Emily In The Knight's Tale

Literary Analysis of Emily in “The Knight’s Tale” Throughout the course of “The Knights Tale” the reader hears much talk about Emily, the sister-in-law of Duke Theseus, but she never says a word until the end of the story just before the great duel. Palamon, one of the main characters who is taken prisoner by Duke Theseus after the war with the Thebes, asks, “Is she a real woman or some fair queen who has slid down from heave to be kind to us perhaps?” The two cousins both saw her beauteous form from the tower they were in, and believed her to be a goddess, or the closest thing a human can come to that title. Although Emily is a very minor character, she brings many themes to the story, such as love, hope, and a woman’s rights. The first

This is more of a historical theme. For millennia woman had almost no rights in society. They had no say in what the government did, and almost zero say in how their family was run. The woman’s job was to stay at home and take care of the children, and to make the food and clothing for their husbands. During the Middle Ages, the women were not very recognized in most famous stories. Woman did not wear very fancy clothing, and did not wear the pretty dresses that they are usually depicted in, unless it was a special event. The fact that Emily is a main part of this story is a big deal for a story about that era. The one part of the story the reader even reads anything about Emily saying anything, is when she prays to Diana, the goddess of maidens. Her desire is to be a maiden for the rest of her life, but a woman had no say in who she married, so her only help would have been super natural. In the end, she marries one of the cousins, and she cannot decide which one for herself. It would be over 200 years before a woman could choose who she wed. The story “The Knight’s Tale” is one of many stores that make up The Cantebury Tales. These stories were written by Geoffry Chaucer. The majority of the stories take place during medieval times, like “The Knights Tale.” The main story revolves around the two cousins’ love for Emily, and she brings many a theme to the story even though her interactions are very few throughout