Question

In “The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales Chaucer says the Knight “was a true, a perfect gentle-knight” (line 72). The Knight’s son was “a fine young Squire / a lover and cadet, a lad of fire” (lines 79-80). Compare and contrast these two noblemen. What have they accomplished? What motivates them? What do they value? Then write an essay in which you use specific examples from the poem to show the similarities and differences between the father and son.

Answer 1

The Canterbury Tales was written in Medieval times. Because of this, the text is greatly preoccupied with the subject of chivalry. Therefore, the texts talks extensively about knights, squires and fair maidens.

An example of this is the knight that appears in the prologue. We learn that this knight is the perfect example of an ideal gentleman. He is brave, humble, constant and honest. He does not fear anything, and is honorable and virtuous. He is also the father of the squire.

The squire is the knight's son, and he is also an admirable character. He is somewhat brave and honourable. However, Chaucer makes it clear that the character of the squire is not comparable to that of the knight. While the knight possesses all the chivalrous qualities fully, the squire is only beginning to learn them.

Both characters share similar motivations. They both want to achieve honour and glory. They also want to fulfill their duty towards others, and be thought of as capable and brave. However, the squire is more hesitant to put himself in danger. Moreover, while the knight is humble, the squire is concerned with wealth and beauty. This shows that although the squire is learning a lot in order to become like the knight, he is still not able to achieve the level of a knight when it comes to humility and bravery.

Answer 2

The Knight is calm and content. He thinks his way into things. His son, on the other hand, is a man of passion and action. He is driven by his desires. The Knight might have been just like his son when he was his age but later grew to be a man of gentleness.