Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Importance of Order in...

The Importance of Order in Knights Tale Chaucer claims to place the Knights Tale just after the General Prologue by chance, the drawing of lots. The Knight draws the short straw, and all are glad for it. The appropriateness of his lengthy tale to follow is clear on some levels, and barely perceptible on others. I intend to launch my investigation of the Knights Tale with a scrutiny of these three statements, and perhaps we shall find an interesting conclusion in this, albeit a disputable one. The honorable Host, Harry Bailey, begins this famous day of pilgrimage by calling everyone together to draw lots, He which that hath the shorteste shal beginne. (838) He calls the Knight to draw first, presumably as a gesture of†¦show more content†¦If his tale gets away from him, then the once harmless stick will become the fire that consumes his knightly image and respect. However Harry meant it, the Knight decides that welcome be the cut (856), and he dives into his tale. The soothe is this, the cut fil to the Knight; / Of which ful blithe and glad was every wight, (848). Certainly, it is most reasonable that the first to tell a tale be the Knight, since in the companys eyes he is the most respectable figure of social degree. He ought to be capable of telling a terrific tale, since hes been to war against the very edges of the known world, having seen and done things beyond the imagination of the common folk. Whether the Knight had simply told the tale at the hosts request, or whether he was secretly given the lot is of no consequence to the position the tale assumes (whats done is done). It does matter to the rest of the pilgrims though, for certainly someone would have spoken up in protest had the Knight been given outward preferential treatment - probably the Miller. Harry Bailey must surely hope that the Knight tells a tale of action, war, conspiracy, love...all the things that would keep the travellers interest and enthusiasm. Does the Knights Ta le fulfill this expectation? Perhaps, but in a rather strange way. After the lengthy attention a reader must pay to each singular character in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, he isShow MoreRelated Chaucer’s Use of Clothing: an Effective Rhetorical Device Essay1827 Words   |  8 PagesChaucer’s Use of Clothing: an Effective Rhetorical Device In Literature, as in real life, characters are sometimes judged by their appearance. The description of clothing provides detail and comment on those wearing them. Chaucer’s uses of artifice in The Canterbury Tales function as gauges of the social status and economic wealth, and emotional condition of each pilgrim. Artifice effectively provides a badge of humanity, symbolic of each character’s fallibility. 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