One of the most notable characteristics of the Knight is the way in which he presents himself. The Knight’s attire by itself succeeds in exemplifying his humble personality. Unlike most knights, he does not adorn himself in jewels and expensive armor, indicating wealth and prestige; instead he dresses simply in a “gipoun/ al bismostered with his haubergeoun” (General Prologue 75-76). Wearing a rust-stained jupon, or a close fitted tunic, and a basic habergeon, or sleeveless scale armor, show that the Knight is not dressed to impress, something other knights would likely do. As mentioned earlier, the Knight was also famous. Much like sports figures and movie stars today, knights were the prominent celebrities in this feudalistic period of history. On top of this, the Knight in the General Prologue is an extremely accomplished knight because “therto hadde he riden, no man ferre” (General Prologue 48). This level of accomplishment, coupled with the reputation that knights inherently have causes him to have be very popular as well. Also, although not entirely nobility, in the feudalist system, Knights were very wealthy and educated members of the upper class. The synergistic combination of these characteristics: education, wealth, and fame, means that he was the type of man who would have used Twitter and had a personal website.
The Website
The primary benefit for having a personal website is to find employment opportunities. Wealthy and powerful lords, hired knights to fight for them in the feudalist system that dominated Europe during this time period. These same lords could use a website about the Knight as a reference guide when considering contracting him. Since the purpose of the website is to attract potential employers, the Knight would have used it to detail his life and past experiences, portray a record of his achievements, and extol his values and beliefs. In addition to attracting lords who may employ him, the autobiographical website can serve as a reference guide for the way pilgrims and future generations should comport themselves, not dissimilar to the way company websites or fan clubs sites can help educate an abundance of people about a topic or cause. In most of the website, the Knight goes on to enlighten his audience about his crusades and battles between the Christendom lands to Heathen lands. He shares information about him such as his clashes with the Heathens while representing the Palatye, and how throughout each battle he was able to keep his composure. These qualities of humility and composure are explicitly described in the General Prologue when Chaucer writes, “He neyere yet no vileynye ne sayde/ In al his lyf unto no maner wight/ He was a verray, parfit gentil knight" (General Prologue 70-73). Here Chaucer is saying that in every fight and all of his life the Knight never had anything vile to say; he was truly a perfect gentleman. The tonality of the website captures this quote as well as the essence of the Knight himself, as evidenced by its concentration on facts and its absence of extraneous and overly descriptive content. The website utilizes straightforward fact based language while refraining from adopting a boastful tone. This also supplies a reminder of his modest nature.
In most of the website, the Knight goes on to enlighten his audience about his crusades and battles between the Christendom lands to Heathen lands. He shares information about him such as his clashes with the Heathens while representing the Palatye, and how throughout each battle he was able to keep his composure. These qualities of humility and composure are explicitly described in the General Prologue when Chaucer writes, “He neyere yet no vileynye ne sayde/ In al his lyf unto no maner wight/ He was a verray, parfit gentil knight" (General Prologue 70-73). Here Chaucer is saying that in every fight and all of his life the Knight never had anything vile to say; he was truly a perfect gentleman. The tonality of the website captures this quote as well as the essence of the Knight himself, as evidenced by its concentration on facts and its absence of extraneous and overly descriptive content. The website utilizes straightforward fact based language while refraining from adopting a boastful tone. This also supplies a reminder of his modest nature.
The Twitter Page
In light of the Knight’s high-ranked social status as an aristocrat and his access to various resources, it is likely that he would have had very easy access to updated and popular technology. Bearing in mind that he is often mobile and fighting battles, it would only make sense for him to have a 4G LTE smart phone in order to keep himself connected to current events in the world around him. This is why the Knight would be deeply immersed in the social media realm, most notably a Twitter account, to promulgate his values. As a result of his extensive travels, the Knight maintains a global perspective. It only seems natural for him to harness the power of social media and its global reach to maintain communication at an international level. Twitter allows him to both hear and tell a variety of other people about occurrences across the continent. In addition to this, because of his lovable, intriguing personality, the Knight knows that people would follow him because of a desire to know what he is doing or even merely thinking about during the day.
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One distinct difference between the Knight and other users of Twitter is how they would have spoken. The Knight would have made sure his writing was not only grammatically appropriate but more importantly that it does not come across as raunchy, offensive, or braggadocios. Chaucer clearly articulates the reputation of the Knight when he says, “A knight ther was, and that a worthy man/ That fro the tyme that he first bigan/ to ride out, he loved chivalrie/ Trouthe and honour, fredom and curesie/ full worthy was he in his lords werre” (General Prologue 43-47). In addition, he is a father and a businessman so incorporating slang in his tweets would be considerably embarrassing, and unprofessional. It is evident that many people look up to and admire the Knight, so it would be foolish for him to jeopardize his reputation with inappropriate language and content. Also, the format of Twitter, which requires succinct communication, would suit the Knight’s style and enable him to communicate globally. |
In conclusion, the quality of the Knight’s honorable, brave, popular, and humble character assimilates well into a digital context. Our selection for these two specific digital components is primarily anchored to the character’s admirable qualities, worldly network and natural followership. Thanks to Chaucer and his descriptive tale about the Knight, we can infer that his prestigious persona and numerous accolades make up the perfect ingredients for creating a strong online presence in a digital domain. Due to his dry performance, the Knight’s followers are now capable of preserving his history with a more definite comprehension. The Knight is a hero with humility, and someone who stoked a desire in others to be the best that he or she can be.
Chaucer, Geoffrey, and Nevill Coghill. The Canterbury Tales. London: Penguin, 2003. Print.
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