The Knight’s Tale vs Prioresses’ Tales

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Which tale would win the storytelling contest? In The Canterbury Tales, there are several pilgrims traveling 55 miles by horse from Southwark to Canterbury. The Pilgrims are traveling to Canterbury for different reasons, such as physical and spiritual healing, something to do, or they were forced to go. Due to the fact that it was going to be a long trip, The Host proposed to have a storytelling contest. Each Pilgrim would tell two tales on the way to Canterbury, and two more on the way back. The Host would be the one and only judge. The prize for the best tale is a free dinner from The Host’s Tabard Inn, but it must adhere to the criteria necessary to win. If the judge decides that the tale is not morally sound or entertaining then that Pilgrim must pay for the expenses of the pilgrimage. Between The Knight and Prioresses’ tales, The Knight would win the storytelling contest because it is entertaining, morally sound, and the crowd has a positive reaction towards the tale.
The Knight’s tale was entertaining to everyone that was going on the pilgrimage. The Knight tells a story about two men fighting for Emily, the woman of their dreams. Theseus, the ruler of Athens, discovered two wounded enemy soldiers lying on a battlefield. “And they were neither fully quick nor dead” (30). Theseus decided not to kill the soldiers, but to heal their injuries. However, these soldiers must stay in an Athenian prison. “And he decreed they should at once be sent To Athens, and gave order they be kept Perpetual Prisoners” (30). The two soldiers, Palamon and Arcita, were prisoners for many years. Then one early morning in May, Palamon looked out the window to find a young and beautiful girl, Emily. Palamon instantly fell in love with Emily, and...

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...bly did not enjoy this tale as much as The Knight’s tale because she just preached to the Pilgrims.
The Knight’s tale would have been the winner of the storytelling contest. All of the Pilgrims enjoyed The Knight’s tale and thought it was entertaining. The Host really enjoyed the tale too. It was very important that The Host liked the tale, since he was the only judge. The fact that The Host saw a positive reaction towards The Knight’s tale definitely would have helped it win. Everyone needed to enjoy the tale and learn a lesson from it.

Works Cited

Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. New York: Penguin Group, 1951. Print.
Chaucer, Geoffrey. “Winner of the Storytelling Contest.” Elements of Literature: Sixth Course /
Literature of Britain with World Classics. Ed. Richard Sime.
Austin, Texas: Hold, Rinehart, and Winston, 2000. 98-147. Print.

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