The Knight’s Tale (parts 1 and 2)

(Part 1)

1. Of what Greek city is Duke Theseus the ruler?2. What is Theseus's wife's name? What has Theseus just finished doing to her homeland of Scythia, where the Amazons lived?3. Who is Emilye related to?4. What sight interrupts Theseus' victory march?5. When Theseus is particularly angry at this sight, what motivation does he suggest the women have for making such a ruckus?6. When the eldest woman speaks, to whom does she attribute Theseus's victory over the Amazons? (Hint: it's not God or fate.)7. Where have the women been waiting for the last two weeks? Why is that an appropriate place for them to wait while

planning to ask Theseus's mercy?8. The eldest woman speaking in the company of mourners is the widow of what ruler? Who is now ruling her husband's old

country?9. What has Creone ordered concerning the bodies of his defeated enemies?10. How does Theseus react to the women emotionally after hearing of their plight?11. What emblems does Theseus carry on his banner and coat-of-arms? Why is this image appropriate or inappropriate?12. When Theseus orders his forces to loot and strip the bodies of the deceased who fought against him, what do his men

discover among the bodies?13. How are Palamon and Arcite related to each other?14. What does Theseus order be done with Palamon and Arcite? What is unusual about this?15. When Emilye arises to enact Mayday honors for Spring, what type of flowers does she gather (i.e., what colors are they?)16. Which imprisoned knight spots Emilye first? How does he react?17. What is Arcite worried about Palamon after Palamon falls in love? What reason does Arcite give for the pair's unhappy

imprisonment?18. What does Palamon assume mistakenly about Emilye's identity?19. To what deity does Palamon pray after he is uncertain about Emilye's identity?20. What happens to Arcite when he looks out the window to see what has so impassioned Palamon?21. When Palamon realizes Arcite is gawking at Emilye and hears his protestations of love, what does Palamon ask Arcite?22. When Palamon reiterates that he saw Emilye first, what does he conclude about which knight should "have" this maiden?23. How does Arcite respond to Palamon's argument about "I saw her first"? Why does he think Palamon's point about seeing her

first doesn't count? (I.e., what did Palamon mistakenly think as he viewed Emilye, according to Arcite?)24. What does Arcite argue in response to Palamon's claim that Arcite is bound by oath to help Palamon achieve his desires?25. What favor does the visiting Duke Pirotheus ask of Duke Theseus when he is visiting?26. What limitation does Duke Theseus put on Arcite's freedom? What is the punishment if Arcite violates this condition?27. Why does Arcite envy Palamon even though Palamon is still in prison?28. When Arcite bemoans his fate, he notes that "we [humanity] seken faste after felicitee" [I (A) 1266]. What prevents humanity

from finding this felicity, according to his earlier discussion?29. Why does Palamon envy Arcite even though Arcite is banished from Athens and stuck in Thebes?30. What problem does Palamon leave to diviners?

Secunda Pars (Part 2)

1. What happens to Arcite's appearance as the months go by? What bodily humor dominates his imagination?2. What deity comes to Arcite in a dream? What does this deity prophesy concerning Arcite's situation?3. How does Arcite arrange to travel back to Athens without being arrested?4. What sort of work does Arcite do for Emilye? Why is he particularly suited for such jobs? What name does Arcite adopt

instead of his own name? How long does he stay hidden in this role?5. How many years does Palamon pine away in prison?6. How does Palamon escape from prison?7. Why does Palamon return to Thebes? What does he hope to accomplish?8. How far out does Arcite ride on his trip to do May observances? Where does he ride out to? (i.e., what sort of terrain?) Who,

by chance, is hidden in the brush nearby, eavesdropping?9. What does Arcite do at the end of his lamentation? What does Palamon do after that?

10. Why do Arcite and Palamon postpone their fight until the next day? Why don't Arcite and Palamon immediately start fighting?

11. When the two cousins meet for their duel, how do they treat each other?12. The two knights are compared to what two animals as they fight in 1656? To what animals are they compared in line 1699?13. How high does the blood flow from the two knights' wounds as they engage in combat?14. Our narrator (presumably the Knight), pauses the combat scene to talk about the "ministre general." Who or what is this

"ministre general"?15. What is Theseus doing that brings him out to the same area where Arcite and Palamon are fighting? How does this connect

with the statement that he is "serving Diana" after previously "serving Mars"? What two women accompany Duke Theseus on this expedition? What color does Emilye wear? What do you suppose is the significance of this color?

16. How does Theseus break up the fight? By what god does he swear as he does this action? Is Theseus upset by the violence? Or is he upset by something missing from the violence? If it's the violence that makes him upset, why does it bother him so much? If he's angered by something missing, what is that missing element?

17. What does Palamon ask Theseus to do to both him and Arcite?18. Around line 1745, what punishment does Theseus initially decree for them? Who or what talks him out of that initial verdict?19. Why does Duke Theseus say the god of love is particularly powerful in his miracles?20. Who were Perigenia, Ariadne, and Antiopa and how were they connected to Theseus? When Theseus states he was a servant

of love, "ful yore agon" and uses the past tense to talk about his time as love's servant, what does that suggest about his current marriage? How do you suppose Hippolyta must be reacting to all this?

21. What solution does Theseus offer since Emilye cannot marry both of them?22. How many knights should each suitor bring with him? How long do they have to prepare for the tournament?23. Where does Theseus build the tournament lists for the contest?24. What do the combatants pray for before the tournament? Do they get what they pray for?25. Who wins the tournament?