Knights in Shining Armor: Gender and Chivalry from Chaucer to Chappell Roan

The image of the knight in shining armor permeates popular culture - from the court of King Arthur and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, through the Pre-Raphaelites and Romantics, to the Met Gala red carpet. Why is this an aesthetic that lasts? What is it about the chivalric knight that serves as a useful mechanism for artists throughout the ages? In this course, we will examine the knightly figure through theoretical lenses including gender and class to better understand the interplay between identity and aesthetic. 'Texts' will span literature, film, fashion, and more, including works by Chretien de Troyes, Chaucer, Keats, Tennyson, Judith Butler, Chappell Roan, and Zendaya by Law Roach.