In The Prologue of The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer illustrates the medieval society. The Prologue is an introduction to the thirty-one characters, who go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. The people in pilgrimage want to visit the relics of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. Two of these characters are the Knight and the Squire. The Knight is the father of the Squire, and they both are warriors and gentleman, who ride their horses gallantly. Even though they have these similarities, they are not similar in the slightest bit. Through the contrasting of the Knight and the Squire, Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales suggests that even the Knight and the Squire have the same vocation and class, the Knight displays how society should have
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Chaucer wanted the readers to observe that the Knight is perfect, and this perfection is what the society wanted to be in the olden days. However, they are like the Squire, with flaws and imperfection. The Knight was “a most distinguished man” (4). He was “even honoured for noble graces” in battle. He had fought in fifteen battles, he even “jousted for” their “faith at Tramissene” (4). The Knight “was wise” and modest as a maid” (5). He was described as “a true, a perfect gentle-knight” (5). On the other hand, the Squire was “a lover and cadet, a lad of fire” and has “seen some service with the cavalry in Flanders and Artois and Picardy” (5). He didn’t do plenty of battles, but he “had done valiantly in little space” (5). The Squire was more of an entertainer; he “could make songs and poems and recite” and “knew how to joust and dance, to draw and write” (5). The Squire had these attributes, but he was “courteous… lowly and serviceable, and carved to serve his father at the table” (5). Chaucer wrote that the Squire and the Knight are different for the reason that one is devoted to his vocation, while the other isn’t. He admires the Knight’s brave and noble personality, which represents the perfect society. However, the society from long ago was overbearing and oppressive, just like the Squire. This last characteristic is what vastly distinguishes the Knight and the …show more content…
They have different appearances, personalities, and motivation. Chaucer wanted the readers to notice that the Knight represents the perfect Knight, while the Squire represents the knight with imperfections and flaws. He also wants the readers to note that the Knight represents the ideal society that was wished in the past. The Squire shows how the society was in the olden days. Chaucer does this comparison in the interest of wanting the readers to pay attention to how their society was far from being the perfect
Chaucer wanted the readers to observe that the Knight is perfect, and this perfection is what the society wanted to be in the olden days. However, they are like the Squire, with flaws and imperfection. The Knight was “a most distinguished man” (4). He was “even honoured for noble graces” in battle. He had fought in fifteen battles, he even “jousted for” their “faith at Tramissene” (4). The Knight “was wise” and modest as a maid” (5). He was described as “a true, a perfect gentle-knight” (5). On the other hand, the Squire was “a lover and cadet, a lad of fire” and has “seen some service with the cavalry in Flanders and Artois and Picardy” (5). He didn’t do plenty of battles, but he “had done valiantly in little space” (5). The Squire was more of an entertainer; he “could make songs and poems and recite” and “knew how to joust and dance, to draw and write” (5). The Squire had these attributes, but he was “courteous… lowly and serviceable, and carved to serve his father at the table” (5). Chaucer wrote that the Squire and the Knight are different for the reason that one is devoted to his vocation, while the other isn’t. He admires the Knight’s brave and noble personality, which represents the perfect society. However, the society from long ago was overbearing and oppressive, just like the Squire. This last characteristic is what vastly distinguishes the Knight and the …show more content…
They have different appearances, personalities, and motivation. Chaucer wanted the readers to notice that the Knight represents the perfect Knight, while the Squire represents the knight with imperfections and flaws. He also wants the readers to note that the Knight represents the ideal society that was wished in the past. The Squire shows how the society was in the olden days. Chaucer does this comparison in the interest of wanting the readers to pay attention to how their society was far from being the perfect