Courtly Love

Argumentative Essay # 9929

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Literature > English

Courtly Love

A look at the origins of the concept of courtly love and its place in medieval history.

2,077 words () | 8 sources | MLA | 2002 United States

Paper Summary:

The thesis this work sets to prove is: "Literature that addresses courtly love evolved from the concept that man has a dual identity of conflicting impulses towards carnal and transcendent love." This essay explores the origination of courtly love and follows it throughout medieval times. It explains "the code of manners", the morality and immorality, behavior of characters and sexual implications. Examples to explain the thesis statement are extracted from "Morte d'Arthur" by Sir Thomas Malory, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'" (author unknown) and "The Fairie Queene" by Edmund Spenser.

From the Paper:

"Once upon a time and many years ago there lived a tradition in European literature termed courtly love that characterized the behavior of all knights in shining armor. In a sense, knights were brave, courteous, loyal warriors in the War of Love. Whether it be Sir Gawain, Sir Lancelot, or the Redcross Knight, each patterns his behavior on the standards of courtly conduct. Courtly conduct causes Sir Gawain to be courteous towards the Green Knight's wife. It causes him to yield to her wish to be kissed. However, courtly conduct also causes him to reject her sexual advances."