The Cistercian monks pursued their desire to become closer to God through loving him, and the Troubadours pursued their unique desire to express sexual love, which was new for their time. The Troubadours described this feeling of sexual love as Fin'amors; a sexualized devotion towards spiritual love. However, this feeling was considered to be sexual pollution by the Gregorian Reform, and thus became a complication for the Troubadours. The social context in which the text by Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God, the poems of Guilhen de Peiteu, “I would well like most people to know,” and “I shall write a new little song,” as well as Jaufre Rudal's, “He who cannot be a singer,” were produced have limited the Troubadours' expression of love in
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This is due to the Troubadours' poems containing sexual conduct of knighthood and mentions of adultery, which were against the religious reform occurring in their time. In turn, the Troubadours display an obsession with the physical desire for women, rather than the 'spiritual love' they attempt to convey in courts. This conception of true love was different from that of the Cistercian monks and incompatible with the Gregorian Reform.
The poems of the Troubadours consisted much about this notion of sexual love and developed the concept of courtly love though it. However, this type of love poetry that the Troubadours produced was highly adulterous, and at times promoted adultery. This style of poetry was sinful and highlighted betrayal. (Reddy 166) The secular society in which the Troubadours lived in allowed this in the courts as it entertained the people; however once the Gregorian Reform came about, this type of sexual conduct was no longer permitted. Cistercian monks spoke of the importance of true love in a religious aspect and this is was distinguished the difference between them and the secular Troubadours. Bernard of Clairvaux said: “Love pertains to the will and moves man freely. True love is content with itself; it has a reward,
This is due to the Troubadours' poems containing sexual conduct of knighthood and mentions of adultery, which were against the religious reform occurring in their time. In turn, the Troubadours display an obsession with the physical desire for women, rather than the 'spiritual love' they attempt to convey in courts. This conception of true love was different from that of the Cistercian monks and incompatible with the Gregorian Reform.
The poems of the Troubadours consisted much about this notion of sexual love and developed the concept of courtly love though it. However, this type of love poetry that the Troubadours produced was highly adulterous, and at times promoted adultery. This style of poetry was sinful and highlighted betrayal. (Reddy 166) The secular society in which the Troubadours lived in allowed this in the courts as it entertained the people; however once the Gregorian Reform came about, this type of sexual conduct was no longer permitted. Cistercian monks spoke of the importance of true love in a religious aspect and this is was distinguished the difference between them and the secular Troubadours. Bernard of Clairvaux said: “Love pertains to the will and moves man freely. True love is content with itself; it has a reward,