Final answer:
In 'The Knight's Tale,' May symbolizes a time of renewal and new beginnings, reflecting the romantic themes in the poem. The 'red-cross knight' is a symbol of Christian knights, often associated with medieval romances and the Knights of the Round Table.
Step-by-step explanation:
In "The Knight's Tale" from Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, the month of May is symbolically significant. May typically represents spring, a time of renewal and new beginnings, which echoes the themes of love and fertility often associated with the romance genre. Within the narrative, the blooming of May serves as a backdrop to the courtly love and chivalric quests that the characters undertake. This setting is an apt representation of the romantic themes prevalent throughout the story.
The concept of the 'red-cross knight' as seen in literature represents a Christian knight bearing a red cross, symbolizing service and defense in the name of Christianity and often associated with the Crusades. This iconic figure can be traced back to figures like Saint George, and is romanticized in various works of literature, including medieval romances that revolve around the Knights of the Round Table and their noble deeds, such as those of Sir Lancelot in Tennyson's poems that evoke the Arthurian legends. The imagery of knights and ladies is woven deeply into the romantic and gothic themes of these stories, showcasing a time of valor, courtly love, and medieval heroism.