The Knights Taleby Cori Makar and Kyra MunzenmaierBecoming a Knight son of a knight/noble Page (age 8) serves a lord, builds strength, read/write Squire ( age 15) serves a knight (meals, dressing), cares for weapons & armor, assists during tournaments, learns to fight mounted knighted after proving himself worthy to a lord ( age 20)Life of a Knight upper class/nobility, wealthy serve the king - military aid (guarding castle, bodyguard, battles) manage lands (from father or king), deal out justice tournaments to perfect skills needed in battle joust: charge with blunt lance - simulate battle charge few safety regulations, specialized armor still many injuries and some fatalitiesChivalry originated 1095 Crusades moral code: defense of the Church, protection of the weak and defenseless, courtesy towards women, loyalty towards the king, veneration of God, humility before others, and mercy towards defeated enemies only extended to members of the upper class Many knights ignored- kill and plunder surviving romantic writings usually show knight as the epitome of chivalry and honorModern KnightKnight responsible for overseeing and managing estate and people some became corrupt- abandoned chivalry not at the pinnacle of hierarchy: serve king CEO responsible for overseeing company and leading those below. some become corrupt- embezzlement, etc not beyond the authority of their nations leaders Satire Chivalry Supposed to follow this code, but deviate Belief in the Gods They have no control over their fate Courtly love Rules Improbable instances Arcite in Thebes, battleExamples of Satire Irony: the battle held “for love and for increase of chivalry” Parody: courtly love- Palamons description of he and Arcites relationship Overstatement: comparisons of love Mock-heroic: Arcite and Palamon battleAllusions Roman Gods Venus: love Diana: chastity Mars: warBibliography DeHaven, Michael and Wicks, Matthew. Medieval Fiefdom. “The Medieval Knight.” 1997. 13 October 2008. . Knights and Armor. 9 October 2008. 12 October 2008. . Marshall, James. “The Code of Chivalry.“ Rules of Courtly Love. 9 Apr. 2002. University od Maryland. 9 Oct. 2008 . Muscatine, Charles. “Order and Disorder.“ Modern Critical Interpretations: Geoffrey Chaucers The Knights Tale. By Harold Bloom. New York, NY: Chelsea House, 1998. 11-28. NeCastro, Gerard. “The Knights Tale - The Canterbury Tales.“ EChaucer. 6 Nov. 2007. University of Maine at Machias. 9 Oct. 2008 .