Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, written in approximately 1385, is a collection of
             twenty-four stories ostensibly told by various people who are going on a religious pilgrimage to
             Canterbury Cathedral from London, England. Prior to the actual tales, however, Chaucer offers
             the reader a glimpse of fourteenth century life by way of what he refers to as a General Prologue.
             In this prologue, Chaucer introduces all of the characters who are involved in this imaginary
             journey and who will tell the tales. Among the characters included in this introductory section is
             a knight. Chaucer initially refers to the knight as "a most distinguished man" (l. 43) and, indeed,
             his sketch of the knight is highly complimentary.
             The knight, Chaucer tells us, "possessed/Fine horses, but he was not gaily dressed" (ll.
             69-70). Indeed, the knight is dressed in a common shirt which is stained "where his armor had
             left mark" (l. 72). That is, the knight is "just home from service" (l. 73) and is in such a hurry to
             go on his pilgrimage that he has not even paused before beginning it to change his clothes.
             The knight has had a very busy life as his fighting career has taken him to a great many places.
             He has seen military service in Egypt, Lithuania, Prussia, Russia, Spain, North Africa, and Asia
             Minor where he "was of [great] value in all eyes (l. 63). Even though he has had a very
             successful and busy career, he is extremely humble: Chaucer maintains that he is "modest as a
             maid" (l. 65). Moreover, he has never said a rude thing to anyone in his entire life (cf., ll. 66-7).
             Clearly, the knight possesses an outstanding character. Chaucer gives to the knight one of
             the more flattering descriptions in the General Prologue. The knight can do no wrong: he is an
             outstanding warrior who has fought for the true faith--according to Chaucer--on three continents.
             In the midst of all this contention, however, the k
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