The lack of ambiguity in the Knight’s portrait is quite striking,
 considering the large amount of double meanings and thinly 
veiled criticism in the other portraits. Notable examples of 
these are the Monk, who is both avaricious and lazy, and the 
Friar, who swindles money out of widows too poor to buy shoes. 
Yet the Knight has very little about him that could be 
interpreted as immoral or sinful. Phrases used to describe him 
such as “he loved chivalrye,/ Trouthe and honour, freedom and 
curteisye” (45) and

“everemore he hadde a soverein pris.
And though that he were worthy, he was wis,
And of his port as meeke as is a maide.
He nevere yit no vilainye ne said
 In al his lif unto no manere wight:
He was a verray, parfit, gentil knight.”

are difficult to turn into criticism or faults. Everything 
Chaucer says about this Knight is quintessentially good.

Through the praise that Chaucer heaps on the Knight, it is not a 
far stretch to see that this particular character represents 
the good side of human nature. Chaucer even states that there 
exists “No Cristen man so ofte of his degree” (55), which, 
considering the religious bias of the time, would mean no 
Christian man could rival his ability, let alone a heathen one. 
He is held in high esteem, he is described first in accordance 
with his rank, and he is described to be both honourable and 
wise. He represents generosity, diligence, kindness and 
humility, as a counterpart to the sins of his fellow pilgrims, 
and is “evere honoured for his worthinesse” (50). The irony of 
this though, is that in order to be such a paragon of honour 
and bravery, he must prove himself using the worst aspect of 
human nature: war. Despite being described as such an excellent 
man, he makes a living by killing other human beings. “At mortal 
batailes hadde he been fifteen... In listes thries, and ay 
slain his fo” (61-63). Yet despite this distasteful aspect of 
his occupation, he remains the mostly highly honoured of the 
pilgrims, a role model.

 Another ideal that the Knight could represent is the good side 
of the church. One can see that he fights on behalf of the 
Church when Chaucer says “And foughten for oure faith at 
Tramissene” (62), and obviously must be Christian if he is 
making a pilgrimage with several members of the clergy. Placing 
the Knight first among the pilgrims gives the reader a sense of 
hope, displaying the virtue of the church in all its glory, 
personified as the Knight. Then, Chaucer proceeds to tear apart 
the church by introducing clergymen full of vices. The Knight 
is the ray of hope, shining through the shadows cast by the 
Monk, the Friar, the Summoner and the Pardoner. However, 
despite being the virtues of the Church, the Knight is not an 
actual member of the clergy, showing that the connection the 
Church has to its good side is tenuous at best.