Courtly Love In Romeo And Juliet

Courtly Love in Romeo and juliet
How does Shakespeare show that Romeo's love for Juliet is real? How do his words and actions
differ from when he said he loved Rosaline?
In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the introduction of Romeo to the audience is haunted by a
melancholic mood. The scene is set in Verona where Romeo's family is worried about him due to his
rejection in love from a woman, Rosaline. However throughout the scenes studied, it seems that love
is the primary driving force behind most of Romeo's actions and words. In general, the theme of
love and the course of it intertwine with the fate of the violent peacefulness of this tragedy. His
determined desolation from his family stirs unease in his cousin, Benvolio. During the course of this
tale, Romeo blooms ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The full appreciation of this new confound feeling allows Romeo to continue his courting of Juliet
with or without her rebuff. His encounter with Juliet could be considered as a 'reality check', to
which he discovers the differences from his fixated crush on Rosaline to the arduous beauty he
compares Juliet to. The unfamiliar sensation begins to broadens his outlook on love; opening his
eyes to a fresh, passionate world.
Shakespeare indicates the sincere affections of Romeo towards Juliet through their dialogue in the
balcony scene, Act 2 Scene 2. Juliet soon teaches Romeo how to love properly and from then
Romeo flourishes to appreciate the true meaning of love. A strong example of this is in the balcony
scene, at which Romeo in his own peril tries to see Juliet. He sets the foundation of this scene when
he begins to compare Juliet to all sorts of things of great beauty. He sees Juliet as light and calls her
'the Sun...' He claims that even the moon, the traditional symbol for a woman's beauty and purity, is
envious of Juliet. This characterization is not merely dramatic. The use of these superlatives is
meant to convey Romeo's deep feelings. When compared to his earlier characterization of Rosaline,
Romeo's tribute to Juliet takes on even more significance. The difference between what Romeo says
of Rosaline and what he says in the "But soft" speech about Juliet emphasises his adoration even
more. His characterization of Rosaline commences with the traditional
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Examples Of Courtly Love In The Knight's Tale
Most honorable men of Ancient England practiced chivalry, and committed themselves to a courtly
love with the woman they wanted. Courtly love emphasizes nobility and chivalry in order to wed the
woman of your dreams. Some may even say Ancient England is where chivalry was invented.
Courtly love is romanticized in the Canterbury Tale's: The Franklin's Tale, The Squire's Tale, and
The Knights Tale. These three short stories encompass Ancient England's idea of courtly love
through the practices of chivalry between knights and noblemen. The Franklin's Tale discusses the
love triangle of a courageous knight named Arveragus, a beautiful young lady named Dorigen, and
the most handsome nobleman named Aurelius. Arveragus and Dorigen wed, but Arveragus must
leave for two years for work. During this time Dorigen becomes lonely, and Aurelius decides to
attempt to win her over. However, she gives him a task that he surely can't complete in order to have
her. He uses a student's magic in order to complete the task, but when he attempts to claim his prize
of Dorigen, Arveragus than arrives back home. Dorigen explains ... Show more content on
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The love story here is of two young knights Arcite and Palamon and their love for Emilie. They both
face challenges along the way, but agree to joust for the love of Emilie. This explains the type of
courtly love where two men agree to fight for that of a young woman's love. The stage becomes set
for not a joust but a war. Both knights pray to two different gods. Arcite prays to Mercury the god of
War, and Palamon prays to Venus the goddess of love. Arcite indeed wins the war, but does not win
the girl as Palamon does. It is understood that because Palamon prays to the goddess of love that he
is more deserving of Emilie's love. Here courtly love is demonstrating because Palamon fought
solely for the honor of Emilie's love, whereas Arcite fought only to win the

Courtly Love Today
Courtly love is interesting, and a large influencer of modern love. Many people associate certain
things such as jealousy and a willingness to do anything for someone as love and why people get
married and have children, but people not too long ago got married for many other reasons, and
never for the reasons people do today. There are also some similarities between then and now as far
as love is concerned. Courtly love was a kind of love that came about in the Medieval times between
a usually married lady and a man that she was not married to. It came about because society said
that marriage was not for love, but for social status and to strengthen the bond between two families.
The Catholic church also said that passion in love was sinful and forbidden, and therefore, if
someone felt passion for a partner, they could not be with that person. Love was supposed to be
dutiful and economical, not something that was wonderful and happy. This is why courtly love was
formed outside of marriage and stayed there; it was adulterous, serving only to the other person, and
had no purpose other than to be emotionally fulfilling (Delahoyde). ... Show more content on
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The biggest difference is that if a woman today is treated the way a lady was then when she was
being courted, more than likely she would marry him soon. However, if a woman today was already
married or in a committed relationship today and a man began making courtly love type advances
towards her, these advances would not be received kindly. This is because most relationships today
are for love, not social status, so the couple is already completely in love. Another big difference is
that today, woman sometimes make the first move. This was not allowed at all during medieval
times, both because a woman was almost always married before these courtly love relationships
began, and society greatly frowned upon the idea that women could make decisions on her own

Courtly Love In The Knight's Tale
The Canterbury Tales, an anthology or collection of short stories was written by Geoffrey Chaucer,
as he participated in the pilgrimage to Canterbury with 29 other pilgrims by his side. During their
travels, each of them are responsible for telling four tales; and the pilgrim which tells the best tale
will receive dinner by the group. As four stories are to be told by each of the pilgrims, each tale
differs significantly as well as the themes of each. "The Wife of Bath's Tale" and "The Knight's
Tale" do share common characteristics, by building off of the ideas of the Knight's Code of Chivalry.
Whether humorous or representing the gravity of a person's decision, Knight's Code of Chivalry and
Art of Courtly Love can be discovered in the two ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When in fact, they have two different morals relating to the Knight's Code of respecting women.
"The Wife of Bath's Tale" shows the reader that all women want choices in life. When the old wife
of the Knight was able to make her own decision about her appearance, both of them were able to
have a prosperous and meaningful marriage. In addition to, Chaucer reiterates that women or all
females are also humans. They are not secondary humans, or any less than a man. In further detail,
the same respect that is given by males to their counterparts, that same respect should most
definitely be given to females to the least.
During both Tales we also incorporate two statements from the Art of Courtly Love. The Art of
Courtly Love, it states "Love is always increasing or decreasing" and "Real jealousy increases the
act of love." This is also used in our modern age of relationships. Through marriages and
anniversaries, there is loving increasing. While when two lovers begin to separate it is when love
begins to decrease. In a negative view, we can see when a lover previously in a relationship became
jealous, they can become jealous–hearted. These statements on love we experience regularly today,
is also present in both

Origins Of Courtly Love
The History of Courtly Love The idea of courtly love originated with the troubadours, a group of
medieval entertainers during the late 11th century (Simpson). Courtly love was a special kind of
love that came to be associated with the romantic thoughts and actions of upper–class men and
women. The romance of courtly love was practiced during the middle ages and was combined with
the code of chivalry (Courtly Love). Origins of courtly love was obscure (Harpus 39). Literacy,
before it established itself as a popular real life activity, courtly love first gained attention as a
subject and a theme in imagination literature (Simpson). Origins of courtly love were to believe to
be in Aquitaine in France in the 12th century (Courtly Love). In the ... Show more content on
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Adulterous "fine love" almost by definition was extramarital (Simpson). As its name implies,
courtly love was practiced by the noble lords and ladies was known as Aristocratic (Simpson). King
Arthurs Camelot was shaped largely by the dual conventions of the chivalric code and courtly love
(Day 93).King Arthur was seen at the greatest monarch of the age ruled by the ideals of chivalry and
romantic love (Day 158). Around this time the Celts excessed (Fife 89). In late romance, Gawain
and the Green Knight was written in Lancashire dialect of the 14th century, while the Middle
English sizzles with eroticism (Fife

Courtly And Secular Love Analysis
Throughout history, love has been portrayed in numerous perspectives ranging from physical to
emotional love. Literary works from various backgrounds provide distinctive interpretations of love.
Marie de France along with medieval lyric poets touch upon topics revolving around love and
spiritual affection. The pieces provide different treatments on courtly and secular love, illustrating
the comparison between the physical and emotional aspect as well. Courtly love draws from the
characteristics of passionate affections between nobles with someone other than their spouse (Doan,
courtly source). The treatment of love reveals the different cultural backgrounds and personal
perception of love through their uses of figurative language and ... Show more content on
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This depiction provides the authors perspective on courtly love which contradicts modern views of
love. The husband is shown to be more of a villain, contradicting modern views where the one
having an affair is typically viewed more negative. Marie de France portrayal of the love and
specifically courtly love contrasts with modern day views. However, her works provide perspectives
of love base on her culture and time through the use of figurative language and symbolism to depict
of courtly love.
Additionally, Ibn Zaydun, an Arabian lyric poet also uses figurative language in his literature to
depict his sentiments towards spiritual love. Ibn Zaydun highlights the surrounding nature in order
to portray the peace of his love. He describes, "When I see the silver/Coiling waterways/Like
necklaces detached from throats..." (book324). He utilizes figurative language to express his
emotional love by comparing the surrounding beauty of nature to his "pure love". He addresses the
abandonment from his lover by ending his description of nature towards the end. This provides the
conclusion of his lover's affection towards him. Ibn Zaydun and Marie de France both use figurative
language in order to convey their sentiments of emotional and spiritual love.
On the other hand, poets use figurative language in order to convey physical attraction and portray
their perspective on secular love. William IX, a French medieval lyricist,

Essay about Courtly Love
During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and
her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship
between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He
owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor
(Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, "A true lover considers nothing good
except what he thinks will please his beloved". The stories of Marie de France and Chrétien de
Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love.
According to Capellanus, "Good character alone makes any man worthy of love". In Lanval, the
fairy lover chooses ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At his first encounter with a maiden, he greets her and seeks to please her, albeit clumsily. When the
maiden at King Arthur's court is struck by Kay, Perceval pledges that "she will be well avenged"
before he dies (Lawall 1340). When the maiden Belrepeire comes to him at night, pleading for
protection, Perceval comforts her and promises to "restore peace to all [her] land" (Lawall 1348).
Perceval sees the maiden's request as "an opportunity for [him] to win fame" (Lawall 1347). His
love for inspires her to do bold, daring deeds. He therefore boldly defends the castle against the
besiegers, winning the love and heart of the maiden. Perceval is kind to every maiden he meets.
When he encounters a maiden weeping over a dead knight, he inquires after the matter. When he
meets the maiden whose lover has forced her into penance, he seeks to comfort her.
A good lover also treats his beloved with respect. Perceval's mother tells him that the man "who
wins a kiss from a maiden receives much" (Lawall 1334). She advises Perceval not to take more
than a kiss from a maiden. Perceval takes her advice too literally when he kisses the first maiden he
meets "willy–nilly twenty times without stopping" (Lawall 1335). However, when the maiden at
Belrepeire comes to him in the night partially unclothed, Perceval does nothing more than kiss her.
Capellanus further states that "every act of a lover ends with in the thought of his beloved".
Perceval's mind is often on

Andreas Capellanus Courtly Love
Andreas Capellanus's book, De Amor (about love), written sometime between 1186–1190, is a book
many contemporary historians use to delineate their understanding of courtly love and its
prominence during medieval times. In the articles titled, "The Courtly Model" by George Duby, and
"Andreas Capellanus's Scholastic definition of Love" by Don A. Monson, one can see two unique
interpretations to Capellanus's work. For this short reflection, I will first provide the major
differences in both authors' interpretations, while also using their evidence to either support or
undermine my own interpretation of the source.
In Duby's article, he argues that Capellanus's work is not a "primer on courtly love but a critique."
While both authors agree of

Courtly Love In The Middle Ages
Love as a concept in general has evolved greatly over the several millennia of human civilization,
but in particular the concept of courtly love has changed greatly in perception. Courtly love is the
concept of a noble and pure but illicit love, often between a knight or nobleman and a married
noblewoman. Courtly love was seen as a beautiful thing in the high Middle Ages, but throughout the
late Middle Ages and on to modern times the concept of courtly love has taken on much more
negative contexts; being seen as, among other things, infidelity, extramarital affairs, cheating, and
adultery. Currently, there are many varying viewpoints on whether courtly love is wrong or not, but
in the high Middle Ages it was seen as noble and pure.
Courtly ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These historians may view the Middle Ages as dominated by a "prudish or patriarchal" theocracy,
and therefore courtly love as a humanist reaction to the restrictions of the Catholic Church (Birkan
2011). Courtly love can be seen as the exaltation of femininity as a "spiritual, moral, and ennobling"
concept (Birkan 2011). However, this point may be argued against, as O'Pry Reynolds says; "It
seems indirectly that he lays the blame at Guinevere's feet because Lancelot has not given in to this
point and is able to resist all other instances of temptation" (2013). If courtly love was an exaltation
of femininity, theoretically Guinevere would be equally as guilty or innocent as Lancelot.
Regardless, these historians also commonly see the condemnation of courtly love as the Church's
attempt to put down this "sexual rebellion" (Birkan

Chivalry And Courtly Love In The Knight's Tale
In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer tells "The Knight's Tale", a story of the two knights
Palamon and Arcite who fall deeply in love with Princess Emily, a member of Theseus' kingdom.
Even though both knights are imprisoned within a tower, each finds a way to escape jail and try to
win Emily. Ultimately, this leads to a duel between the two knights for which the prize is the hand of
Emily. Chaucer uses the knights to reflect the very male–oriented time period through the strong
chivalry and courtly love displayed towards Emily, when in reality, he was trying to expose the
flaws of the chivalric code, which led to the deadly feud between two fellow knights. Essentially,
Chaucer is holding up a magnifying glass to what people of the ... Show more content on
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To start, the two royal knights were acting like children fighting over the same girl. At one point,
Palamon claims that he "loved her first, and told you [Arcite] of my woe" (1146). This reaction of
the 'I saw it first' variety is one that is expected from children who are fighting over something,
rather than that of two stately knights. Using honorable methods means that both knights should
have worked to settle their quarrel in a civil manner, rather than resorting to childish behavior. In
addition, both are caught by Theseus arguing over Emily, something that Theseus believes is
punishable by death. As a knight, it is expected that you follow the law, so being caught committing
a crime is known to be very bad. Although Theseus did not sentence them to death, he does tell them
they need to "bring a hundred knights, / Armed for the lists, prepared to fight, / Ready to lay claim to
her in battle." (1851–1853). Therefore, their non–chivalric behavior led them to duel each other over
a woman. Andreas Capellanus defined the eighteenth rule of love as "Good character is the one real
requirement for worthiness of love." By engaging in criminal behavior, they violated this important
rule and thus upended the values of chivalric love.
Courtly love is a ritual designed to be performed over a series of years, yet in "The Knight's Tale",

Courtly Love Essay
Srishti Mittal
Prof. Alison Cornish
Texts and Ideas: Sex and the City
Creative Project
Can we follow the art of Courtly Love today?
De Amore, written by Andreas Capellanus is a treatise about the art of courtly love. Douglas Kelly,
in his article mentions that, "This disconcerting treatise provides us with the only true art of courtly
love that we possess, but it also contains a very harsh attack against love. The antithetical attitude
towards love is all the more astonishing because Andreas, although a churchman, devoted far more
space to the instruction on how to love and the praise of love than to the attack on it" (Kelly, 1968,
p.119).
I thought it would be interesting to know about the views of the young generation on the art of ...
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Therefore, I believe that blind people are better at love than us because they know the true value of
being in love. A lot of times, we take love for granted and feel that it's not hard to find. But we never
understand how hard it is for some people, specially the ones with impairments and how much one
needs to struggle to have someone in their lives who loves them unconditionally.
I completely disagree with the limitations of age to love. I think someone can fall in love when they
are fifty and also when they are fifteen. For example, my aunt was unmarried till she was fifty two.
She just never found someone who she loved deeply but she continued to look for love. But at the
age of fifty two, she met her husband and they fell in love. So, I do not think that age should be a
factor in love. I think a person can fall in love at any time in their lives.
And as far as excess of passion is concerned, I feel that for some people, one woman/man is never
enough and they still might continue to love more than one person. I think it is okay for a person to
constantly shift lovers as long as they find someone who they can love forever and then spend the
rest of their life with that person.
Interviewee 2 from Jaipur, India : First of all, I think that people feel love differently. I disagree with
him when he says that blind people cannot love. I know of many blind people who are in love. I
think they feel love more strongly. This is maybe

Charlemagne's Code Of Chivalry, Courtly Love
In chivalry, Courtly love is something that most men in those times needed. In this statement, "a
man is shot by an arrow from Cupid, and a woman is the only person who can heal that man's
wound," shows that men that are attracted to the female of his desire, that they will do anything they
can to win the heart of that woman.
This code was introduced by the Duke of Burgandy in 14th Century, and still is applied today.
Chivalry was to be followed with Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance,
Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, and Valor, which is stated and described in "Code of
Chivalry described by the Duke of Burgandy." The code of chivalry was found in an epic called,
"The Song of Roland" where the emperor Charlemagne was presented. It was originally described as
"Charlemagne's Code of Chivalry." It was written in the years of 1098–1100, and described betrayal
and loyalty. This was a great example of the code of chivalry for the people and the knights. ... Show
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The code of chivalry states that men must follow these certain rules to become a man, like opening
the door for a lady, or even tipping your hat to a lady. In the Anglo–Saxon times, chivalry covered
up the feudal system. The man will go to war for the lady to show her that he holds courage and
honor. For a knight's code of chivalry, the knights were to calm their angry side and possible replace
it with the chivalry code. Oaths were taken to account to ensure that these men kept their word when
following the code of chivalry. This will stress etiquette and respect towards the lady he is trying to

Knighthood and Courtly Love in the Time of King Arthur Essay
Chivalry was considered to be the code of behavior expected of a knight. It was the conduct, ideas,
and ideals of the knightly class of the Middle Ages. It became standardized and referred to as
chivalry, a term derived from the French word chevalier, meaning knight. The code urged the knight
to be brave, courageous, honorable, true to his word, and loyal to his feudal overlord, and to defend
his Church. A knight was truthful, honest, capable, educated, physically fit, noble, sincere, and
subservient to the king. A serious violation of these vows could result in a knight being classed as an
undignified knight, which was the ultimate insult because of all the hard work that was put into
becoming a knight. It made it seem as if all of work ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Perceval remains a very impressionable young boy and his mother teaches him loyalty. For that,
Perceval loves him mother dearly. Perceval may not have been the most sophisticated man around,
however, when he did know how to do something he did it exceedingly well. He could not forget his
love for his God though. God was a huge factor for knights and their beliefs. "Perceval, the story
relates, had lost his memory so totally that he no longer remembered God." (Story of the Grail, 457)
Once Perceval found his way back to God, he was seen as the better knight because of his love for
Him. Ultimately, Perceval is the one who is graced with being able to see the grail because he was
such a simple, hardworking fellow. He did not abuse his strengths or downplay his weaknesses.
The other side of this story revolves around Gawain, a knight and a stickler for the rules. He was a
very knowledgeable knight; he knew much about courtly love and was the complete opposite of
young Perceval. Gawain was a big, strong knight who was very loyal to King Arthur and served as
one of his advisors. Even though Gawain was commendable, his lacked the spirituality that Perceval
possessed. This made a big difference in who saw the grail and who didn't. One had to be loyal to
the king, the queen and God. Because Gawain wasn't loyal to God and too caught up in the rules of
being

A Brief Description of the Concept of Courtly Love
For a brief description of the concept of "courtly love", a few characteristics must be highlighted.
Courtly love appeared in Provence (southern France) in the eleventh century. It consists on the
expression of love in its most sincere, chivalric and noble form. It tended to be chaste and
adulterous. It was also secret and, in general, always took place between the members of the higher
classes of society. Andreas Capellanus defines it in The Art of Courtly Love as "the pure love which
binds together the hearts of two lovers with every feeling of delight. This kind consists on the
contemplation of the mind and the affection of the heart; it goes as far as the kiss and the embrace
and the modest contact with the nude lover, omitting the final solace, for that is not permitted for
those who wish to love purely. [...] That is called mixed love which gets its effect from every delight
of the flesh and culminates in the final act of Venus" (p.122). In Capellanus' definition, it seems to
me, that the previous elements mentioned are placed out of the game of love, as long as we consider
courtly love to be expressed by the total submission of a young man towards his lady. The fulfilment
of the souls in courtly love can rarely be obtained, because there is no equality in the relationship of
the individuals. The lover's love is immanently pure, genuine in essence, but the beloved is usually
characterized as unachievable because her self is so perfect that there is not much the lover can

Courtly Love Research Paper
From the 31 Rules of Courtly Love, I agree strongly with rule 31. It states Nothing forbids one
woman being loved by two men or one man by two women. Equally important there are many
examples displayed of this type of love all over. For instance the television show Love and Hip Hop
Atlanta that is broadcasted on VH1, it's one man and two women. Another example includes Sister
Wives that broadcasts on TLC which is a television show that involves one man and five wives.
However, the movie Twilight also has a love triangle with two men and one woman. Additionally,
the most accepted are in a common religion of Muslims, one man, and up to four wives. This form
of Courtly Love is now a practice that is showcased to the world in a manner of explanation.
Love and Hip Hop Atlanta is about wives, fiances, girlfriends, and or parents who are famous
mainly in the music industry. The couple that was previously mentioned is going to be given fake
names Robert, Merissa, and Taylor. Robert and Taylor were dating first she found out he was
cheating on her with Merissa so they broke up. Merissa and Robert stopped speaking as well. Robert
decided since he loved the both of them to work it out amongst themselves. Now they all live
together and Taylor has a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The people that practice this religion are not oppose to marrying more than one wife. In the Quran, it
states that a man is allowed to marry up to four wives. It also states that if a man does marry
multiple wives there are rules that he must obey. The first is the original wife or the first wife must
agree to let her husband take another wife. Secondly, if the man takes up multiple wives he must
provide for the both of them. Meaning if they don't all live together and one of the wives live in a
separate home, this newlywed husband must pay the bills for two households. Lastly, if the man
cannot afford his wives he is then only allowed to have

The Law of Chevalrie: Courtly Love Essay
Introduction:
In an era of frequent violence between knights and kingdoms, there had to be an order for which the
sword–wielders could follow so that there would not be uncontrollable bloodshed. In order for there
to be a set of laws established for the knights of the Anglo–Saxon era, the law of chevalrie was
created. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has some insight into the rules of chivalry concerning one
specifically: courtly love. The rules of "courtly love" require wit and deceit with an intention of
good behind it. The chivalric rules in this aspect require a good and clever battle with words rather
than swords.
Key Passage:
Smiling gently and courteously they made playful speech,
So that all that passed between them was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Cortaysye, or corteisie, is what the knight is worrying about how to apply to his awkward situation.
This is a word to describe the essence of courtliness: courtly ceremony, refinement, and courtesy.
His struggle is to apply this courtesy, while turning down a lady of "high worth", which would be
considered disrespectful. He knows that what the lady is requesting of him is wrong, and he fears
that he would "shame himself" by committing this crime. The word that they used to translate into
this is meschef. This word, which happens to be similar to our modern word, "mischief", means a
number of things that could be used to apply to this situation. Not only would he bring "ill–fortune,
hardship; suffering, woe" upon himself, but also ironically, the definition according to chess is
"trouble, difficulty (of facing a possible check–mate)". And even worse, in accordance to law,
"offence, wrong (in breach of the law, a statute etc.)."
Chivalry was an established set of laws to first and foremost protect the people and the land from
and overdose of bloodshed and mayhem that the knights could cause. Even though they were
frequently violent with each other, they could experience and practice the courtesies of the court
when they were not in battle because of the laws of chivalry (Keen 103). Medieval England had
violent

Similarities Between Courtly Love And Chivalry
Throughout the medieval era there are two ideas that help identify the style and theme of writing
poets and authors wrote in. One idea used is courtly love. Courtly love is on overpowering,
overwhelming, and outgoing love that a woman has for her suitor. Many times this never ending
loves causes either the lady of man to do unexplainable actions. On the other than chivalry is
another idea did played a big part in influencing the writings throughout this era. .Chivalry is any
behavior that fall under the knightly conduct code. Examples of this are caring, kind, being a
gentleman, loyal, truthful, and faithful. These actions are found in the knights conduct code because
they were behavioral traits usually found amongst knights.
Though different both courtly love and chivalry are related. Chivalry is one of many manners due to
courtly love. Both of themes are crucial in forming themes and plots in medieval stories and ballads.
The ideas of chivalry and courtly love are important because they help form, teach a lesson, and get
the authors point across in medieval writings.
To begin the idea of both chivalry and courtly love can be used together to prove a point in a
medieval story. They are both used to keep the plot going and they can both b used to get a
Dorcinvil 2 point across. In "The Honeysuckle: Chevrefoil the courtly love between the two causes
Tristan to be chivalrous. If it were not for the love between the two he would not have acted out of
chivalry to make a signal

Rules Of Courtly Love
To me having rules for love is absurd. I believe when you put rules on something it creates an
unnatural dynamic to any friendship, relationship or marriage. Times have changed obviously and
even though there is no set of "Rules of Courtly Love" nowadays we as human beings have our own
belief system. The way we were brought up through our parents, our values and beliefs mold our
own set of rules without an realizing it. For instance, some women might go out on a first date with
guy and have a set of rules they abide by. One rule might be that she does not kiss on the first date
no matter what. Let's keep this in mind though. What if the guy that is taking her out is being
genuine and doing a great job by courting the lady. Picking her up, planning the night out, showing
her a good time, getting to know her by asking questions that he is genuinely interested in her. She
may feel inside that she is taking a liking to the man and is starting to become attracted to him. Now
inside maybe she feels like she would kiss him back if he tried to kiss her goodnight because of the
great job the man had been doing all night on the date. Well thanks to "rules" she will be holding
back her true innate feelings towards the man and situation that night. ... Show more content on
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Only if it was that easy in real life, or is

The Aspects Of Medieval Courtly Love In The Middle Ages
Knights in armor, damsels in distress, heroic quests, masquerade balls–this was the essence of
romance in the Middle Ages. In medieval European literature, love is for the nobility, chivalrous,
and virtuous. Andreas Capellanus defined courtly love as "Love is a certain inborn suffering derived
from the sight of and excessive meditation upon the beauty of the opposite sex, which causes each
one to wish above all things the embraces of the other and by a common desire to carry out all of
love's precepts in the other's embraces." Capellanus 28) In other words love and suffering go hand–
in–hand, much like modern love. Capellanus gives the "Rules of Love" (1) governing how men and
women should behave in relationships. Compared to the modern–day idea of love, courtly love
rarely had a happy ending. Before the 18th century, marriages were usually business arrangements
that brought material advantages for everyone involved. Romance in the Middle Ages was mainly
combined with Chivalry. In the Legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, King
Arthur's Queen. Guinevere, fell in love with his right–hand and fellow knight, Sir Lancelot. This is
an example of one of the many illicit court romances that occurred due to the art of Medieval
Courtly Love. Modern–day movies and tv–shows that are set in the Middle Ages (such as Narnia,
Princess Bride, Galavant) value chivalry. The audience (mostly women) are supposed to fall in love
with the main male character, who is usually a

Courtly Love Essay
Courtly Love
"'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" (Miriam–Webster 253). This quote
has been used for centuries as both persuasion in favor of loving and also as comfort in times of
heartbreak and loss. However, is this statement completely true, or does it offer false hope to
anguishing lovers? In fact, are the rules and costs of loving and being loved so great that in fact it is
actually better to never have loved at all? When pondering these questions, one must first consider
the rules of loving and being loved to determine the physical, emotional, and psychological costs
they entail. In order to do so, one could use Andreas Capellanus' The Art of Courtly Love as a
guideline for the rules of love. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Initially, the theme of courtly love surfaces in Undset's story in the life of Lavrans Bjorgulfson.
Lavrans, who belongs to highly regarded linage in Norway known as the sons of Lagmand, is the
father of the story's main character Kristin. Early on in his life "Lavrans was married at a young age;
he was only twenty–eight...but after his marriage he lived quietly on his own estate...rather moody
and melancholy and did not thrive among the people in the south" (Undset 3). In regards to this
situation, Capellanus' sixth rule of courtly love states, "Boys do not love until they arrive at the age
of maturity" (Capellanus #6). After marrying his wife at an age considered young during his time,
Lavrans is not mature enough respect his wife's desire to settle in her native land and except the
lifestyle he leads there. It is not until years later that Lavrans gains the maturity necessary to do so
and is able to truly love his wife without holding any resentment towards her. As the story
progresses, Lavrans' wife Ragnfrid's attraction to her husband is explained, "he was known as a
strong and courageous man, but a peaceful soul, honest and calm, humble in conduct but courtly in
bearing" (Undset 4). Rule eighteen of The Art of Courtly Love says, "Good character

Courtly Love
Love is the intangible force that binds two people together. In Andreas Capellanus's The Art of
Courtly Love, it states that "Love makes an ugly and rude person shine with all beauty, knows how
to endow with nobility even one of humble birth, can even lend humility to the proud." This means
that true love can transform the flaws in different people. In Geoffrey Chaucer's poem "The Wife of
Bath's Tale" from the "The Canterbury Tales", this idea is reflected by the love between a knight and
an old crone. The knight is saddened by the fact that he is forced to marry such an ugly, poor, low
class woman but once he shows her true love she transforms to a beautiful young woman that is
faithful and loyal, and he no longer sees her as poor and low ... Show more content on
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You're old, and so abominably plain, So poor to start with, so low–bred to follow; It's little wonder if
I twist and wallow!" (Lines 275–278) Here the knight says how he is unhappy that he was forced to
marry such a old, plain, poor and low class woman. There was no love between them at this point so
all of the big flaws in them stood out and their marriage was unhappy. In response the wife gives the
knight a choice "To have me old and ugly till I die, But still a loyal, true, and humble wife That
never will displease you all her life, Or would you rather I were young and pretty And chance your
arm what happens in a city, Where friends will visit you because of me," (Lines 396–401) Here she
gives him a choice to have her old and loyal or young and sleeping with other guys. There was no
true love at this point so their marriage would be unhappy with either choice and their flaws were
still apparent. But in the end the knight shows her love and says "At last he said, with all the care in
life, "My lady and my love, my dearest wife, I leave the matter to your wise decision... Whatever
pleases you suffices me." (Lines 406–408) Here the knight begins to love her and when he opens his
eyes the woman becomes both young, loyal and rich in charms. Her flaws did not matter to him any

The Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and...
The Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 1:
Consolation of Philosophy, written by Boethius 1. Boethius was a popular member of the senatorial
family. He was a philosopher that agreed with Plato that government should be solely in the hands
of wise men. After becoming consul, charges of treason were brought against him. He lived in a
time in Roman society when everyone was mainly Christian. He was an Arian Christian and
believed that Christ was neither truly God nor truly man. Because of his beliefs, he was seen as a
heretic in the eyes of the Roman Church. This religious controversy was the root of many of
Boethius's beliefs and writings. 2. The literary genre of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
"Philosophy argues that misfortune is more beneficial than good fortune, for good fortune deceives,
but misfortune teaches" (Boethius, 40). The valuable lessons that bad luck and misfortune teaches a
person is to live life modestly, appreciate everything that you have, be humble, and don't take
anything for granted. Lady Philosophy advises to reach the point in the wheel where good and bad
fortune are equal and then a person won't need either to be happy. If you have God and know
yourself, than a person doesn't need either to be truly happy. 4. Boethius relates the human
experience of destiny/fate and the divine foreknowledge/providence by interpreting their meanings
in real life. "Providence is the immovable and simple form of all things which come into being,
while Fate is the moving connection and temporal order of all things which the divine simplicity has
decided to bring into being" (Boethius, 92). Boethius says that providence is what happens in one
second for God and fate is what happens in the course of a lifetime for human beings. He suggests
that God knows the end of our lives right from the beginning but he doesn't necessarily know each
individual action or thought that it will take for a person to get there. Fate on the other hand is free
will. Human beings determine what courses of actions to take in a lifetime, but ultimately, God

Courtly Love in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay
Courtly love–an expression of passion, a token of intimacy, and a vibrant theme which permeates
the spirit of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Energetic and enterprising, young James Gatz
ascends the social ladder to become a grossly successful and affluent businessman, all driven by a
single purpose: to win the beautiful Daisy's heart. Gatsby plays his role as Daisy's courtly lover by
his ambitions to satisfy his sincere, undying ardor and to prove his commitment to Daisy's
wellbeing. The conventions of courtly love stem from the precise chivalric code of knights in the
Middle Ages and passionate romances of European medieval folklore. Fantastic tales of dauntless
knights and their fair damsels, often set in King Arthur's kingdom ... Show more content on
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By the mid–fourteenth century, courtly love became an accustomed behavior. The heart of courtly
love grew to demand a knight's complete obedience to his mistress under his honor and courtesy, by
means of taxing ordeals to prove his enduring commitment to her. The resulting relationship would
be characterized by full expressions of mutual lust and love. Fast–forward to America during the
Roaring Twenties and romantic love had long become the basis of most marriages, but the great Jay
Gatsby revives the medieval style of courtship to address his deep affection for his beauteous lover.
Gatsby's unrelenting desire to prove his worth to Daisy motivates him to take long strides away
from his lowly farm life to a high status of wealth and courtly sophistication. Like the poor knights
often coming from the bottom of the feudal estates, Gatsby materializes from humble origins. His
parents "were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people," but Gatsby dedicates himself to "His Father's
business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty," in an attitude closely resembling a
medieval knight's binding oath to serve the Lord. (100) Gatsby restlessly chases the elusive wisps of
his aspirations, "bound to get ahead" (176), when suddenly another "meretricious beauty" intervenes
to claim his life purpose–Daisy. By chance, Gatsby encounters the enchanting maiden and catches
himself falling in love.

Empowering Women through Courtly Love Essay
During the Medieval time period, a woman would generally be forced to depend upon a man for her
livelihood. However, in the world of courtly love, some could say that this was the first idea of
goddess worship. Where the man is unable to survive without his beloved. As a result of this, her
love causes him to achieve noble deeds, and become obedient to her in hopes of winning her
affection. In The Lais of Marie de France, specifically Chevrefoil and Yonec, the author does not
follow all of the rules of courtly love, yet she does illustrate to the reader the relationship between
the man and his woman. She describes the beauty, intelligence, and wisdom of her female
characters, giving them power over the men who love them. While Marie de ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
She is the one with the upper hand in the relationship, and the one with more power. The queen not
only fails to express her sadness during times of separation, but she also fails to verbally express her
love and need for him. This also gives her more power, leaving the man vulnerable and feeling as
though he must fulfill her every desire in order to win her love. Throughout Chevrefoil, the queen
never proclaims her love for Tristram. Instead, the only time her love for him is declared is when
Tristram himself declares it: "Sweet love, so it is with us: without me you cannot survive, nor I
without you" ("Chevrefoil" 110). At this point, it is unclear to the reader if the queen actually loves
him, or if she is just using the power she holds over him to get what she wants. Through Tristram's
declaration of love, it is very evident that he is unable to survive without her. He would certainly
stop at nothing to keep the queen at his side, as his nobility depends on it. In Yonec, the woman
continues to use the man as she sees fit. After being locked in a tower for years, "the lady is in great
distress" ("Yonec" 86). Burgess describes the man she was married to as intensely jealous. At this
point, the lady is yearning for a man, and when one just happens to conveniently appear in her
chamber and professes his undying love for her, she is overwhelmingly quick to take advantage

Essay on Courtly Love and Rondeau Form
Courtly Love and Rondeau Form
Both Adieu m'amour, adieu ma joye by Dufay and Le souvenir de vous me tue by Morton are the
songs of the courtly love and, they are composed in the rondeau form. From one point of view, the
form of the music, rondeau, may be too specific in terms of the melody order to express the poem of
the courtly love which is about a man's feelings of distant love. However, in these two specific
songs, Dufay and Morton used their clever criativities to let the repetition of the melodies and the
poem fit naturally to the overall flow of the songs.
According to Michael Freeman in "The World of Courtly Love," the style of music of the courtly
love was developped by the "troubadours" who were musicians as well as ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Le souvenir . .
Car je . . .
The first set of the poem goes with the melody A, the second set goes with the melody B, the third
set goes with the melody a (*since this poem is different from the first set of the poem, even though
the melody is the same, it needs to be indicated with "small a".) Then, the poem from the first set
returns with the melody A again. The fifth set of the poem comes in with the melody a (*) then, the
sixth set of the poem comes in with the melody b (**since this poem is different from the second set
of the poem, even though the melody is the same, it needs to be indicated with "small b".) Finally,
the same sets of poem and the melodies from the first and the second combinations return at the end.
Then, the form of rondeau, A–B–a–A–a–b–A–B, is completed.
However, why did Morton, in the case of Le souvenir de vous me tue, need to have this specific
combinations of the verses of the poem and the melody? Every section of the poem only contains
two lines and, there are more notes in the melody than the numbers of the syllable in the poem. So,
if he wants, it may be possible to exchange the melody A for melody B in any part of the song. In
case of the Adieu m'amour, adieu ma joye, the difference in number of lines of poem would
specifies the combinations of the poem and the melody in its basic level. However, it is not the only
reason to decide the

Courtly Love and Mediieval Romance
Introduction
The familiarity with the love tradition makes it easily mistakable for a natural and universal
phenomenon and even brings a laxity of enquiring into its origins. However, it is difficult of not
impossible to show love to be anything more than an artistic phenomenon or construct– a literary
per formative innovation of Middle Ages. Courtly love was a medieval European formation of
nobly, and politely expressing love and admiration. Courtly love was secret and between members
of the nobility. (Simpson).
The term "courtly love" was first popularized by Gaston Paris in 1883. It has since come under a
wide variety of definitions and uses, even being brushed off as nineteenth–century romantic fiction.
Its understanding, beginning, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In essence, courtly love was an experience between erotic desire and spiritual attainment that now
seems contradictory as "a love at once illicit and morally inspiring, passionate and disciplined,
mortifying and exalting, human and inspirational" (Newman).
History
Many scholars who have believed that courtly love was a historical development rely on historical
literature. Courtly love is believed to have begun in southern France in the ducal princely courts of
Aquitaine, Provence, and Champagne, ducal Burgundy and the Norman Kingdom of Sicily, a
sufficiently peaceful yet isolated region, that was perfect to birth and develop such a movement
from around the time of the First Crusade in 1099. In fact, many literary giants (Avignon, Toulouse,
Nimes under the domaine of Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine) retreated in this region. In addition, the
leisure class, the wealthy, and the self–sufficient society discovered a new craze in this area. The
areas courts attracted intellectuals from all over, as the South was more liberal and pluralistic, with
Arabs, Jews and Byzantines being among the residents of the area. Perhaps, even the men
outnumbered the women in South France.
Eleanor of Aquitaine brought the ideals of courtly love from Aquitaine to the court of France then to
England where she was a queen to two kings. Her daughter Marie, who was the Countess of
Champagne, introduced courtly love to the Count of

The Art Of Courtly Love
The art of courtly love is difficult to pinpoint because there are many facets that extend into different
areas. In the Pre–Raphaelite and Medieval periods, love was more formulated with rules, moral
standards, and codes. Courtly love is often seen as the "love" practiced by kings, queens, and other
nobility because of the mystique that surrounds legendary stories like Lancelot and Guinevere.
Courtly love encompasses spiritual awakening, lust, passion, adultery, and religion; therefore, the art
of courtly love intrigues as well as interests its readers.
Many critics have studied the effects of courtly love in literature and have come to the conclusion
that courtly love was not only linked to Christianity, but that courtly love was also linked

The Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love Essays
The Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love
Two conflicting disciplines are prevalent throughout Arthurian Legend; that of chivalry and that of
courtly love. The ideal of each clash throughout the medieval tales, and it is impossible to interfuse
the two models for society. Chivalry is a masculine code, an aggressive discipline, whereas courtly
love is based upon women – their needs, wants, and desires. The consistent problem if Lancelot and
Guinevere's adulterous relationship in different tellings of the affair relates back to the differences
presented in chivalric code and courtly love ideals.
The chivalric code speaks of "brave conquerors" waging war against the Seven deadly
Sins(Schofield 5). The knight places all thought ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
On the other hand, though, there is the court conception that adulterous love is virtuous, despite the
fact that engaging in such love, secrets become deceitful and deception a way of life. The deception
of Lancelot to King Arthur by his affair with Guinevere is not viewed by Arthur to be adulterous. He
does not get mad at Lancelot for the affair, rather the fact that he as a knight has broken the chivalric
code; the code among knights that specifies actions to be honest, noble, and virtuous. Because
Lancelot is a knight, his discipline is that of the knights – the chivalric code. Because of this, he
commits an act of treason with his relationship with Guinevere.
Guinevere, being a lady of the court, abides to the dictates of courtly love. Courtly love is a code
created by the court poets in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, under the promotion of Marie de
Champagne. There is more of a social code than a written law that is adhered to. It is, rather, a
fanciful trend that hits the courts of the nobility. Courtly love actually condones fornication,
adultery, sacrilege, but represents them as a necessary element to what it considers to be
virtuous(Denomy 22). This adultery is accepted, as it is believed that true love cannot be found
through the politically arranged marriages that occur. One marries a husband for bettering land
holdings, power, and wealth, and

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight Courtly Love
In the fourteenth–century romance was a common genre of literature and poetry. An element that
was emphasized in romance within this time frame was courtly love. Traditional courtly love is
described as the medieval tradition of love between a knight and a married noblewoman. This affair
entailed a lower–class knight completing heroic tasks in the name of the noble lady. Within this
mutualistic relationship the lady would be a fixation that would mesmerize the knight to complete
heroic tasks, and in return for these accomplishments the knight would receive praise or adulterous
activity. This affair would challenge the rules and sacredness of wedlock by challenging the
religious bond between noble men and women, however at this time marriage was seen as an
emotionless commitment. An unknown revolutionist known only as Pearl Poet, created Sir Gawain
and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The romance genre at this time was dominated with tales of courtly love. This attempt to provide
excitement and adventure in a lustful manner, was infused into the medieval norm, and embedded
into the literature that has been preserved even to this day. The conflict however, is between the
original Rules of Knighthood and this new sinful ethic. The Rules of Knighthood were clear, and
strict and had conflicting rules to begin with: be loyal to your king, respect and serve women, and
obey the teachings of Christianity. Pearl Poet discovered the gridlock between these two ideals and
combated it with a humorous Arthurian legend infused with these conflicting ideas in order to
showcase his solution. The result was the creation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. By
surfacing these ideas of chivalry towards the lord and courtly love towards the lady, Pearl Poet
places Gawain in a series of turmoil, and emphasizes how both of these ideals conflict and need to
be adapted in order to be functioning in

A College Student’s Approach to Courtly Love Essay
A College Student's Approach to Courtly Love
The term "courtly love" is a highly ambiguous one. As it applies to works of literature, it spans over
hundreds of years and over a half dozen countries. Hence finding its specific literary and allegorical
definition and impact on literature is difficult. It is important to understand the roots of courtly love.
To do so means that one gains a greater understanding of the most foundational element of any
society– the relationship between men and women. If a student of literature holds only a vague
understanding of courtly love, then he or she holds only a vague understanding of medieval culture.
In turn when this student moves on to various other periods of British literature, they will have ...
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Scholars determine that it is a common theme used in stories. The lovers in these stories certainly
follow the before mentioned set of standards and rules, and scholars use the term to classify the
nature of the love and the societal setting in which the author uses it in. It is important to understand
here that courtly love is used for many different societies by many different authors. The manner in
which one interprets it is dependent upon several factors.
First the author is often writing for a specific audience. He or she knows the needs of the audience
and what they are looking for in a work of literature. Secondly the class and time period of the
author is a big impact on his or her own spins on courtly love. An author in 21st century America
may have an entirely different view on courtly love than a 16th century Frenchman. Also as the
audience reads the work, they may be reading with their own ideas about the proper etiquette
between two lovers. Courtly love is most greatly impacted by the projection of the self upon the
literature by the audience and the author.
The origins the literature of courtly love stem back to the turn of the eleventh–twelfth century
(O'Donoghue, 3). It is here that vernacular writings became more popular and began to spread
across Europe.
The popularization of this genre of literature was a derivative of the aristocratic class in the late 11th
century. Noble knights from wealthy

The Courtly Love Essay
The dynamic between Isabella and Elias in The Courtly Love Poems is a rather complex one as
there is a thick lover's quarrel unravelling throughout the work. This quarrel, consisting of an
unlikely couple, a woman of elite stature and a mere troubadour, reveals an interesting dynamic
between the two: a working relationship of repulsion and attraction from Elias to Isabella. As the
poem starts, there is no doubt about the fact that Isabella is in a state of distress due to her crumbling
love affair with Elias resulting from his alleged infidelity. Rather dramatically, she demands from
the get–go to know "the truth about the love [they] once had...and why [he has] given it to someone
else" (I,1–4). She goes on to confess that she has always sent her love out on a wire for him, "never
[holding ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In other words, she has always been at his beck and call, epitomizing how strongly she loved and
cared for Elias. What is ironic about the position she places herself in is the fact that she hold so
much prestige over him, yet he is in the one with the power stance in the relationship. Despite the
passion that Isabella demonstrates, he rejects her mercilessly, declaring that he "would be crazy to
remain another day in [her] domain"(IV,1–2). To add insult to injury, he goes on to gloat about his
newfound mistress and her beauty and youth with the intentions of making Isabella insecure about
herself. What is interesting about this is that he does not explicitly state that Isabella does not hold
any of these same qualities that he finds attractive in his mistress. One can even assume that this is
what he looks for in his women, and considering the

Book Of Courtly Love Essay
The Contributions to a Harmonious Society The definition of love, along with the development of
human culture, has evolved over time, and no one can ever dream of a life without being loved or
pursuing one's beloved. However, in the novel, The Book of Courtly Love, written by Andreas
Capellanus, he lists multiple reasons for the negative aspects of love and shows his passive attitude
toward pursuing love. It seems invalid because love is an essence of our social life. However, by
closely reading his text, one can find that his ideas, which depart from the general understanding of
love, surprisingly serve to build a better society. One question emerges: How do opinions reflected
by "the rule of love" and "the rejection of love" promote social ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
To some extents, he exaggerates the flaws of women. The biased opinion may cause further social
problems, such as the discrimination of women and the low marriage rate. For example, he mentions
that "For a woman's desire is to get rich through love, but not to give her lover the solaces that
please him"(Capellanus 64). In his opinion, women are greedy, and they are supposed to please their
men. He also defines that women are always jealous, and they will leave their lovers if they receive
better gifts from others (Capellanus 64). He also further emphasizes that women are greedy by
repeatedly denying the existence of a decent woman. All of the opinions are inaccurate since
Capellanus fails to consider the virtues of women. However, although Capellanus holds prejudices
against women, he has some critical ideas which also protect the basic rights of women. These ideas
are sufficient enough to make a harmonious society. For example, he raises the claim that "nothing
which a lover gets from his beloved is pleasing unless she gives it of her own free will"(Capellanus
49). Basically, it ensures that a man in love will respect his lady and value his lady's ideas. Those
concepts set by Capellanus balances the gender differences and his bias towards women will not
significantly interfere the healthy relationship between

Examples Of Courtly Love In The Middle Ages
Till Death Do Us Part: Courtly Love in the Middle Ages The Medieval Times were a terrible time to
live in. There was sickness and gloom everywhere and happiness seemed nowhere to be found. Then
the idea of courtly love came about and happiness seemed to be restored throughout the land. It
consumed everyone's time and thoughts as men constantly lusted over women. Love, as it continues
to do today, gave the people of the middle ages something new to live for. Even though courtly love
is merely an idea, it taught, and still teaches the world about love through its rules and practices,
dedication of men, and even in its controversies.
First, courtly love was assumably started in Aquitaine, France by Eleanor of Aquitaine and her
daughter, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Courtly love was an accepted idea, but because it was an idea, everyone had different concepts of
what love in its actuality was(Chaucer, 225). For instance, some people loved money, material
items, or even livestock more than genuine love, which still happens in modern society to this day.
Over time, the validations of courtly love grew: Geoffrey Chaucer and Dante Alighieri had different
ideas of it in their books, The Canterbury Tales and The Divine Comedy respectively, causing
everyone to be in discord and borderline chaos over which isea about courtly love was
correct("Courtly Love"). Since there were different ideas about courtly love, everyone got addled
which caused it to "fall out of practice" in the 1500s. Before courtly love, marriages were arranged,
which meant basically that marriages would only happen if there was gain for the family, such as
marrying a royal in order to gain a lot of land or royal lineage. But now, even with some freedom,
men were still marrying for the wrong reasons, this time for lust(Alchin). Also, love could not be
found at all for those considered ugly, but only for those "worth lusting for(Chaucer, 67)."
Unfortunately, love was rarely even a factor at all because it was replaced by lust, which is still a
relevant issue that people in modern times have trouble with. It is very important to marry for love
and love only. In that time, it also was not uncommon to

A Treatise On Courtly Love Analysis
The ideas found in Andreas Capellanus' A Treatise on Courtly Love have made their mark on the
human psyche since its inception. The treatise defines love as: "an inborn suffering proceeding from
the sight and immoderate thought upon the beauty of the other sex, for which cause above all other
things one wishes to embrace the other and, by common assent, in this embrace to fulfill the
commandments of love..." (pg. 1). By framing love as an obsessional and insufferable experience,
Capellanus renders those in the midst of worshiping a paramour from afar helpless until their
lovesickness is consummated. Because men and women are programmed to enjoy the act of making
love, the text attempts to contain and formalize love through a systematic explanation of the private
and passionate pursuit of a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Francesca strategically utilizes the concept of love, as described by Capellanus, as her alibi. In her
eyes, she is absolved of blame; it was the literature which swept her into a world of love and passion
(this would be equivalent to blaming alcohol for one's actions the other night at the bar). Francesca's
subsequent telling of her placement in hell nonetheless evokes an interesting and varied
interpretation. Despite her sin, perhaps she is hinting at the fact that her brief love affair will in
reality last a lifetime since Paolo will always remain by her side in the second circle of The Inferno.
Conversely, she may be suggesting that her moment of fulfilled passion and desire was well worth
the eternal consequence of displacement and pain. At any rate, what remains true for Dante, and it is
well represented in Inferno, is that the greater one's will is to sin, the deeper into the hellish abyss
they fall. While anoesis is the least willful of sins, it is nevertheless a choice that caused the lustful
to be damned for all

A Story Of Romantic Love Or Courtly Love
Marie: Tell me, is yours a story of romantic love or courtly love?
Francesca: Mine is a story of romantic love; of passion and lustfulness.
Marie: Go on, please.
Francesca: I had been married to Gianciotto, an old and deformed man. As time went on, I began to
fall for Gianciotto's younger brother, Paolo. One day, Paolo and I sat reading from a book when we
came across a rather intense romantic scene. We got caught up in the heat of the moment, and ended
up kissing.
Marie: And then?
Francesca: My husband quickly discovered the affair, and killed my lover and I. We were swept
away by the passion of the moment.
Marie: Ah, yes, such was the fate of the lover in "Yonec."
Francesca: I do not remember all the details of "Yonec." Would you ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Marie: That I did, but you deprived your husband of love without reason and it is also not proper for
a man to love any woman he would not want to marry. Would Paolo have wanted to marry his
brother's wife? A man who is too overcome with passion may not truly be in love. Did you not say
yours was a moment of passion?
Francesca: You are correct, however why should love be rule–governed?
Marie: To distinguish between proper and improper love. To distinguish between romantic and
courtly love.
Francesca: That is fair enough I suppose, whoever I still maintain that there must be a better way to
deal with improper love.
Marie: Are you familiar with Bisclavret?

Francesca: Perhaps? The story of the baron who becomes a werewolf and his wife who took his
clothes and another lover?
Marie: Yes. Do you remember the punishment that the baron gave his wife for her lustfulness and
deceit?
Francesca: I do not, please remind me.
Marie: He tore off her nose. Do you see this to be a more proper crime?
Francesca: No, of course not.
Marie: Then please, tell me what you feel would be the proper punishment?
Francesca: The punishment for lustfulness shall be conducted in the depths of the inferno.
Marie: And in this world?
Francesca: In this world? I know not.
Marie: I feel the fate of you and your lover, like the fate of the baron's wife, is justified.
Francesca: And the fate

Courtly Love In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
Around the end of the feudal system, with the continuation of the system of Courtly Love, a set of
affairs between married nobles, women tended to act as the seducers and tricksters, dominating the
relationships to a larger extent than they might in normal marriages. Lady Bertilak from Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight exemplifies this, acting similarly to Alison by tempting Gawain with her
sexual appeal. But unlike Alison, the purpose of her manipulation goes beyond her own pleasure–
she achieves her goal of making Gawain compromise his Christian and knightly values. Sir Gawain
and the Green Knight, a late fourteenth–century chivalric romance, is unique in that its genre refers
less to a traditional love story and more to a story involving knights, adventures, and fantastical
elements. While awaiting his battle with the Green Knight, Sir Gawain stays at the home of Lord
Bertilak and his tempting wife, who leads him into affair. Their relationship follows the rules of
Courtly Love delineated by Andreas Capellanus in his twelfth–century work The Art of Courtly
Love, one of which states that "when made public love rarely endures" (Capellanus 185). Medieval
marriages generally became unhappy and devoid of passion, while the secrecy of Courtly Love
affairs helped them maintain their excitement. In Book 2, Capellanus further argues that love
becomes stronger through jealously and the inability to see one's partner because these forms of
relationship instability increase the lovers'

Accomplishments Of Courtly Love
4 The achievements of Courtly Love
Courtly love succeeded in making love between two persons more honourable than it has been
before, when marriage between a man and a women was mainly seen as a tool used for economical,
political or religious reasons (Singer, Philosophy of Love 33).
4.1 Courtly Love and Christianity
As already stated, Courtly Love enabled the access to complete love and oneness outside of
religious environments. Generally, it tried to temper the Christian ideas during the Middle Ages. It
distanced the conception of love from God and looked at love as a natural and autonomous concept.
It showed that for undergoing true love no relation to God is needed and that love can be
experienced also between two human beings, normally ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In contrast to de Ventador, he prefers not to be loved by her if it is for her sake (Mott 19–20).
5.3 Different types of Courtly Love
Given the fact that different types of courtly love emerged in different areas, there is not one
universal concept of courtly love and no general definition of courtliness. For example, poets
following the courtly love tradition of Southern France, according to the theory, were not
committing adultery with the ruler's wives, but their poetry was written only for the ladies'
amusement, which was called "fin' amors" translated into pure love. In northern regions of France,
however, the troubadour tradition often included sexual love and, therefore, adultery. (Singer,
Philosophy of Love 33)
But contrary to a common claim, courtly love does not necessarily involve adultery or having
unmarried sex, but could also be experienced between husband and wife. (Singer, Philosophy of
Love 33)
The most important type of categorization of troubadour poetry is the distinction of poetry with a
highly religious content and poetry with a highly secular content. (O'Donoghue

Ovid And Courtly Love Essay
Love, arguably the most mercurial of emotions, has long been the topic of writings and discussions.
Whether it be defining or explaining how to obtain affection, authors such as Ovid and Andreas
offer distinct views on the finer points of relations between a man and woman. Ovid's The Art of
Love, published in 2 AD, focuses largely on defining how a man should win the heart of a woman.
The writing of this in a pre–Christian Roman Empire creates a stark contrast to that of Andreas' The
Art of Courtly Love. This missive, written to Andreas' friend Walter in approximately 1185,
describes the intricate and ever fluctuating relationship between members of the opposite sex in a
highly Christianized Europe. This distinction between the morals of a pre–Christian versus Christian
culture becomes increasingly evident when analyzing these two writings. However, this contrast still
does not overcome the overarching theme of both publications: love at it's highest form manifests
itself in the form of sex. The texts contain a number of similarities while simultaneously maintaining
sharp contrasts. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Specifically, both Ovid and Andreas devote a significant amount of time to the more physical aspect
of love. While both authors offer sarcastic and misogynistic views, Ovid is much more blatant in his
critique of women as being useless when it comes to anything other than sex. His medieval
counterpart Andreas offers a slightly more flattering view of women and the abilities they possess,
but ultimately, he still sees women mostly as a means to obtain physical intimacy. In the end, both
men seem to boil love down do sex. While Ovid takes the more artistic approach in describing
courtship through his use of poems and narratives, Andreas uses a much more instructive style in
describing techniques for wooing a

Courtly Love In Romeo And Juliet

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