I love the power that women have in these tales. In the Wife of Bath and in the Knight's Tale you see women weeping to save knights from harm. They are clearly exhibiting sovereignty. Women do have a significant amount of power in these stories but I love that they use their emotions and looks to their advantage. They women in this story clearly believe if you got it, flaunt it and I believe thats important to note.
This is how I invision the women displaying sovereignty in these stories... the maiden is like please spare this man, don't kill him, and once the man gives in they are like...
Also as far as the two cousins I think that its kinda funny to see them discussing who loved her first and they still try (emphasis on the try) to remain in a knightly manner. I agree that if they both do not get to see her they why didn't they both choose to be free because even Palamon's proactive plan could have been altered to actually benefit him. I would agree to the term "family over everything", because fighting over a female whom from what they know may or may not have an substance is a little idiotic. In the end of part two of the Knight's tale there are questions as two which men has it worse off and that is used to our digression. i know personally for myself I was having a hard time actually figuring out who had it worse off because I thought that both of their situations and their plans of action weren't that good.
When we get in to the prayers of these characters we finally get Emelye's perspective of what she wants. Emelye clearly did NOT want either of the men. She wanted to be a maiden forever and be free. She did't even want to have children. In my opinion, Emelye wanted to live in the moment of being forever young, which is understandable from a young virgin. Emelye is the epitome of living in the moment.
Diana is my favorite though because she just pops up like "I'm sorry honey, deal with it because you have to pick one of these men."
I love that in the end everyone gets what they want. I was kind of upset that the companionship between the two cousins did not happen but I understand that if Arcite did not die that Palamon would not have his girl that he loved so much. Even though, Emelye cannot be a maiden forever, she got the man who loved her more. Adios Arcite you got that victory alright.
I do like how you get a an idea of independent women in the story. On one hand, Diana tells it like it is and on the other hand Emelye is perfectly content without either men and would happily make it on her own. I liked the ending a lot, everything planned out the way it was supposed to, even though the readers didn't catch on until after the fact. I am also glad Palamon got his girl in the end and that Emelye got a man who truly loved her, sorry Arcite!
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