Knight and Squire comparison essay

Essay by weston1234High School, 12th grade November 2014

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The Knight and Squires Tale

Geoffrey Chaucer showed a cross section of medieval society through The Canterbury Tales. "The Prologue" of his work serves as an introduction to each of the characters portrayed in these tales. The Knight and the Squire, share a father/son relationship. These characters depart on a religious pilgrimage to the cathedral in Canterbury. The Squire, opposed to the Knight, goes for a vacation instead of religious purposes. His intent is not as genuine and pure as the Knights. Though the Knight and the Squire are from the same family, class and inclination, they differ in the fact that the Knight represents how society should have been; and the Squire shows an accurate portrayal of how it really was.

Chivalry, heroism, and modesty delineate the Knight, whose upright standards and principles illustrate a true gentleman; these characteristics are not evident in the Squire. Even though the Knight has won many wars, he is careful not to brag about his
stories.

The most recurrent point in the description of the Knight is the abundance and importance of his conquests; however, the Squire's battles are barely mentioned. While the entirety of the Squire's battles is summed up in two lines ("he had seen
some service with the cavalry / In Flanders and Artois and Picardy"), the list of the Knight's battles dominates his description (Chaucer 120). The Squire's battles are not fought in the interest of his chivalry. However, the Knight is distil
unshed and chivalrous because of his devotion. Chaucer admired the valiant and noble Knight above his son the Squire.

Regarding clothing and appearance, the humble Knight chooses to wear plain armor and a tunic. Nothing flashy and it also states that his armor is "dirty", while the Squire frivolously indulges in excesses. The Squire is an extremely...