE). The winged-god, Mercury, goes to him in a dream and tells him to return to Athens. The second brother continues in prison but has the “honor” to see the beautiful lady daily as she pays tribute to May (LOVE). Before going to Athens, Arcite, the first brother, envies Palamon, the second brother because even though he is out of prison, he cannot see his beloved. He then makes a plan to return to Athens in disguise and to work for Emelye in order to get closer to her and to return her to his daily sight. Here he reunites with his “sworn” brother and they begin to argue and fight until, again, the duke Theaseus intervenes and suggests a duel in which the winner wins Emelye’s hand (COMPETITION AND LOVE). This section teaches the craftiness between brothers when it comes to love. With these motives and lessons it makes the title of this blog true… all is fair in love and war.