The Knight’s Tale: Archetypal Identity
The ideal, chivalrous knight sits atop his magnificent steed, his lance upon his hip and his armor pressing against his chest. He looks down on the peasantry, cheering his name, and raises his fist to celebrate his victory, letting out a cry of excitement. The women love him, the peasants envy him, his opponents detest him, and now children read about him in fairy tales. Whether it is saving a damsel in distress or winning a dual against some fearsome creature, the archetype of the ‘knight in shining armor’ has been ingrained in the brains of children from many storybooks and movies. The ‘knight’ is really just another word for a hero. William Thatcher, in the movie “The Nights Tale,” based of the work …show more content…
Geoffrey Chaucer is his guardian, training him and testing him through various circumstances, such as the gambling incident. William could have chosen not to help Chaucer when his gambling debt grew out of hand, however his chivalrous qualities led him to follow the instincts of a true knight. William’s father, John, acts as a mentor. John Thatcher tells a young William to, “Change your stars and live a better life than I have.” By this, he means change your destiny, which is exactly what William is trying to do by posing as Sir Ulrich. William’s passion and love is found in Jocelyn who is the temptation archetype. He is in love with her and would do anything for her, often causing his better judgment to be influenced. Count Adhemar is the ordinary and evil villain. He cheats, seeks revenge, and will do anything to defeat William (A Knight’s Tale). A villain archetype is, “A character whose main function is to go to any extent to oppose the hero or whom the hero must annihilate in order to bring justice (“Literary Devices – Archetype”).” Adhemar produces the binary opposition in the sense of good versus evil, which is a mere obstacle William must face on his journey to
The ideal, chivalrous knight sits atop his magnificent steed, his lance upon his hip and his armor pressing against his chest. He looks down on the peasantry, cheering his name, and raises his fist to celebrate his victory, letting out a cry of excitement. The women love him, the peasants envy him, his opponents detest him, and now children read about him in fairy tales. Whether it is saving a damsel in distress or winning a dual against some fearsome creature, the archetype of the ‘knight in shining armor’ has been ingrained in the brains of children from many storybooks and movies. The ‘knight’ is really just another word for a hero. William Thatcher, in the movie “The Nights Tale,” based of the work …show more content…
Geoffrey Chaucer is his guardian, training him and testing him through various circumstances, such as the gambling incident. William could have chosen not to help Chaucer when his gambling debt grew out of hand, however his chivalrous qualities led him to follow the instincts of a true knight. William’s father, John, acts as a mentor. John Thatcher tells a young William to, “Change your stars and live a better life than I have.” By this, he means change your destiny, which is exactly what William is trying to do by posing as Sir Ulrich. William’s passion and love is found in Jocelyn who is the temptation archetype. He is in love with her and would do anything for her, often causing his better judgment to be influenced. Count Adhemar is the ordinary and evil villain. He cheats, seeks revenge, and will do anything to defeat William (A Knight’s Tale). A villain archetype is, “A character whose main function is to go to any extent to oppose the hero or whom the hero must annihilate in order to bring justice (“Literary Devices – Archetype”).” Adhemar produces the binary opposition in the sense of good versus evil, which is a mere obstacle William must face on his journey to