Conqueror of many and duke of Athens, Theseus is portrayed as a powerful ruler in “The Knight’s Tale.” He is the person who is responsible for making the final judgment on everything, yet he is willing to take the pleas of others into consideration when making a decision. In the world of “The Knight’s Tale,” Theseus is the figure that symbolizes rule and order. He is full of "wisdom and chivalry" (7) and is also successful at conquering "many wealthy countries" (6).
From the first moment the audience is introduced to Theseus, one can easily see his notorious reputation. The audience gets a glimpse of his character when a large group of damsels in distress begs him to seek vengeance on Creon, who refused them the right to bury their husbands' bodies. These women have obviously heard of Theseus and his reputation for they waited two weeks at …show more content…
When he interrupts Palamon and Arcite's fight, he decides to have mercy on them because he wishes to rule with effective decision making; he does so by using his good judgement to distinguish between things. Theseus believes that Palamon and Arcite are acting with humbleness, so they should not be treated the same as someone who is acting with pride. Similarly, from the rule that everything dies, the hero deduces that the proper response to death is to keep on living. For this reason, he orders Emily and Palamon to marry.
In conclusion, Theseus is just about as ideal as a ruler can get. Not only does he have the power to rule, but also the wisdom and fairness to rule justly. He is also a character who comments upon the events that are happening in the story, reflecting on their possible meaning. In this, he resembles us, the reader, providing a built-in interpreter for "The Knight's Tale." We may not always agree with his interpretations, but he certainly forces us to think, and think hard, about the meaning of the events that happen in the
From the first moment the audience is introduced to Theseus, one can easily see his notorious reputation. The audience gets a glimpse of his character when a large group of damsels in distress begs him to seek vengeance on Creon, who refused them the right to bury their husbands' bodies. These women have obviously heard of Theseus and his reputation for they waited two weeks at …show more content…
When he interrupts Palamon and Arcite's fight, he decides to have mercy on them because he wishes to rule with effective decision making; he does so by using his good judgement to distinguish between things. Theseus believes that Palamon and Arcite are acting with humbleness, so they should not be treated the same as someone who is acting with pride. Similarly, from the rule that everything dies, the hero deduces that the proper response to death is to keep on living. For this reason, he orders Emily and Palamon to marry.
In conclusion, Theseus is just about as ideal as a ruler can get. Not only does he have the power to rule, but also the wisdom and fairness to rule justly. He is also a character who comments upon the events that are happening in the story, reflecting on their possible meaning. In this, he resembles us, the reader, providing a built-in interpreter for "The Knight's Tale." We may not always agree with his interpretations, but he certainly forces us to think, and think hard, about the meaning of the events that happen in the