Brothers’ Fate Patrick Sullivan
Period 0
11/29/05
Throughout The Knight’s Tale, there are many instances of the influence of fate and fortune, which leads the characters on their journeys in life. Both fate and fortune play a role as guides that Palamon and Arcita follow. In their journey to each win Emily’s favor, Palamon and Arcita seek fortune from the gods Mars and Venus, each receiving their own fate, and believing their wishes would be fulfilled. It is through these gods, their own beliefs, and the favors of others that Palamon and Arcita truly find that their lives are controlled by the powers of fate and fortune.
There are many instances of intervention by gods during The Knight’s Tale and these gods change as well as determine the fate of Palamon and Arcita. Mercury is the first god to influence Arcita, telling him that he must go to Athens where he will find “the destined ending of [his] woe.” (Chaucer, 36) The strength of Mercury’s influence and his ability to decide Arcita’s destiny is so profound that Arcita has no choice but to obey the “command” of Mercury and return to Athens. Later in the tale, Arcita and Palamon seek the favor of Mars and Venus, respectively. They wish to change their fate or at least take fortune onto their sides. Mars and Venus “play an intricate role in deciding [Palamon and Arcita’s] outcome, as they decide who will succeed in winning the hand of the maiden.” (Wheeler) The gods are figures that allow these men to change their future by altering their lives in the directions they wish. Not only do the gods represent fate and fortune, having the ability to change lives, but they also represent hope to Palamon and Arcita.
“Humans can affect their own destinies” not only through actions, but through beliefs. (Sparknotes) Palamon and Arcita believe in the power of the gods, which means that they can receive the good fortunes that the gods will grant them, as opposed to those who do not believe in the gods and thus, receive neither good fortunes nor experience life changing events at the hands of the gods. Arcita asserts himself so strongly of this notion by saying that “fortune is changeable” and that Palamon, because he has been granted good fortune, will “sooner or later attain [his] desire.” (Chaucer, 32) In both Palamon and Arcita’s case, each man is granted his original request, but it is Palamon who truly wins, for he does, in fact, win Emily’s favor. Emily’s fate is also changed through the actions of a goddess (Diana) because her secondary request is granted and the man who loved her the most is the one that marries her. The final outcome of the battle is not fu to Palamon’s humanly desires, but it is due to the gods and their power to grant wishes. These gods are not directly representative of fate and fortune themselves, but are able to grant good as well as bad fortunes, thus changing one’s fate. However, it is only because Palamon and Arcita believe in these gods that they are able to receive good fortunes and participate in the gods’ wills.
One’s life is not only changed by the will of gods, but by the decisions and actions of people around that person. In the case of Palamon and Arcita, Theseus and the women of his court numerously save Palamon and Arcita’s lives through their actions. Some may argue that Palamon and Arcita’s fates had been decided before they ever knew of Theseus, but this is not the case. All the actions, by Theseus and the women of his court led to the life changes Palamon and Arcita experienced. For instance, it was Theseus who, after saving their lives on the battle field, saved Palamon and Arcita’s lives by agreeing not to kill them, or let them kill themselves in their quarrel in the forest. While Theseus was influenced by the views of the women, it was he who let Palamon and Arcita fight each other for Emily.
Yet another person who largely influences the Palamon and Arcita’s fates is Perotheus. He is the one that convinces Theseus to release Arcita from his confinement. Without that major change, Arcita would still be confined and would receive his original wish of being able to observe Emily all the time. So, Perotheus comes as a double-edged sword, because while he grants Arcita freedom, he also takes away his ability to watch Emily closely and safely as he desires. Many of these characters that effect Palamon and Arcita’s lives do so with good intentions, but do not realize the final outcomes, whereas the gods seem to know exactly what will happen as the result of their decisions. Sometimes the actions of faulted humans cause outcomes that are unexpected and harmful, even contradicting the actions of the gods. These actions of other characters cause many different shifts in Palamon and Arcita’s fates and along with these changes in fate come changes in the plot. These “major shifts in the plot come about when one character intercedes on another’s behalf” and thus changes their fate. (Sparknotes) Once more, Palamon and Arcita’s fates have been changed and they each have been granted the opportunity to live and live with what they each desire most. Palamon has been granted Emily’s heart, while Arcita, before his death, was granted the same.
Many factors contribute to the changing fates and good and bad fortunes of Palamon and Arcita, but it is the favor of the gods, Palamon and Arcita’s beliefs, and the decisions of others that truly affect their lives. Fate and Fortune play a large role in The Knight’s Tale, changing as new actions are taken.