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Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale section of his classic, The Canterbury Tales portrays a certain aspect of love. There are various types of love but the worst one is courtly love, which is when one loves someone he/she cannot have. Chaucer portrays unrequited love in the Knight's tale through the characters Palamon and Arcite both knights, cousins and prisoners, who fantasize about the beautiful Emily. Firstly, Palamon sees Emily walking in the garden and thinks, "Rose and arrayed her beauty was right (31)", instantly falling in love with her. She does not see him and therefore, it is impossible for her to love him in return. This courtly love is further proven because Palamon shows his aggravation when he "Was pacing round his chamber to and fro/Lamenting to himself in all his woe (32)." In addition, his love for Emily is so strong that he looks "deadly pale (32)", caused by lovesickness.
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