In The Canterbury Tales, "The Knight''s Tale" is the first story told to the pilgrims as they set out on their travels. It concerns Theseus, returning from fighting at Thebes, and the fate of two of his enemies, the knights Palamon and Arcite. Theseus has mercy on the wounded Theban soldiers and imprisons them instead of killing them. While locked in the tower, both knights fall desperately in love with Emeyle, Theseus'' sister-in-law. Eventually the two are pitted against each other in a chivalrous fight to win the hand of their beloved.
Richard Bebb, with the help of Professor Derek Brewer, the leading expert on Chaucerian pronunciation, makes the original Middle English not only comprehensible to the modern ear, but exciting as well.
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