Through a Certain Set of Eyes
Theseus, Duke of Athens, has an overly simplified view of justice. He often shows hypocrisy from one action to another, though this seems not to impede the story’s portrayal of him as the ideal gentleman. The Knight’s Tale, however, is not an objective story. Theseus is the ideological (albeit flawed) manifestation of all that the Knight values in a man: courtesy, honesty, consideration for others, and strength as a leader.
In Chaucer’s prologue, the Knight emerged triumphant from countless battles over his career, and unsurprisingly, Theseus, too, is a fearless warrior. But while Theseus shows great compassion (an important trait of leadership) towards the widows of Thebes, he does not hesitate to imprison Arcite and Palamon at the height of their youth. Theseus chooses to take away from these two young men even the honor of a hero’s death, though he later says that “gladder should a friend be of his death / where there is honour in the yielded breath, / gladder than for a name by age made pale” (Knight’s tale, pg. 84).
The Knight’s portrayal of the role of women is very traditional and antifeminist. Hippolyta and Emily shed “womanly” tears at Arcite and Palamon’s sad fates, despite the Amazons’ historical reputation as cold-blooded warriors, then proceed to fall at Theseus’ feet (“ ‘Have mercy, Lord, upon us women all!’ “ Knight’s tale, page 50), begging him to act with generosity. Even the strongest of women, apparently, cannot take action for themselves, while what little power they do have lays in the domain of emotions. Later on in the tale, Theseus claims to know of love’s pains, having been, in his time, a lover too. Little does he mention of Hippolyta, his beautiful queen, a prize of war who was forcefully wed to him.
The Knight’s tale does appear to have a happy ending. But stripping away the niceties, one can see that Emily never had a true choice in her romantic fate. Palamon lives the rest of his days in “joy, bliss, and splendor,” (Knight’s Tale, pg. 86), but does Emily? The Knight claims the two live happily ever after, but this is because the all-powerful duke ordains their marriage in the first place. Theseus considers Palamon to have the knightly attributes that qualify him for Emily’s hand, even though chivalry and bravery (which we are led to believe are man’s ultimate virtues) weren’t what determined the cousins’ fates- the power struggle of the gods did.
In Chaucer’s prologue, the Knight emerged triumphant from countless battles over his career, and unsurprisingly, Theseus, too, is a fearless warrior. But while Theseus shows great compassion (an important trait of leadership) towards the widows of Thebes, he does not hesitate to imprison Arcite and Palamon at the height of their youth. Theseus chooses to take away from these two young men even the honor of a hero’s death, though he later says that “gladder should a friend be of his death / where there is honour in the yielded breath, / gladder than for a name by age made pale” (Knight’s tale, pg. 84).
The Knight’s portrayal of the role of women is very traditional and antifeminist. Hippolyta and Emily shed “womanly” tears at Arcite and Palamon’s sad fates, despite the Amazons’ historical reputation as cold-blooded warriors, then proceed to fall at Theseus’ feet (“ ‘Have mercy, Lord, upon us women all!’ “ Knight’s tale, page 50), begging him to act with generosity. Even the strongest of women, apparently, cannot take action for themselves, while what little power they do have lays in the domain of emotions. Later on in the tale, Theseus claims to know of love’s pains, having been, in his time, a lover too. Little does he mention of Hippolyta, his beautiful queen, a prize of war who was forcefully wed to him.
The Knight’s tale does appear to have a happy ending. But stripping away the niceties, one can see that Emily never had a true choice in her romantic fate. Palamon lives the rest of his days in “joy, bliss, and splendor,” (Knight’s Tale, pg. 86), but does Emily? The Knight claims the two live happily ever after, but this is because the all-powerful duke ordains their marriage in the first place. Theseus considers Palamon to have the knightly attributes that qualify him for Emily’s hand, even though chivalry and bravery (which we are led to believe are man’s ultimate virtues) weren’t what determined the cousins’ fates- the power struggle of the gods did.