Different Perspectives of Chivalry by the Knight and Squire in the Canterbury TalesIn the medieval period described by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, chivalry was perhaps the most recognized quality of a true Christian gentleman. This quality is explored in Chaucer's two warrior class characters, the knight and the squire. The squire is in fact the knight's son; both ride valiantly and look like true gentlemen warriors. However, the two are very different despite their appearances. The knight possesses the true qualities of chivalry, dedication to service, steadfast humility and honesty. The Squire doesn't really possess any of these qualities, but his behavior is a shell of a less virtuous constitution. Although both claim the same vocation, the Squire and the Knight display contradictory attitudes when it comes to devotion, material possessions, and sincerity. The most recurring point in the description of the Knight was the abundance and importance of his battles, while it was the least mentioned aspect of the Squire. While the entire military exploits of the Squire are cited in two lines, "he had served in the cavalry / In Flanders, in Artois and in Picardy.", the list of the Knight's battles clearly dominates the text of his description , running for many lines: When we took Alexandria, he was there. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .In Lithuania he had risen, and in Russia, no Christian so often, of his rank. When, at Granada, Algeciras sank under assault, he had been there, and in North Africa, attacking Benamarin; in Anatolia it had been as well and fought when Ayas and Attalia fell... This pass...... middle of paper ......o some degree of boasting, covetousness or superficiality. The squire was never directly criticized by Chaucer, but the implications that arose from the description amounted to an extravagant and unchivalrous image, reflective of the real knights of Chaucer's day. Due to the reality of the corruption described by the squire, the true, complete chivalry described by the knight was unknown. Therefore, it follows that Chaucer was not merely comparing two knights and delineating the virtues that comprised chivalry, but, in a broader sense, revealed many of the corrupting points of humanity by comparing the fundamental difference between the reality of our humanity and the ideal of humanity. perfection.Works cited: Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed Mack, Maynard et al. WW Norton and Co. New York, NY. 1992.