The Knight's Tale..... A Greek Mythology and Medieval Twist

I’m not sure if I’m the only person who thinks this… but constantly when reading this story I visualized the scenery and a lot of the characters as the movie “A Knights Tale” Obviously the title is almost exactly the same, but overall the plot is pretty similar to throughout reading I pictured Arcite as Heath ledger… probably just because he is one of the main knights who is one of the top in fights and fierce battles.

 The biggest difference between the two is the movie doesn’t have the somewhat of a Greek mythology twist that I sensed a lot while reading. I feel like most if not most of the stories we have read so far contain religion and praying and relying on god in their journeys. But The knights tale was a little bit different. The addition of 3 temples to the gods, to protect him in battle showed in my opinion that their beliefs wasn’t that god or the gods could protect them or watch out for them, but more the gods had full power over them, which was a concept that I feel wasn’t really showed in some of our other stories. When the story talked of the temple of the gods I couldn’t get the image of Hercules in the temple of Zeus in the Disney movie when he was talking to his dad, a giant, moving, marble statue

I don’t know why but I was somewhat disappointed when Arcite died… I was kind of rooting for him throughout the story to win the battle and marry Emelye. I know the story pushed the thought of dying an honorable death is a great thing…. But in my opinion I could care less how someone dies. After he died Theseus gives his long speech of how everyone dies and dying in battle is honorable and somewhat of a great thing, I feel like I would much rather be alive and healthy than die a painful war related earth caused by battle wounds… even if it is considered honorable.

One thing that I thought was unique about The Knights Tale was how little gender related it was. Sure, a main concept of it was to win the love of a woman, and I guess that means she was no say over who she marries, but I feel like Emelye had a lot more power and in a sense of freedom than most of the other women in the other stories we have read. 

What is Love? Nah.. More like an unfair fight!!

 

I have to admit that I like the fact that Greek Gods were involved. Seeing as I am kind of obsessed. But onto the story Theseus is either weird or willing to spend boatful’s of money on a tournament and three temples for the Gods: Venus, Mars and Diana. Then as the tournament gets closer the people all gather to watch the battle. Both of our knights, Palamon and Arcite return with their magnificent armies. The before the battle each person, Palamon, Arcite and Emelye go to one of the temples to ask for help. Palamon goes to the temple of Venus and tells her how much he desires to be with Emelye and asks Venus to help him win in the name of love. Venus sends him this mysterious sign and basically says, “I am on your side of this battle.”

            Then a few hours later Emelye goes to the temple of Diana and asks to remain a virgin and not have to marry either of them. Then Diana appears in front of her and tells her that she has to marry one of them. Then Emelye just goes back to her room and basically just accept the fact she has to marry someone who she doesn’t really know. I think that when a woman is getting married shouldn’t she be … don’t know somewhat excited to get married not indifferent. But you know that is just my opinion I think marriage should be about EQUAL LOVE on the side of both the man and the woman. Not that “Oh I have to marry you because Diana said so and because you’re the only one left alive.”

 

            Later that same day Arcite goes to the temple of Mars and begs the god of war for help winning the battle and he gets a sign as well and Mars whispers  “Victory!” which in my mind the way I envisioned it was a little eerie and creepy. Then we get to see the god’s point of view. Where Saturn, Venus’s dad tells her that Palamon will win even if Mars helps Arcite.

 

            Then comes the FEAST. Because you cannot have a battle without a gigantic feast.

 

 Then the battle starts and Theseus goes on about the rules of the battle and then the bloody massacre begins.

 

 

Palamon fights alright but in the end Arcite wins and everyone is happy especially Emelye when Theseus states that Arcite is the winner but because Venus starts crying and her daddy wants to fix everything he kills Arcite by making and earthquake appear and injure him. On his death bed he tells Emelye how much he loved her and that she should marry his cousin if she were to get married. Then after a time warp of mourning Palamon and Emelye get married and are eventually happy.