Machiavellian Ideas in Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale”, Essay Example

Chaucer’s story of “The Knight’s Tale” expresses many different themes. On e of the themes that is present in the story is the influence of political ambition and the methods of conquering and conserving power that influenced history in medieval times. Machiavelli’s famous work The Prince spells out in obvious fashion a systemized theory for gaining and keeping political and military power. The type of thinking that is represented in Machiavelli’s work is also evident in the character of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, in “The Knight’s Tale.” The story, in fact, would not exist without the Machiavellian intrigues and strategies that are pursued by Theseus. The plot, conflict, and resolution of the entire story revolve around Theseus’ Machiavellian machinations.

For example, it is Theseus who takes Arctica and Palamon prisoner in the first place, with a view toward influencing and antagonizing King Creon. Theseus is trying to hurt Creon as best as he can without exposing himself simultaneously. this fulfills one of Machiavelli’s principles of political power: which is to stop at nothing in pursuit of one’s ambitions. In other words, Machiavelli advocates the use of force and violence, up to and including assassination in his political philosophy. In The Prince, Machiavelli celebrates that fact that Oliverotto used murder to gain power. He writes that “After this murder, Oliverotto mounted his horse, paraded through the town, and besieged the chief officials in the government palace; so that out of fear they were forced to obey him” (Machiavelli, 32). The basic idea is that the ends justify the means when it comes to gaining power and influence in the political world.

Similarly, Theseus is originally described by Chaucer as a strong and violent conqueror, which adheres to Machiavelli’s idea of the basis of all governmental authority. Chaucer presents Theseus as a dominating figure: “”That there was once a Duke called Theseus, Ruler of Athens, Lord and Governor, And in his time so great a conqueror There was none mightier beneath the sun.” (Chaucer 42). The reason that Chaucer stresses the powerful nature of Theseus is to show that physical and martial strength are the pillars of a more sophisticated and canny power, that which proceeds from a peculiarly Machiavellian philosophy. Machiavelli stressed in his writings,and particularly in The Prince that, in effect, might makes right. Furthermore, it is the business of an effective ruler not only to conquer his enemies but to conquer and quell all potential enemies by the use of decisive and overwhelming force.

For instance, Machiavelli insists that a natural hierarchy exists in human society where those who are best fit to rule ascend to the top of society. This belief, of course, also means that Machiavelli believes that those who are at the top of society should set the rules and standards of behavior and law for those who are beneath them. Machiavelli actually goes further than this by stating that those who are not of the ruling class are actually helpless without the guidance of those who have risen to great power. He writes that people without leaders are like tamed animals being left out into the wild: “for such a people may well be compared to some wild animal […] has been as it were subdued by having been always kept imprisoned and in servitude” (Machiavelli, 1998, p. 86). For Machiavelli, servitude is not a word to be ashamed of, it is a natural outcome of the hierarchy of human society.

This aspect is shown in “The Knight’s Tale” through Theseus’ imprisoning of Creon’s nephews, and also through his encouraging of their rivalry in regard to his daughter. Theseus, like any true Machiavellian character is motivated only by political ambition and rivalry. He swears revenge on Creon and afterward crafts his own opportunity to do so. He encourages the rivalry between Arctica and Palamon by using his wealth and influence to favor one over the other. Chaucer describes how he responded to Arctica (in disguise) who had entered his daughter’s service: “Theseus took him and advanced him higher, Made him his personal and chamber-squire, And gave him money to maintain his station. There came, moreover, men of his own nation” (Chaucer 58). This shows that Theseus was always scheming and always looking to promote those who were loyal to him or who he believed served him well.

The idea of self-interest is a cornerstone of Machiavelli’s philosophy. it is this quality that most associated Theseus with Machiavellian ideals. The fact that all of Theseus’ actions emerge out of a sense of self-interest may be unsympathetic to modern readers, but to those immersed in Machiavellian philosophy,Theseus is not only acting rationally, he is acting through a true moral imperative. For Machiavelli, the public-at-large consisted of people who were too weak and stupid to rule and too weak adn stupid not to be ruled. This was a noble ideal to Machiavelli, not an admission that one set of people exploited others for personal enrichment. The same ideas are present in the character of Theseus who thinks nothing of using the people in his life as pure pawns in his games of personal ambition and revenge.

It should be mentioned that Theseus was able to turn Arctica and Palamon against one another simply by exerting his military and political influence to capture them and hold them hostage. The same holds true for Theseus dictating that the two rivals should field armies against each other with the prize of victory being his daughter’s hand in marriage. Theseus arranges the entire affair. Chaucer describes how he called for the participants: “”Not knowing for what reason ordered back, And still in melancholy suit of black, Palamon came on this authority In haste. Then Theseus sent for Emily.” (Chaucer 99). The insinuation in this a passage as is true for the entirety of Theseus’ character is that embodies the philosophy of Machiavellian manipulation and political power in every aspect of his life, from his family to his sense of personal identity. Theseus can almost be described as the prefect Machiavellian man.

Works Cited

Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Trans. Nevill Coghill. Revised ed. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1969.

Machiavelli, N. The Prince (P. Bondanella, Ed.) (Bondanella, P. & Musa, M., Trans.). Oxford: Oxford University. 1998.