The Knight And His Internal Conflict Essay Example for Free

The Knight And His Internal Conflict Essay The introduction of the Knight in Chaucer’s â€Å"General Prologue† of The Canterbury Tales, albeit brief, presents an interesting, enigmatic portrait of a character whose external appearance seems to provide a cover for what might be a conflicted spirit underneath. In a way, the Knight embodies the concept, to borrow from the film Billy Jack, is a â€Å"war hero who hated the war† and whose personal discipline is what keeps chinks in the armor of his psyche from degenerating. From the outset, the Knight is presented to the reader as a noble hero whose personal sense of honor is what separates him from the other pilgrims. Examine how Chaucer describes the character in the initial lines that introduce the Knight: A knight there was, and he a worthy man, Who, from the moment that he first began, To ride about the world, loved chivalry, Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy, Full worthy was he in his liege-lords war, And therein had he ridden (none more far) The portrait that Chaucer paints here is that, in his heart, the Knight is a good person with a high sense of personal discipline and moral values. Through his entry into military service, the Knight undertakes the responsibility to fight in his â€Å"liege-lord’s war† which is essentially the conduit for the Knight’s personal, internal values of nobility to be put into action through his service in his Lord’s â€Å"noble† wars. The Knight’s forays into various wars were significant in terms of volumes and intensity. From the description that Chaucer provides, we learn that the Knight essentially found himself in the middle of a perpetual state of war as he was sent to foreign land after foreign land to conquer and pillage in the name of his Lord. In terms of his prolific involvement in numerous battles, Chaucer writes: When they were won; and on the Middle Sea At many a noble meeting chanced to be. Of mortal battles he had fought fifteen, And hed fought for our faith at Tramissene, Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe From here, the narrator is clearly defining the character to the reader as a man whose moral character far exceeds that of normal men as the Knight is presented in a highly idealized manner. This description shows the Knight as a man of action serving his Lord and, more importantly, the Knight is presented as a war hero who successfully battled infidels in a series of 15 military actions without losing his sanity. Chaucer points out that the Knight not only survived the 15 military incursions in which he was involved, but he rose to the occasion and performed with a sense of valor and honor in such a world of bloodlust. This concept of remaining noble in war shows that despite the horror and bloodlust of the wars around him, the Knight did not â€Å"crack† and loose his composure. Keep in mind, during the Crusades, the ability for the soldiers to receive food and supplies was compromised as the opposing Islamic factions repeatedly would severe supply lines in an attempt to starve the Crusaders. The result of this is that the Crusaders would routinely go berserk and raid and pillage villages for food. The fact that Chaucer presents the Knight as noble and not a victim of combat stress shows that the Knight’s moral character remained strong enough to maintain his sanity in a war zone, mainly because the Knight detached himself from the carnage of the war and reached inside to he personal code of chivalry to maintain his composure. This detachment, however, would not maintain when the Knight left the battlefield, as he The seems to struggle with the internal manifestation of unresolved feelings and guilt about the war. Per Chaucer’s description: Though so illustrious, he was very wise, And bore himself as meekly as a maid. He never yet had any vileness said, In all his life, to whatsoever wight. He was a truly perfect, gentle knight. But now, to tell you all of his array, His steeds were good, but yet he was not gay. Of simple fustian wore he a jupon, Sadly discoloured by his habergeon; Here, the narrator shows the â€Å"chinks in the armor† of the Knight’s psyche. This passage clearly demonstrates that the Knight’s disposition displays a sense of sadness and alienation. Since the Knight has been starkly drawn as a character who is inseparable with the wars he fought, then the root of the sadness must have been from his experience in the war. In terms of the Knight’s outward personality, the experiences he faced in the war greatly humbled him as the time spent in the wars has clearly disillusioned him. (â€Å"His steeds were good, yet he was not gay.†) Perhaps the reason that the Knight goes on the pilgrimage is so he can find in himself that part of his spirit and his soul that he left on the battlefield. Yes, the Knight embodies all that was noble, but at what cost? So the Knight can live a life that is consumed by the guilt he feels about his experiences on the battlefield?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Knight remains one of the most intriguing characters in all of Canterbury Tales, the reason for this is the fact that the Knight is a noble, but internally conflicted character whose motives for the pilgrimage appear to be driven by disillusionment and guilt.

Qualitative Research in Social Science Essay -- Social Research Method

The field of social science is very complex with main field branches that cover anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, social psychology, and sociology. These main branches in turn contain subfields of study and there are still other disciplines in which social research is done including criminology, demography, education, and nursing (Bernard 6). Social science research is split between the positivistic (quantitative) approach and the interpretive-phenomenological approach (qualitative). Social science research often contains a combination of both approaches. But, qualitative research investigates the why and how about human behavior, the reasons that govern behavior. These reasons are complex and cannot be fully understood through only quantitative methods. In qualitative research, data is collected through direct observation, in depth interviews, participation in the setting and/or an analysis of different forms of printed materials. Qualitative data collection is typically purposively done; selection is based on whether an event fits a specific characteristic. The data is categorized into patterns for organization and reporting results (usually visual in the form of flow charts, maps, or presented in matrix or table form). Data collection is typically approached by traditional methods of phenomenology, some form of field study, grounded theory, and ethnography. A brief description of these methods follows. Phenomenology: describes in words a person’s reality; a reflection of one’s consciousness and perceptions (Bernard 20). Field Study: involves some form of field work either through participant observation or by indirectly through collection of data (Bernard 318). Grounded The... ...evelop a complete view of human thoughts and behavior. Qualitative research would greatly serve my research on implementing a Course Management System (CMS) in an urban education environment. Methods of data collection for my proposal include interviews (students and instructors), performance assessments tests and field work involving the use of the CMS by participants. The initial data collected from the interviews and performance assessments will used to direct the course of this study. Works Cited Bernard, H. Russel. Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Thousand Oaks, CA Sage 2000. Print. Pomrenke, Marlene. â€Å"Using Grounded Theory to Understand Resiliency in Pre-Teen Children of Higher Conflict Families.† The Qualitative Report. 12.3 (2007):365-374 Web. 9 Nov. 2014. QSR International. Web 9 Nov. 2014.

As I See Myself (Descriptive Essay)

AS I SEE IT My name is Katrina but I prefer to be called as Kat. At my current young stage, I have an average height of five feet, three inches however I weigh heavier than any other girls of my age. By nationality and by blood, I am a Filipino. I have had dark straight hair which is already dyed with golden blonde, brown eyes which I genetically inherited from my mother, a short nose, small gleaming teeth, full lips, tiny dimples and a round face which I am teased a lot by many people as well as my big fat arms.Nevertheless, I am proud of having a fair skin; long thick hair just like of a commercial model as what my sister would say; and long solid legs. So, I usually wear not-so-short shorts and skirts paired with t-shirts and flats. Like many girls, I like to dress up but then I don’t really have many clothes to dress up with so I end up with the basics. I also like my hair loose and undone because I like better messy hair, in a structured way and in a way to conceal my hug e face. I used to be very shy and introvert when I was little.I don’t talk unless someone starts a conversation and sometimes I don’t ask questions to keep the discussion going. But now, I develop some confidence and courage to express my thoughts and feelings; I feel more comfortable when I’m alone with someone I’m not used to be with; and I can already look straight to their eyes. I am an ineffective liar. When I start to lie, I tend to laugh. The more I try to get serious, the more I easily burst out into laughter and normally, I can’t keep eye contacts with them.I am also an ineffective joker because frequently I end up laughing first before I could tell my joke. That’s me, making most of my time happy and laughing because I love what it brings me and I love hearing the sound of glee. But sometimes, a different me comes out particularly when I am treated impolitely and when I am force to wake up. Then again, I come back to my usual self once I’ve realized I’m being mean. I am also a person who likes to try new things or should I say adventurous and risk-taker which are the traits I get from my father.When it comes to this, I behave surprisingly energetic and enthusiastic. I can also be lazy at times especially when I don’t like what I’m supposed to do otherwise, I voluntarily do things in the best way I can. I was born a very grumpy girl indeed. What’s more, I am a very ambitious person. Ten years from now, I could see myself as a successful and refined CPA having established my own business, a house that I designed myself since I also dream to be an interior designer and cars that I never thought I would have.I intend to continue my profession, enhance my skills and to be a good public servant too. Given that I am an adventurous person, I could also see myself as a wanderer who travels to the most wonderful and romantic places in the world just as I would picture in my mind every single day. As well as a loving wife and mother nurturing her wonderful family. I know gaining these things are hard to achieve that is why I plan on working harder in the present for a better future.

Human Diversity - 1292 Words

Human Diversity Human diversity is immense and rich with different varieties of people and cultures. With billions of people walking the earth today, there are thousands of different races, cultures, sub-cultures, values and religions. At times most were once separated by either vast bodies of water and land or borderlines drawn out by the many different kingdoms and civilizations. Over the centuries with great triumphs in human exploration, technologies and politics, people began to amalgamate. Although invisible lines of beliefs and age old conflicts have kept most cultures separate for the most part people have always found a way to mingle and co-exist. Human diversity is the difference among people and how those differences make an†¦show more content†¦Whereas men are more likely to be more active parents and homemakers then their fathers were.(Pearson 21) Over the years in America and abroad woman have frequently fought for equal rights such as voting, education and equal pay. In Ameri ca, thanks to the 19th amendment passed in 1920 which gives woman the right to vote, The Womans Educational Equity Act of 1974 which gives woman the right to attend any school without persecution and The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 which gives woman a leg up in their fight for equal pay, woman in America are well on their way to finally having the equal rights that they deserve. Another common taboo found in many cultures around the world and has become a hot topic in present day America, is homosexuality and same sex marriages. In most cultures around the world it is considered blasphemy for any persons male or female to be wed or court a person of the same sex. Homosexuality has become more accepted in recent years, with multiple states now allowing same sex marriages. In other countries around the world same sex marriages have already been recognized. Countries such as, Netherland, Belgium, France, Spain, Canada, The list goes on. Even with these great triumphs for equal rights, homosexuals usually suffer deep depression and repeal with in them themselves, as they seekShow MoreRelatedDiversity Is The Human Race886 Words   |  4 PagesDIVERSITY PAPER Gay. Straight. Black. White. Male. Female. Wealthy. Poor. Modern society has systematically sorted the human race into collections and communities of descriptive factors. Deeply embedded within a systematical labeling system, diversity has fell victim to the harmful segregation and prejudice of the past. Diversity is not about the inferior nor the morally corrupt. Diversity is not the hallow substance of labels. Diversity is culture, pride, and heritage. To rural South Dakotans,Read MoreHuman Diversity And Its Effects On The World915 Words   |  4 Pageshave forced species into extinction through hunting. We knowingly and unknowingly transport non-native organisms around the world. 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