must dress him in his armor or costume; which is slightly ironic in that Arcite himself, is also dressed deceivingly. Eventually, Palamon escapes as well, and hides in the bushes to wait nightfall, disguised to look like his surroundings; by aventure his wey he gan to holde/ to maken hym a gerland of the greves, / were it of wodebunde or hawthorne leaves, (1506-08). Both Palamon and Arcites means of disguise are significantly connected to the tales plot evolvement, thus furthering the metaphorical focus of Chaucers use of artifice.The initial confrontation began when Arcite incidentally stumbled into the field where Palamon was hiding. The two cousins, after revealing their disguises, agree to fight, yet refrained from doing so immediately. The chivalric code by which they are both bound formalizes the need for proper attire. Arcite states that he will, bryngen harneys right ynough for the; / And chese the beste, and leef the worste for me. / And mete drynke this nyghte wol I brynge/ Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddynge (1613- 1616). Despite their immense hatred for each other, the fact that both are able to refrain from acting upon their anger until proper etiquette could be exercised reveals the extent to which Arcite and Palamon have conformed to the socially ascribed role of knighthood. Yet as the two eventually dress each other for battle, although a bond of knighthood is felt momentarily when everich of hem help for to armen the oother/ As friendly as he were his owne brother; (1651-52), their new costumes initiate their emotional transformation. Palamon is described as a wood leon (1656) and Arcite as a wild bores (1657), once again revealing the parallels between outward appearances and emotionality. It was the implications of their clothing that had transformed them into uncivilized animals. Yet contrastingly, earlier in the tale, their clothing was also what had been used to identify them as civilized. The ...
