# The Knight — The Canterbury Tales character guide

> The Knight in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** this knight, a knight

**First appearance:** 0000-the-prologue

## Snapshot

A battle-scarred crusader whose fustian tunic is still stained by his armor, he opens the tale-telling with a romance of love and fate.

## Who they are

He has fought in Prussia, Lithuania, and Granada, and his meek bearing sits oddly with the fifteen mortal battles he has survived. His tale of Palamon and Arcite, two Theban cousins who fall in love with the same woman, sets the pilgrimage's tone of high seriousness and asks whether love or fortune rules human lives. As the first voice in the storytelling contest, he establishes the courtly register against which every bawdy or satirical tale that follows will push back.

## In the story

### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue)

A worthy and honorable knight, recently returned from a voyage, who draws the shortest cut and will tell the first tale.

### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue)

His tale has just been told and is praised by all the company.

### [The Wife of Bath’s Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-wife-of-bath-s-tale)

Protagonist who must find what women most desire to save his life.

### [The Wife of Bath's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale)

The protagonist of the tale, a knight who must discover what women desire and is forced to marry the old woman.

### [The Pardoner's Tale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-tale)

Intervenes to make peace between the Host and the Pardoner, urging them to kiss and continue.

### [The Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/chapters/the-prologue)

Interrupts the Monk's tale, advocating for joyful stories over tragic ones.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/characters/knight
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_canterbury_tales_se/characters