What Are Examples Of Social Status In A Knight's Tale

Social status is very important in the Knight’s Tale because it is placed in medieval England. In these times people were placed in very clearly defined social classes where people were not allowed to break out of their classes boundaries. The ways that characters interact and the different roles they portray exemplify social boundaries. The lifestyles of many different characters show where they fit in society. For example, William Thatcher starts out as the stereotypical peasant with a very grotesque and lackluster lifestyle, but he changes that in the story. The blacksmith also defines a role in society, and this role is the role of women. Lastly Adhemar represents the Knightly level of the social chain. William Thatcher is a great example of social status because he represents multiple social …show more content…
It was common knowledge that in the time of medieval England knights were near the top of the picking order. People treated these knights with respect, and they really looked up to them. These knights in return were supposed to have good qualities such as chivalry, honor, and respect. Adhemar was a knight, but he did not act as one. Even though Adhemar was not the perfect example of a human being he was revered and treated with respect. The reason for this type of reverence is Adhemar’s social status. Because Adhemar was a knight he got to live the good life even though he was not a good man. The movie shows that people are treated according to their societal roles no matter what kind of person they are. William is clearly a better person than Adhemar, but throughout the movie he is treated worse. William’s shame after being found an imposter is a good example of this. Adhemar meets William in jail and beats him which shows how he thinks that he is higher on the social chain than William. Where the movie is different than