Palamon and Arcite

Palamon and Arcite

Part of "Fables, Ancient and Modern", a modernized translation of one story from "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Knight's Tale" written by John Dryden. The plot line is identical as Dryden was only translating from the Middle English of Chaucer's original text. John Dryden translated this story to a more modernized language style of his day. His version of the book is entitled Palamon and Arcita and is longer than the original text due to Dryden's poetic touches.

The central characters remain the same as in Chaucer's story. Palamon, possible cousin of Arcita, and at least "brother-in-arms" according to Dryden. Arcita, a knight of royal blood, although not fully explained in the text. Emily (Emelye or Emilye) the "princess" and stepdaughter of the king. And King Theseus (Duke of Athens).

The story is of two knights imprisoned by Theseus after being found unconscious after a battle. Theseus locks Palamon and Arcita in a dungeon where the two knights can see into a courtyard or garden. One day Palamon is looking through the bars of the dungeon and sees Emily. Falling in love instantly Palamon cries out. This causes Arcita to come to the aid of his friend and he asks Palamon what's wrong. Palamon exclaims his new found love for Emily. As Palamon is explaining to Arcita what he is feeling, Arcita sees Emily in the garden and turns to Palamon and tells him he (Arcita) saw Emily first, and by that right, Palamon cannot love her.

This starts the plot of the story in which the two knights endure different challenges to prove their love for Emily.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Knight’s Tale, The —    by Geoffrey Chaucer (ca. 1381)    The Knight’s Tale is the first of the CANTERBURY TALES. Probably written before the rest of the tales and incorporated later, the Knight’s Tale is a courtly ROMANCE based on BOCCACCIO’s TESEIDA. It concerns… …   Encyclopedia of medieval literature

  • The Knight's Tale — Knight s Tale redirects here. For the 2001 film, see A Knight s Tale. The first page of Knight s Tale in the Ellesmere manuscript The Knight s Tale (Middle English: The Knightes Tale) is the first tale from Geoffrey Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales …   Wikipedia

  • The Two Noble Kinsmen — is a Jacobean comedy, first published in 1634 and attributed to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare, based on The Knight s Tale from Geoffrey Chaucer s The Canterbury Tales . Formerly a point of controversy, the dual attribution is now… …   Wikipedia

  • Die beiden edlen Vettern — Titelblatt der Quarto Ausgabe von 1634 Die beiden edlen Vettern (engl.The Two Noble Kinsmen) ist ein Lustspiel der englischen Literatur aus dem frühen 17. Jahrhundert, das zum Teil von Shakespeare verfasst wurde und auf der Erzählung des Ritters… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Two Noble Kinsmen, The — ▪ play by Shakespeare and Fletcher       tragicomedy in five acts by William Shakespeare (Shakespeare, William) and John Fletcher (Fletcher, John). The play was probably written and first performed about 1612–14. It was published in quarto in… …   Universalium

  • Beagle — Infobox Dogbreed image caption = A tricolour Beagle name = Beagle altname = English Beagle [ [http://www.trainpetdog.com/Beagle/about beagle.html Beagle: Origin, Temperament, Training, Exercise ] ] country = England fcigroup = 6 fcisection = 1… …   Wikipedia

  • Oedipus (Dryden) — For other uses, see Oedipus (disambiguation). Title page of Oedipus: A Tragedy (1679). The heroic drama Oedipus: A Tragedy, is an adaption of Sophocles Oedipus the King, written by John Dryden and Nathaniel Lee. After being licensed in 1678 and… …   Wikipedia

  • Clanvowe, John — (ca. 1341–1391)    John Clanvowe was a poet, a diplomat, a knight, and a member of the household of King RICHARD II. He was also a friend and contemporary of Geoffrey CHAUCER, and it was Chaucer more than anyone who seems to have influenced… …   Encyclopedia of medieval literature

  • Thomas Twyne — (1543 1 August 1613 Lewes) was an Elizabethan translator and a physician of Lewes in Sussex, best known for completing Thomas Phaer s translation of Virgil s Aeneid into English verse after Phaer s death in 1560, and for his 1579 English… …   Wikipedia

  • Richard Edwardes — (1523? 1566) was an English poet and playwright; he was made a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and was master of the singing boys. He was known for his comedies and interludes.In 1566, Edwardes Palamon and Arcite was performed before Elizabeth I… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”