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The Power Of Love In The Knight's Tale

Decent Essays

In Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale, ” love is the most important part of the story. William Shakespeare once said, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” This quote reflects the story of the Knights Arcite and Palamon. During their imprisonment, they fall in love with Emelye, which sends them into a frenzy of love and suffering. Arcite and Palamon show that love is synonymous to suffering through imprisonment, banishment, and battle.
First, Arcite and Palamon’s imprisonment compares the power of love to suffering. The tower where the King Theseus imprisons the Knights is close to the garden wall where Emelye spends her days. There would be no conflict involving love if the tower was in another location or if Emelye spent her time elsewhere. The Knights know …show more content…

Though Palamon and Arcite know they will spend the rest of their days in confinement, they are able to at least find comfort in seeing Emelye daily. Seeing Emelye is the only positive in the Knights lives at this point. According to Julie Peakman, medieval lovers [are] kept apart due to circumstances beyond their control and [live] their daily lives pragmatically (37). Palamon and Arcite’s circumstance is is a common occurrence for the time period and not unique to the story. Next, Arcite’s banishment reflects the similarities of love and suffering. King Theseus grants Arcite his freedom, but Arcite faces banishment from Theseus’ kingdom from then on. For Arcite, banishment is a fate worse than imprisonment. Arcite exclaims he was doomed eternally to dwell no more in Purgatory, but in Hell. Arcite’s banishment devastates him because it means he will never see the love of his life Emelye again. He believes Palamon blissfully serves his indenture in paradise rather than prison as Palamon has Emelyes presence while he has the loss. Arcite is unable to find satisfaction even though he is free. According to Catherine A.

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