9

A fictionalized version of the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer appears in the 2001 film "A Knight's Tale". The very title of the movie is a Chaucerian reference as well (a story with the name "A Knight's Tale" being the first of the actual Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales"). The movie's Chaucer speaks at various times about the sorts of characters he plans to write about, and at one point extravagantly threatens to write about two blacksmiths who have been unkind to him, saying he will describe their flaws in great detail.

This seems to be a reference to the writings of the real Chaucer, but I remember no blacksmith characters in the "Canterbury Tales," described negatively or otherwise. What is the movie referring to here?

Improve this question
0

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
8

The characters in the movie who take Chaucer's clothes when he cannot pay his gambling debts are not blacksmiths1.

Rather, the two characters you are referring to are Simon the Summoner and Peter the Pardoner, who are recounted in real Chaucer's the Summoner’s Tale and the Pardoner’s Tale.

1 Kate (Laura Fraser) is a blacksmith, and other blacksmiths who are dismissive of her are portrayed as well, but movie Chaucer does not threaten to write about them.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .