The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories told by a group of
             pilgrims on their way to Thomas a' Becket's tomb in Canterbury. Throughout the stories, women
             are often portrayed in two opposing ways. The women in these tales are either depicted as
             pristine and virginal, or as cunning and deceitful.
             First, women are described as being pristine and virginal. This type of woman is always
             beautiful and has men vying for her affections. However, she is so pure that it seems she is
             unattainable. She is not treated like a real person and people never ask her what she wants. This
             virginal woman is captured in the character of Emily in "The Knight's Tale". Emily, who is
             described by the author as "radiant and serene" (32) enchants two cousins and cause them to
             argue over her. Palamon is so love-struck that he states "Woman or Goddess, which? I cannot
             say." (32). He doesn't even know her yet calls her "... my lady, whom I love and serve" (34).
             When Arcite is released, he becomes sick because he can no longer see her. He is described as
             "Thin as a shaft, as dry, with nothing left./His eyes were hollow, grisly to behold,/Fallow his
             face, like ashes pale and cold" (39). When the cousins finally reunite, Palamon claims Emily for
             his own once again by saying "You shall not love my lady Emily./I, no one else, will love her!"
             (45). They are engaged in battle when the king rides by with his wife and Emily. When
             confronted, Palamon tells the king that Arcite "dares love Emily" (49), and that he is also "in
             love with Emily the Bright" (49). Even though Emily is sitting right there he still doesn't talk
             directly to her, instead he tells the king. Emily is herself immune to love: she has seen neither
             of the knights, nor is she aware that they have seen her, much less that they are in love with her
             (Hallissy 59). Poor virginal Emily "knows no more of this ...