From The Knight’s Tale to A Knight’s Tale
What makes a modern adaptation or reinterpretation text scholastically and artistically valid in the realm of medievalism (defined here)? In working toward an answer, I am indebted to Louise D’Arcens and her 2008 article titled “Deconstruction and the Medieval Indefinite Article: The Undecidable Medievalism of Brian Helgeland’s A Knight’s Tale.” She points out the significance of Helgeland’s indefinite “A” as opposed to Chaucer’s definite “The” and explains, among other things, that the film’s “undecidable medievalism” places it in a different category from, say, Peter Jackson’s strict adaptation of Lord of the Rings. It is tempting, as a history buff or a Chaucerian or a medievalist, to watch, study, and criticise A Knight’s Tale as an adaptation of The Knight’s Tale, which almost necessarily leads one to view it as an American / capitalist / individualist / [insert any modern ideology with negative valence here] warping of the medieval period. But these judgments rely on the a priori notion that the film’s sole intention was to create a visual adaptation of a medieval story, a medieval sport, a medieval society. What I have gathered reading interviews with writer/director Brian Helgeland and watching the film as an admittedly childish (read: unassuming) medievalist leads me to reject that idea in favour of a more forgiving reading of the film as a medievalist text.
A Knight’s Tale is less a visual translation of and more a response to the modern that can be found in the medieval (or the medieval that can be found in the modern); it was first conceived by Brian Helgeland as a medieval sports film, and his inspiration for the film’s story stemmed from the fact that only nobles could compete in jousting tournaments (Reel 6 Interview). Based on this tidbit, the primary “source text” for A Knight’s Tale is not, in fact, The Knight’s Tale. The film is not an adaptation of Chaucer’s text at all (which is, by the way, a rendering of Boccaccio’s Teseida, not an original story, at least in the modern sense of the term). Its inspiration stems from Helgeland’s fascination with the medieval sport of jousting, and its construction is based more on an ideology of cultural transmission than a strictly historical or literary tradition. Helgeland explains Chaucer’s presence in the text, which clearly goes beyond the film’s title:
“One of the dangers of a period movie is that everything gets kind of put up on a pedestal and covered in varnish…I was an English major, and when we studied Chaucer he seemed like a guy who stepped out of a museum with dust all over him. But he had to be a more kind of out-there guy to write all that stuff. So having no idea, I’m hoping Paul [Bettany]’s version of Chaucer is closer to who Chaucer probably was…” (Contact Music)
Helgeland wanted Geoffrey “Geoff” Chaucer in his film to subvert the museum quality of the medieval period. And for those of you who are still hoping for faithful adaptation, Helgeland did intend for his film to take place during a six-month period of Chaucer’s life for which historians have no record, which means that a) he did do his research and b) our adaptation theory can be thrown out the window. The film’s setting and story is set in a fanciful medieval neverland, really. Helgeland gets off the hook.
Furthermore, Brian Helgeland’s interviews reveal that a dialogue with, rather than a translation of, the medieval period was in his head for the making of A Knight’s Tale. One interviewer remarks that “it seemed the movie was about youth and identity in some ways, and also questioning the powers that be” (Contact Music). I would argue that this film’s subversive questioning is what makes it so delightfully medieval. Even if you disagree, it is clear that Helgeland’s aim was to coax to the surface those medieval aspects of modern society, or to tease out the modern-seeming aspects of medieval society. In short, the film really is easier to appreciate if one’s critical viewing considers Helgeland’s vision for the film:
“We have computers and cell phones and cars, and all that. But they had all that too, they had horses, they wrote things down — I really believe that people have never changed, really. They laugh, they fall in love, they go to war, they never change” (Interview with Marty Mapes).
Of the people, By the people, For the people
Perhaps it’s the American in me that delighted in William, Watt, and Roland’s quest to stick it (jousting!) to the (noble)man. Don’t we all love an underdog story? The short answer: not if it gets too close to beloved literature and literary figures. The long answer: not when it propagates “the pervasive, and ostensibly insurmountable, chasm between the popular and the academic Chaucer” and “transform[s] a Boethian exploration of human happiness and divine justice into a predictable and vulgar myth of fulfilment” (Forni 254); and certainly not when it “refus[es] to acknowledge the nature and mannerisms of social customs and people in Europe at the time” (Jeffrey Badder). In defense of the first complaint, Kathleen Forni does make an astute observation. She argues that A Knight’s Tale denotes the modern reception of Chaucer as a figure for popular culture (as opposed to Shakespeare’s popularity with intellectuals) (Forni 262). While I agree that Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales lends itself well to the modern storyteller who might wish to create a comic, pop culture-y text set in the medieval period, I do not necessarily think that we should lament it. After all, even Shakespeare wrote for the masses–the foundlings occupying the standing space in theatres were part of the Bard’s carefully aimed double entendres and satire. And the modern conception of popular culture–having much to do with mass printing–does not really fit in Chaucer’s time. This brings me to Forni’s second point.
As I noted earlier, Brian Helgeland clearly did not have an adaptation of Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale in mind when he set out to write A Knight’s Tale. He had jousting, 70s rock, and the philosophy that a man can change his stars guiding his script. He was writing a tale about a knight, not the tale about the knight, as Louise D’Arcens articulates in her argument. He is not trying to recreate Chaucer’s “Boethian exploration of human happinessand divine justice,” so we certainly cannot hold his film to that standard. Consequently, I cannot agree with Forni’s judgment on A Knight’s Tale on the grounds that her arguments are supported by assumptions that simply cannot be applied to Helgeland’s film. Furthermore, she does not consider the film’s genre, or the fact that film is meant to be massively consumed and is closely bound up with “popular culture,” which she seems to think is a dismantling of Chaucer’s image as the classy father of English poetry. A Knight’s Tale is irreverent, maybe, but so is the Canterbury Tales. A Knight’s Tale is a comedy, a kind of modern tribute to the medieval sport of jousting. (All criticism I read about the film did allow that the cinematography of the actual jousting is phenomenal.) So why can we not appreciate A Knight’s Tale for what it is?
Our Obsession with Lineage: A Pristine Medieval Period
Brian Helgeland’s A Knight’s Tale subverts textual authority in a way that especially bother medievalists. Whether it is with Queen’s “We Will Rock You” or Jocelyn’s failure to conform to our ideas of a medieval noblewoman, Helgeland defies expectations anyone might draw from the title of the film, its inclusion of Geoffrey Chaucer, or its medieval setting. Is it, then, the feeling of being duped that upsets the likes of Jeffrey Badder and Kathleen Forni?
The former’s tone of disappointment as he describes the opening scene certainly points to the frustration of expectation:
“The crowd “does the wave” as at a modern baseball stadium, competitors pump their breastplates like football players, and the nobles, apparently fans of 1970’s rock-and-roll, sing along to the theme music; the guitar solo, in fact, is even timed to appear as though it comes from the trumpet players on the tournament grounds” (Jeffrey Badder).
The opening of A Knight’s Tale reminds me of scenes in Shrek where 90s pop music rules the fairytale land. No one seems to be bothered by it, perhaps because Shrek is acknowledged as a fairytale; it is animated. Although A Knight’s Tale does pull the rug out from under those of us who come in to the film expecting a historically accurate adaptation of Chaucer’s first Canterbury Tale, I would argue that the film is straightforward and honest about its fairytale quality from the beginning.
I am inclined also to view the medieval scholar’s discomfort with A Knight’s Tale as a manifestation of our obsession with tradition and lineage and of our tendency to view historical figures such as Chaucer and historical cultures as pristine and sacred (in that they should be preserved and studied rather than embodied, filtered, and transmitted in a modern hand). After all, the notions of textual tradition and authority have existed at least since Chaucer’s lifetime; in Troilus and Criseyde, for example, he probably invented a classical textual source for his story, crediting a “Lollius” whose name only appears in the Chaucer’s text. What’s more, Chaucer and other medieval writers freely borrowed, innovated, and plucked pieces from other texts while modern authors are governed by not only copyrights protecting intellectual property and reverence for the past, including its literary figures. This creates a standard for film adaptations that is creatively restrictive. While there is something to be said for strict adaptations, the strength of Brian Helgeland’s comic and epic tale is in its humour and its apparently modern view that “a man can change his stars.”
Conclusions
“If we are to truly grasp the significance of a medievalist text within the undecidability of medievalism, we need to accept, and not condemn, its partial truth, its blithe purloining, and most of all its fluctuating allegiances, which it directs promiscuously not only to the medieval past, but also to other…pasts, the present, and even the future” (D’Arcens 98).
Louise D’Arcens’s conclusion resonates with my experience watching A Knight’s Tale for the second time (the first time as a medievalist). It was marked by delight and recognition of unexpected medieval elements. I anticipated a quirky medieval-esque comedy, so I was pleasantly surprised whenever Helgeland dropped gems like the importance of pilgrimage (in Chaucer’s introductions of Will as Sir Ulrich). And although steeped in modern ideology, I recognised Helgeland’s construction of an estates satire within the template of Hollywood’s cathartic good vs. evil plotline: The priest, for example, is shushed by the fiery Jocelyn as tries to silence her in his cathedral. Geoff Chaucer calls attention to the class divide at tournaments and pokes fun at the noble class by addressing “everybody else here not sitting on a cushion” when he introduces Sir Ulrich. And unredeemable baddie Count Adhemar is thoroughly shown to be as ignoble in manner as Will is in blood.
My viewing of the film was consquently enriched by my determination to watch it as a product of its time and as in dialogue with, rather than necessarily deriving from, a bygone time and culture that continues to intrigue modern society. As scholars and film-viewers, we can learn something from such a reading of Helgeland’s text: taking a break from the traditional criticism of medievalist texts is beneficial, for both academic inquiry and cinematic pleasure.
This design is wicked! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start
my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say,
and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Look at my website; ::ufabet:: ทางเข้า
I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today,
yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all site owners and
bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be a lot more useful than ever
before.
Feel free to surf to my page; m98bet
Spot on with this write-up, I actually feel this website needs far more attention. I’ll probably be back again to read more,
thanks max age for airline pilot the info!
电报电脑版|电报|电报中文版官网|电报官网|电报官方 https://sites.google.com/view/telegram-downloads/
Great, thanks for sharing this article post.Really thank you! Keep writing. vaobet
This post offered a lot of clarity. I appreciate how directly and effectively you explained everything https://batraffic.us/
Wonderful blog! I found it while surfing around on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it. erome
开云官网app,开云官网app,c7注册入口官网注册,ng28.666,7c娱乐app官网最新版下载,玩球体育,小鸟体育,东升国际app登录入口 https://ky88diu.com
dafabet slot|ทางเข้า ufabet มือถือ|ทางเข้าw88|188bet download|w88 ทางเข้า ล่าสุด|dafabet slots|ufabet 100|dafabet เครดิตฟรี 2020 https://jbo1777.com
teams中文版|teams电脑版|teams|teams ios下载|teams网页版|teams安卓版|teams电脑版下载 https://teams-webs.com
雅阁体育,大象体育,梧桐体育,飞鲸体育,开云真人 https://kaiyunbaotun.com
Premium intimate entertainment videos online,High-definition relaxing moments worldwide,Discreet premium entertainment for mature audiences,Relaxing adult relaxation streams for couples,Safe streaming for premium private entertainment,Exclusive adult leisure video recommendations,Educational guides to intimate video experiences,Best global private video collections 2025 https://www.eoool.com
皇冠国际|九龙体育|凤凰|微乐体育|风暴体育|ng官方下载|雅阁体育|完美体育|新澳门六开奖号码记录|澳门一码一码100准确 https://ky88kua.com
Howdy! I know this is somewhat off topic but I
was wondering if you knew where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one?
Thanks a lot!
my web-site canadian pharmaceuticals online
Tulisan ini sangat informatif.
Pembahasannya terasa mendalam dan relevan, terutama saat mengulas tentang KUBET sebagai
Situs Judi Bola Terlengkap serta bagaimana perannya sebagai
Situs Parlay Resmi yang kini semakin populer. Informasinya
disusun dengan rapi dan tidak terasa berlebihan, sehingga nyaman untuk diikuti dari awal hingga
akhir.
Bagian yang paling saya apresiasi adalah penjelasan detail mengenai kubet login dan panduan seputar penggunaan situs parlay yang lebih efektif.
Penjabaran mengenai Situs Parlay Gacor, Kubet Parlay, hingga Situs Mix Parlay juga memberikan gambaran nyata bagi pembaca yang ingin memahami
topik ini secara lebih luas.
Selain itu, pembahasan tentang toto macau dan perkembangan Situs Judi Bola serta Judi Bola gacor disampaikan dengan bahasa
yang mudah dipahami. Hal ini membuat artikel ini
tidak hanya informatif, tetapi juga terasa edukatif dan relevan untuk berbagai kalangan pembaca.
Salut untuk penulisnya. Semoga ke depannya semakin banyak artikel seperti
ini yang mengulas situs parlay, KUBET, dan berbagai informasi seputar platform hiburan digital secara profesional dan terpercaya.
Maximize your by how a large amount of gear are employed internationally and will often impart numerous memory using that your is also fighting that is a result from our team rrnside the twenty first centuries. daily deal livingsocial discount baltimore washington nagapoker
포천출장마사지 서비스는 포천광역시 전역에서 편안하게 전문 마사지를 받을 수 있는 출장 홈타이 서비스입니다. 고객님이 계신 곳으로 여성 전문 테라피스트가 직접
wps ios下载|wps中文版下载|wps官网|wps电脑版|wps中文版|wps电脑版下载 https://wpsapp1.com
w88 ac|แนะนำสมาชิก w88|w88 review|ถอนเงิน w88|wolves w88|ดาวน์โหลด w88|เว็บ บอล ออนไลน์ w88 ดี ไหม|ole777 ดี ไหม https://m88zaomiao.com
Very neat blog.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing. Vaobong88
Valuable info. Lucky me I discovered your site unintentionally, and I’m stunned
why this coiuncidence didn’t took place in advance! I bookmarked it.
my homepage … boyarka
Temukan Situs Slot Terpercaya Mudah Maxwin hari ini! Rasakan sensasi game gacor gampang jackpot besar. Daftar sekarang mainkan ribuan game slot terbaik dan nikmati kemenangan besar anti-rungkad! Situs Slot Terpercaya
飞机电脑版下载,纸飞机安卓版下载,纸飞机电脑版下载,飞机中文版,纸飞机下载,纸飞机官网,纸飞机中文版,飞机下载 https://zifeigei.com
pg下载网站,U游体育,hth·华体育登录官网,白金体育,问鼎娱乐com.sherlock.graphyh,58买球 https://ky88ju.com
白金体育|猫头鹰体育|博盛体育|红蓝体育|开云app下载|电子pg|伟徳体育|麻将胡了爆分视频 https://kaiyunhuai.com
On October 11, 1999, the network changed its name to ABS-CBN breaking news everything is bad (Tuyet) Channel or ANC.
On October 26, 2015, ANC went into a major overhaul in its broadcast design, including
the refurbished rhombus logo and the red-blue schemed new title cards for the channel’s major newscasts.
Mike Allen (October 18, 2009). “George Stephanopoulos Role Grows at ABC”.
RedCarpetCrash (August 18, 2016). “Watch ’60 Days In’ Preview Thursday”.
August 28 – A rocket-boosted Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra sets a new world altitude record of 70,308 ft
(21,430 m). Wheatley became interested in the film’s historical setting of the English
Civil War when he filmed a documentary about the
Sealed Knot, a historical reenactment society. 26 May 1983:
Manchester United thrash Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 in the FA Cup final replay to lift the trophy
on legendary former manager and current director Sir Matt Busby’s 74th birthday.
Meanwhile, Avram Grant is confirmed as manager of West Ham United.
As a result of the previous year’s Heysel Stadium
disaster, both Liverpool and Everton missed out on the European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup respectively, while West Ham United,
Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday all missed out on the
UEFA Cup, as did Oxford United.
You’ve created content that helps readers learn without feeling overloaded—great job. https://goatsllc.com/
Generally I do not read post on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so! Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, quite great post. santas favorite ho
Hello colleagues, nice piece of writing and fastidious arguments commented at this
place, I am genuinely enjoying by these.
My homepage – online pharmacies
Thanks for breaking this down in such a simple way. Very helpful!
https://pornosexchat.com
Your writing style is so smooth and easy to understand. Loved this article!
https://zazachat.ru
Very neat article. Awesome. Fm88
飞机|纸飞机下载|纸飞机电脑版|飞机电脑版下载|纸飞机中文版|飞机官网 https://zifeigei.com
神州体育|宝威体育|微乐体育|雅阁体育|2026世界杯要熬夜吗|开云体育官网|开云买球|派亿体育 https://ky88lao.com
I am actually pleased to read this webpage
posts which contains lots of helpful information, thanks for providing these kinds of information.
Защитник по уголовным делам в Москве: как обеспечить эффективную защиту
клиента в судеи получить положительные отзывыАдвокат по уголовным делам в Москве
Помощь адвоката по уголовным делам в Москве
необходима людям, которые испытывают трудности из-за обвинений в различных
преступлениях. Независимо от сложности
ситуации, важно иметь профессионального защитника, который будет законно и эффективно представлять ваши интересы
в суде.
Почему важно обратиться к адвокату?
Адвокат обладает знаниями о судебном процессе и опытом работы с
уголовными делами.
Специалист поможет добиться успешного результата и минимизировать
негативные последствия.
Клиенты получат необходимые консультации по всем вопросам, касающимся дела.
Обязанности адвоката по уголовным делам
Деятельность адвоката по уголовным делам охватывает несколько
основных стадий:
Начальная встреча, на которой юрист исследует особенности дела
и оценивает вероятность успеха.
Сбор и изучение доказательств, нужных для разработки стратегии
защиты.
Составление материалов для суда и участие в судебных слушаниях.
Представление интересов клиента на всех этапах
уголовного процесса.
Мнения клиентов
Отзывы о работе адвокатов могут существенно повлиять на выбор защитника.
Многочисленные клиенты подчеркивают:
Профессионализм и высокий уровень
подготовки.
Индивидуальный подход к каждому делу.
Умение успешно справляться
с работой в стрессовой обстановке.
Контактыадвоката
Необходимо заранее иметь информацию о контактах
адвоката для быстрого обращения за помощью в случае необходимости.
Быстрая доступность и оперативность — важные условия для успешной защиты.
Критерии выбора адвоката по уголовнымделам
При выборе адвоката, который занимается
уголовными делами, важно обратить
внимание на следующие моменты:
Количество дел, выигранных адвокатом, и опыт в данной области.
Отзывы клиентов и имидж адвоката на рынке.
Прозрачность условий сотрудничества и расценки на услуги.
Помните, что своевременное обращение к адвокату может сыграть решающую роль
в исходе дела. Не затягивайте с решением серьезных вопросов, касающихся защиты
ваших прав и интересов. https://m.avito.ru/moskva/predlozheniya_uslug/advokat_po_ugolovnym_delam_3789924168
Итог
Консультация с уголовным
адвокатом в Москве является ключевым шагом, способным значительно изменить результат уголовного дела.
Все клиенты имеют право на защиту, и именно квалифицированный защитниксодействует правильному ведению дела с учетом
всех аспектов. Учитывая сложность
уголовного законодательства, важно выбрать специалиста, который сможет эффективно
представлять ваши интересы на всех этапах – от досудебного разбирательства до суда.
Значение качественной защиты
Эффективная защита по уголовным делам требует
не только серьёзного понимания законодательства,
но и практического опыта в разных категориях преступлений.
Юристобязан:
Следить за всеми аспектами дела;
Выстраивать стратегию защиты;
Поддерживать связь с ответственными лицами;
Отстаивать ваши интересы в суде;
Сопровождать клиента на каждой стадии процесса.
Почему выбирают нас
Наши клиенты подчеркивают нашу высокую квалификацию и профессионализм.
Мы стремимся к тому, чтобы каждый из них чувствовал себя защищенным
и уверенным в своих силах. Команда,
имеющая значительный опыт в уголовных делах,
позволяет нам достигать успешных
результатов в самых запутанных случаях.
Как найти адвоката?
Когда выбираете адвоката по уголовным делам в Москве, учитывайте:
Рекомендации от бывших клиентов;
Квалификация и опыт в вашей сфере;
Наличие возможности консультации;
Индивидуальный подход
к каждому делу.
Не забывайте, что чем раньше вы
начнете сотрудничество с профессионалом, тем выше вероятность достижения положительного результата.
При возникновении вопросов вы можете смело обращаться к нам.
В конце концов, не забывайте,
что у каждого есть право на защиту, и мы
готовы оказать вам помощь. Обратитесь к нам для консультации и выясните, как
мы можем защитить ваши интересы в уголовном процессе.
4M Dental Imolant Center
3918 Long Beach Blvd #200, Ꮮong Beach,
ϹА 90807, United Stаtеs
15622422075
advanced teeth whitening
I love how your articles always strike the perfect balance between detail and readability. https://omegachemsolutions.com/