In Geoffrey Chaucer's famous satirical poem, The Canterbury Tales, the author describes a pilgrimage that begins in the town of Southwark and continues to the burial of Saint Thomas Becket . The Pilgrims are a fairly diverse group, comprising members of all social classes in late medieval England. At the head of the group is the "Knight Veray, Parfit, Gentle" (Chaucer GP 72) who has just returned from a crusading battle and is now ready to embark on a new noble expedition. This ideal Knight is chosen to tell the first story which will set the tone for the rest of the journey. Fittingly, he chooses to tell a courtly love story in which two young knights compete for the affections of the same beautiful maiden. Chaucer's construction of love in The Knight's Tale proves very different from the modern notion of love in our society and probably also different from any love experienced by the other pilgrims on the journey. The Knight presents love in a very superficial way and presents it as a threat to the order and regulation that he considers extremely important in traditional society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First, Chaucer describes the fate of Arcite and Palamon, two young knights locked indefinitely in a tower in Athens by Duke Theseus. Their mundane life as prisoners is instantly changed from the first moment they see Emily, who “was fairer to sene / Than is the lily on its green stem” (Chaucer KT 177-178). Immediately, both men are overwhelmed by the powerful blow of Cupid's arrow and fall hopelessly into a fit of uncontrollable lovesickness. Palamon moans, "Love hath his dart so clear / Struck through my careful trewe herte" (Chaucer KT 706-707). Of course, they know nothing about this woman beyond her remarkable beauty, but that doesn't stop them from making very dramatic proclamations of their undying love and devotion to her. The moment love enters the picture, their typical days and simple friendship end, and Arcite and Palamon are thrown headlong into the capricious and precarious world of love. Order and stability are thus put aside in favor of unrequited love. Next, Arcite and Palamon begin their romantic battle (first verbal, then physical) for the hand of the unsuspecting Emily. Declaring “who shall have a law for a lover”” (Chaucer KT 306), they revoke their close friendship and lament miserably for the unattainable object of their affection. Arcite is released from prison but banished forever from the city of Athens. However, "his face was so disfigured" (Chaucer KT 545) from the lovesickness he had endured that he felt confident enough to return to town to attempt to satisfy his inevitable love for Emily. After this, Palamon escapes from the tower and the two are ready to engage in a battle to the death for their common beloved lady. While love completely disrupts the organization and order of society, it reduces men to the level of animals. Palamon and Arcite are completely unaware of the notions of friendship, loyalty and courtesy because they are completely overwhelmed by their passion. During their first battle, Chaucer writes that "Thou couldst make that Palamon / In his fights was a leoun of the woods, / And as cruel a tygre was Arcite: / As wild beasts sent them to the smyte " (Chaucer KT 797-800). Theseus, in a valiant attempt to maintain order, cuts their battle short and stages a larger, more entertaining competition in which one of the.