Catherine Rock, "Forsworn and Fordone: Arcite as Oath-Breaker"

Rock, Catherine A. "Forsworn and Fordone: Arcite as Oath-Breaker in the Knight's Tale." Chaucer Review, Vol. 40 Issue 4 (2006,) pp 416-432.

Catherine A. Rock focuses on Arcite's identity as an oath-breaker, and how this identity affects his death. She posits that the oath of brotherhood, which did not appear in Bocaccio's Teseida, is the key to Arcite's grim fate. She argues that Arcite broke the oath, not Palamon. She places the oath, an example of earthly law and justice, next to the "natural law" of love. Arcite places the "natural law" before his earthly oath, and betrays Palamon. She shows other examples of Arcite breaking oaths, or betraying loyalties. She points out that Arcite breaks his oath to Theseus as well, returning to Athens although he swore not to, and also betrays his allegiance to Mars after his release, by playing the part of a pining lover, rather than acting as the military leader of his state. Rock argues that Arcite's betrayals lead him to his grisly, unromantic death. But she also says that he experiences a deathbed redemption by renewing the bonds of brotherhood between himself and Palamon.

--Hannah Rapp