For the knight character in the Canterbury Tales movie, I would choose the actor Viggo Mortenson. In the tales, the knight is described as the most noble of the pilgrims. He has traveled the world and fought for his people, as Chaucer writes, “...when in Prussia, in Lithuania he had ridden, and Russia....When, in Granada...” (74). The way the knight is described calls for an actor who has rugged, yet handsome looks like he has been in war. The actor should not be played by some young “stud” but more of an older man but not too old. An older guy would be able to play someone who is labeled as “....though so much distinguished, he was wise...” (75) and “He was a true, a perfect gentle-knight.” (75) by Chaucer, like Viggo Mortenson. Mortenson has also proved he can nail accents and Medieval-inspired roles such as his biggest role, Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
The Squire
For the squire character, the Knight’s son, I would choose the actor Liam Hemsworth. The Squire is a young, handsome man who can talk any lady into bed. He’s described by Chaucer as “A lover and cadet, a lad of fire...He was some twenty years of age, I guessed...wonderful agility and strength” (75) among many other things. The actor to play the Squire would have to be very handsome and very young. The squire character in the Canterbury Tales movie would be the sole reason for any young-female demographic attendance. Liam Hemsworth would be perfect for this role because he is handsome, strong, and growing in popularity in Hollywood. He’s played roles such as Gale in the Hunger Games that shows his strength and the ability to play a knight-like role, and also romantic roles such as Will in The Last Song. The squire would be a very versatile character, so an actor who can play many different roles, such as Hemsworth, would be a perfect choice. Plus, he’s got a killer Australian accent that could be slightly tweaked to sound British; add a wig and you’ve got a squire.
The Wife of Bath
The Wife of Bath, one of the most prominent and unforgettable characters of the Canterbury Tales, would no doubt need to be played by a naturally-born British woman. Chaucer writes her as, “Bold was her face, handsome, and red in hue. A worthy woman all her life, what’s more.” (81). This creates an image in my mind of a curvy woman with strong cheekbones with a crazy prevalent cockney-British accent. For this actress, I would no doubt cast Kate Winslet. She has proven herself as capable of playing almost anything. She has also played many roles native to her British roots, such as Princess Sarah in A Kid in King Arthur’s Court and Ophelia in Hamlet. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, she played Clementine, who was crazy and seductive like the Wife of Bath. Kate Winslet is an easy choice for this one because I know that she has the British-woman characteristics and the ability to play any role she wanted.
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