Answer TWO of the following:
Q2: "Bathos" means an attempt to write great, moving poetry that utterly fails and becomes ridiculous, lame, or simply laughable. Throughout the poem, the Knight has many bathetic moments, either because he isn't the best poet, or he's satirizing the "lovers" in the poem. Discuss a moment which you think is bathetic and makes the poem temporarily come crashing down around the Knight's feet (hint: look at the speeches!).
Q3: Discuss Theseus' final speech in the poem: since the Knight probably identifies with Theseus, what sentiments is he pronouncing here? How is he trying to end the poem? Do you think Chaucer concurs with this--or is he still mocking the Knight's pretensions?
Q4: Chaucer (or the Knight) doesn't allow Emily much room to be a character in her own right...but what does she reveal about herself, or the Medieval woman, in the poem? How does she comment on the practice of chivalric love from a woman's perspective?
Answer to Q1) I do believe the Knight is writing these passages. The details on the temples are symbolic to the roles the gods play. The walls of Venus, the goddess of love, are ornately decorated with different portrayals of love: sleepiness, burning desire, lust, jealousy, and idolatry. They also represent “everything” that love is- indestructible and irresistible. The walls of Mars represent the negative side of war: hypocrites and murderers. Venus and Mars are both represented by suffering and catastrophe. Diana is supposed to be the goddess of chastity, but her walls suggest her aid in different changes that occur. When she refuses to grant Emily her wish, it is symbolic that you can’t help prevent natural transformations in humans. I think Chaucer is trying to tell us, through the Knight, that there are layers to people. No matter how pure of love you think you have, there will be those negative characteristics at times, such as jealousy. In war, whether an actual battle or just a fight, there will be traitors and hypocrites. As for Diana and chastity, no matter how hard you want to stay that way, you can’t. As humans, we cannot stop or take away “natural” transformations. All of these concepts are inside of us. Chaucer and the Knight are relaying the message, “try as hard as you’d like, but they will still be here.”
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Q4) Many times, we see the woman as being a wife and a mother. This is true for many different societies. Even though Emily isn’t much of a character, she reveals that she doesn’t want to be the “normal” woman. She would rather stay and virgin and not get married; being married doesn’t appeal to her. She wants to go against societal norms. She brings to light that not every woman expects a knight in shining armor. Once she gets married, I believe that she was happy, but she didn’t need a man to make her happy. Often times in stories, the lady is pictured as helpless and needing a man. Emily is a picture of one who doesn’t; she can be independent and happy without a man.