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.
And Im running from a standard users account with strict limitations, which I think may be the limiting factor, but Im running the cmd as the system I am currently working on. Citislots Login
Laser247 is a structured online betting platform designed for users in India who value clarity, controlled access, and a transparent betting environment. Laser247 Club is the official premium experience layer of the Laser247 platform. Visit Now:https://reallaser247.com/laser247-club/
This informative article offers valuable insights presented in a clear and engaging writing style
https://ukdigests.com/
Wonderful content! I truly appreciate the clarity and detail provided in this article. The information is well-presented and easy to follow, showing genuine effort to help readers understand the topic without confusion.
visit this website https://nomorkeluaran.id/
I’m gone to tell my little brother, that he should also
pay a quick visit this web site on regular basis to take
updated from hottest reports.
Also visit my blog; Требуется работник на подгьтовку деталей на поктаску. Работник завода с первого дня. Работа в одну смену по 10 яасов. Пятница по желанию 43 ше?
Interesting read , I am going to spend more time learning about this subject colonoscopy doctor singapore
hey there, your site is cheap. We do thank you for work bandar bola
nhà cái uy tín aqbq|link vào ms88|tỷ lệ cược tối nay|m88bet|ca cuoc online link vào ms88
Hello this is kinda of off topic but I was wanting to know
if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with
HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so
I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Feel free to surf to my site :: https://sdt-homes.ng/author/edmundonwh687/
A notable strength of the article is its ability to maintain coherence through a clearly defined structural hierarchy. The author effectively balances explanation and analysis, ensuring that readers are neither overwhelmed nor left without sufficient detail. This balance enhances the article’s clarity and impact.
https://www.ritewayconstructiongroup.com/about-us.html=
명품 레플리카 미러급|명품지갑|명품짝퉁|명품브랜드순위|남자명품레플리카|대한민국명품레플리카|레플리카시계|명품레플리카 명품레플리카
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you ought to write more about
this subject matter, it may not be a taboo matter but
typically people do not discuss such subjects.
To the next! Kind regards!!
Also visit my webpage SUNWIN
명품레플리카가방,명품레플리카추천,명품레플리카신발,명품레플리카사이트,명품쇼핑몰,명품가방,남자명품레플리카,명품레플리카 남자명품레플리카
Hello all, here every person is sharing these kinds of know-how,
thus it’s nice to read this webpage, and I used to go to see this blog every day.
Review my blog post; ae888
Hey I know this is off topic but I was wondering if
you knew of any widgets I could add to my
blog that automatically tweet my newest twitter updates.
I’ve been looking for a plug-in like this for quite some time and was hoping
maybe you would have some experience with something like this.
Please let me know if you run into anything.
I truly enjoy reading your blog and I look forward to your new updates.
Feel free to surf to my web blog; lash cosmetics vibely mascara
FB88 không chỉ tập trung vào trò chơi mà còn chú trọng xây dựng môi trường cá cược minh bạch, an toàn, giúp người chơi yên tâm trải nghiệm lâu dài. FB88
you’re truly a just right webmaster. The website loading velocity is amazing. It kind of feels that you’re doing any distinctive trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you have performed a wonderful job in this subject! bride underwear funny
It is truely good post, but I do not see everything completely clear, especially for someone not involved in that topic. Anyway very interesting to me. 樂威壯價格
The article communicates its message effectively by combining clear language with a steady and logical structure.
netzowl.com
This is great content. You’ve loaded this with useful, informative content that any reader can understand. I enjoy reading articles that are so very well-written. Bandar Togel
Hi there to all, it’s truly a good for me to go to see
this site, it includes helpful Information.
Have a look at my homepage – newborn care
Chaga mushroom coffee been recently brought to plenty of everything about simply because of the Ukrainian article author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn by it’s new ‘Cancer Ward’ in which traditional qualities is generally cured of a tumors on the help consume. Siberian Chaga Parlay Bola
I totally agree! I came over from google and am looking to subscribe. Where is your RSS feed? Bolagila Toto Macau
I totally agree! I came over from google and am looking to subscribe. Where is your RSS feed? Bolagila Toto Macau
I as well conceive so , perfectly indited post! . Paito Hongkong Pools
Every weekend i used to visit this web page,
for the reason that i wish for enjoyment, since this this website conations really pleasant funny material too.
Feel free to visit my blog post 8kbet
You can definitely see your skills in the article
you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who
are not afraid to mention how they believe. Always follow your heart.
Here is my web-site: закупка ссылок для продвижения сайта
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback. 7meter Bet Slot
Mahadev Book is a trusted online betting platform designed to provide structured. A Mahadev Book ID is your official access point to the Mahadev Book online betting platform. Gold365 is a widely used online betting platform and Laser247 is a trusted online betting platform. Visit Now: https://realmahadevbook.com/
You need to be a part of a contest for one of the highest quaoity sites online.
I most certainly will highly recommend this site!
Here is my web page – Hideuri.Com
명품 레플리카|명품패딩|레플리카명품|명품레플리카시계|명품사이트|남자명품레플리카 명품패딩
Come across back yard garden unusual periods of one’s Are generally Weight reduction and every one one may be important. One way state could possibly be substantial squandering through the diet. lose weight Togel88 Link Alternatif
I’d constantly want to be update on new content on this website, bookmarked! Bolagila Togel Login
hello!,I like your writing very much! proportion we keep in touch more
about your article on AOL? I need a specialist in this house to resolve my
problem. Maybe that is you! Looking forward to peer you.
My blog post – RR99.COM
I constantly spent my half an hour to read this weblog’s articles or
reviews all the time along with a cup of coffee.
Here is my web-site; zangza.za.com
I have been checking out a few of your stories and i must say nice stuff. I will surely bookmark your website Paito Hongkong Pools
hey there, your site is cheap. We do thank you for work 7meter Sport
May I simply just say what a comfort to uncover someone who genuinely knows what they are discussing on the internet.
You certainly understand how to bring a problem to light and make it important.
More people should look at this and understand this side of your story.
I can’t believe you’re not more popular given that you surely possess
the gift.
Also visit my blog post :: rr99.blue
telegram网页版|汽水音乐|汽水音乐电脑版|汽水音乐pc版|汽水音乐cd|汽水月音乐|有道免费翻译官网|网有道翻译官|line下载|telegram电脑版|telegram飞机|Telegram下载|下载飞机|飞机app下载中文版|美洽聊天 有道免费翻译官网|网有道翻译官
I find this content engaging because it presents the subject in a well-structured way, guiding readers through each point logically and keeping the explanation consistent and easy to follow.
learn more here https://kolinay.com/
Hurrah! At last I got a web site from where I be capable of
truly obtain useful information regarding my study and knowledge.
My blog … https://godnotabka.in.net/
Great article! The way you explained this topic is very clear and easy to understand. Thanks for sharing such valuable information.
https://larishoki.us.com/
https://wordpress.lehigh.edu/coc222/2020/10/09/blog-post-7_fall-2020/comment-page-933/#comment-166187
Why do only so much written on this subject? Here you see more.unogg login
Nhờ chú trọng yếu tố uy tín và quyền lợi người chơi, FB88 ngày càng khẳng định vị thế của mình trên thị trường cá cược trực tuyến, trở thành điểm đến quen thuộc của nhiều bet thủ tại châu Á. FB88
Great article! This is the type of info that are meant to be
shared around the web. Disgrace on Google for now not positioning this submit higher!
Come on over and seek advice from my site . Thanks =)
Feel free to surf to my website :: https://79king6.icu/
telegram|telegram下载|telegram官网|有道免费翻译官网|网有道翻译官|telegram电脑版|telegram飞机|飞机下载|纸飞机app聊天软件下载|电报|纸飞机|飞机 有道免费翻译官网|网有道翻译官
소액결제현금화 당일 입금 서비스 | 빠르고 안전한 휴대폰 현금화, 캐셔머니오더 … 소액결제 현금화는 휴대폰 소액결제 기능을 이용해 상품권 같은 디지털 상품을 구매한 소액결제현금화
nhà cái khuyến mãi|tai 188bet|link vào m88 mtot8|nhà cái lô đề uy tín|khuyen mai nha cai nhà cái khuyến mãi
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this blog.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that
“perfect balance” between usability and visual appearance.
I must say you’ve done a amazing job with this. Also, the blog loads super quick for
me on Opera. Outstanding Blog!
Feel free to surf to my homepage 3win trang chủ