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“Knight in shining armor” is an idiom describing a heroic savior, originating from romantic representations of knighthood in the Middle Ages. The term became common in the 19th century and is used in both British and American English. The phrase comes from a satirical poem by Henry Pye in 1790, but its figurative meaning relies on the romantic associations of chivalry. The expression characterizes a heroic savior and is often used as a negative comparison.
“Knight in shining armour” is an English idiom describing a heroic savior. The term has its roots in romantic representations of knighthood in the Middle Ages, particularly stories and poems relating to the legendary British hero King Arthur. This expression appears to have originated in the late 18th century, if not earlier, although its figurative meaning became more common during the 19th century. It is equally common in both British and American English, although the British spelling of armor is armor.
The earliest recorded version of the phrase is found in a 1790 satirical poem by the English poet Henry Pye. Pye’s poem contains the line “the knight, clad in shining armour”. While this may be the origin of the phrase, at this point it is merely a description of an idealized age of chivalry rather than a stock phrase. Pye’s poem, however, relied on the romantic associations that would popularize the saying.
The term “knight” comes from “cnicht,” an Old English word that originally meant nothing but a young man. By the Middle Ages, however, it had become the English equivalent of the French “chevalier,” a term that likewise originally meant only a knight but came to have more complicated social meanings. “Knight” came to indicate a social class, as well as the virtues of chivalry. Chivalry was a code of behavior by which knights were expected to demonstrate courage, courtesy, piety, generosity, and other virtues. Medieval literature portrayed knights not only as warriors, but also as heroic defenders of the innocent and paragons of virtue, an image that experienced a resurgence in 19th-century Romantic art and literature.
This romantic conception of chivalry lies behind the expression. The person described as a “knight in shining armor” is characterized as a heroic savior. This can be true even in small things. A person who brings a colleague a cup of coffee at a crucial moment could be described as a “knight in shining armour”. The comparison expresses gratitude somewhat exaggeratedly, using comedy to defuse the minor social unease involved.
“Knight in shining armor” is often used as a negative comparison. Many modern speakers see the image of the chivalrous hero as a banal stereotype, an unrealistic standard for the complexities of real life. “I may not be a knight in shining armor…” is a common form of negative comparison.
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