Sir Thopas's Tale
Sir Thopas's Tale Summary
"Sir Thopas's Tale" from Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" is a whimsical and humorous tale told by Chaucer himself in the guise of a fictional character, making it a meta-narrative. The tale is often considered a parody of the romances popular during Chaucer's time.
Here's a summary in modern English:
- The protagonist is Sir Thopas, a knight from Flanders. The narrator praises his appearance, costly clothes and sporting accomplishments. He rides a grey horse. Chaucer, Fragment VII, lines 718-753.
- While resting after a ride, Sir Thopas recalls dreaming the previous night of an elf-queen as his lover. He sets out to find her. The giant Sir Olifaunt orders him out of his territory, saying the fairy queen lives there. Lines 772-816.
- Sir Thopas promises to return with armour the following day. He retreats as Olifaunt throws stones, reaches his town, and prepares for combat. Lines 817-893.
- After Thopas sets out again, his tale is abruptly interrupted by the Host of the Tabard Inn, who complains about the dullness and the tedious rhymes of the story. The Host implores Chaucer to tell a different, more engaging story, bringing "Sir Thopas's Tale" to an unfinished end.
"Sir Thopas's Tale" is typically seen as a satirical critique of the chivalric romances popular in the medieval period. The parody draws on the stock descriptions, adventures and verse conventions of popular English romance. Harvard's discussion of the tale and its genre. By breaking off the tale in the middle, Chaucer also humorously explores the nature of storytelling itself.
Source and reading notes
The Middle English text and interlinear translation place the tale at Fragment VII, lines 712-918, followed by the Host's interruption at lines 919-966. The dream is remembered before the encounter, and Olifaunt's threat concerns entry into his territory.
The Host's complaint concerns the storytelling and rhyme. His interruption leads to The Tale of Melibee, a prose narrative by the same pilgrim. This provides a comparison between the fictional Chaucer's performance, the audience's response and Chaucer's construction of the whole scene.