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"The Knight's Tale" () is the first tale from Geoffrey Chaucer's ''The Canterbury Tales''. The story introduces various typical aspects of knighthood such as courtly love and ethical dilemmas. The story is written in iambic pentameter end-rhymed couplets. ==Synopsis== Two cousins and knights, Palamon and Arcite, are captured and imprisoned by Theseus, duke of Athens, after being found unconscious following his battle against Creon. Their cell is in the tower of Theseus' castle, with a window which overlooks his palace garden. The imprisoned Palamon wakes early one morning in May and catches sight of Princess Emily (Emelye), who is Theseus's sister, down in the courtyard picking flowers for a garland. He instantly falls in love with her; his moan is heard by Arcite, who then also wakes and sees Emily. He falls in love with her as well, claiming that because Palamon first recognized Emily as mortal and not as a goddess, Arcite alone has the right to woo her. The competition brought about by this love causes them to fight amongst each other. After some years, Arcite is released from prison through the good offices of Theseus's friend, Pirithoos, amending Arcite's sentence to exile; but Arcite then later secretly returns to Athens in disguise and enters service in Emily's household, to get close to her. Palamon eventually escapes by drugging the jailer, and while hiding in a grove overhears Arcite singing about love and fortune. They begin to duel with each other over who should get Emily, but are thwarted by the arrival of Theseus, who sentences them both to gather 100 men apiece and to fight a mass judicial tournament, the winner of which is to marry Emily. The forces assemble. Palamon prays to Venus to make Emily his wife; Emily prays to Diana to remain unmarried, or else to marry the one who truly loves her; and Arcite prays to Mars for victory. Theseus lays down rules for the tournament so that if any man becomes seriously injured, he must be dragged out of the battle and is no longer in combat. Because of this, the story seems to claim at the end that there were almost no deaths on either side. Although both Palamon and Arcite fight valiantly, Palamon is wounded by a sword thrust from one of Arcite's men, and is unhorsed. Theseus declares the fight to be over. Arcite wins the battle, but following a divine intervention by Saturn, he is mortally wounded by his horse throwing him off and then falling on him before he can claim Emily as his prize. As he dies, he tells Emily that she should marry Palamon, because he would make a good husband for her. Palamon marries Emily, and thus all three prayers are fulfilled. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Knight's Tale」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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