A knight’s Tale Movie Questions Extra Credit Directions

1) At the end of the movie, the crowd taunts Will. They even seem willing to injure him. Chaucer intervenes. How does he break the tension?

This is, of course, fictional. What do you know about Chaucer that makes it seem possible that he would do something like this?
2) The Chaucer character asks if nobility is related to paper (lineage) or heart. Where did we see the real Chaucer deliver this message in his writing?

What other features of his writing are evident in the movie?

3) What virtues of Will’s were rewarded? Are these modern, medieval or both? Explain.

5) Why take a much-studied time period and make a fictional movie of it? Think of this as three parts—a) Why make a movie of any long-past time period? b) Why the medieval time period particularly? c) Why use fictional characters?

7) Anachronism is used multiple times in the movie. It is used in all of the following categories (and more):

a) Clothing/fashion/hair b) Females

c) Sports d) Word choice

e) Music f) Armor
For each of those categories, answer the following:

--What are some of the writer’s and director’s main purposes in using anachronism?

--How does anachronism in each of those areas impact the viewer?
CLASS AND RANK

8) Class/rank is of major importance in the movie. At a glance you can tell a character’s rank (except, of course, with Will). Talk about the following images or quotes, what is shown by them and how realistic they feel for the era:

a) The movie’s portrayal of peasants

b) When Adhemar asks Will, “In what world could you have ever beaten me?”

c) When Adhemar withdraws rather than fighting Prince Edward, the Black Prince

d) When Prince Edward talks about how his word is “beyond contestation.” (What does it mean, and how