Courtly love was a pervasive concept that flourished during the middle ages. Although there is much debate on whether or not courtly love actually existed, its legacy is still evoked in popular culture today. Moreover, many of the basic principles that govern courtly love, such as notions of “the perfect gentleman”, continue to resonate with us. So were descriptions of courtly love in romances and poetry realistic depictions of the interactions between men and women during the middle ages? Surely, the ideals of courtly love were fantastical fallacies that cannot be denoted as actual fact. The utility of courtly love provides a more reasonable explanation for its place in medieval society. Courtly love was socially useful in that it provided
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In the poem the author discuss the dangers of taking courtly love too seriously. In the beginning of the poem a young maid is being watched from afar as she laments about her lost lover. As the poem progresses the reasons for her abandonment are revealed and “there’s no more hiding”(10). The maid, who was once desired and valorized by her “loyal knight”(25), has been left alone to fend for herself and her unborn child. In the third stanza the maid recalls how the young squire once “begged [her] every, night and day”(21-22) for her love, but has since disappeared. In the last stanza the watcher concludes that “too many a maid it happens so”(46), alluding to the fact that the maid’s situation was commonplace during the twelve century. The maid was blinded by the unrealistic notions of courtly love that promised her a certain outcome. The squire took advantage of the maid’s vulnerability by using love rhetoric to convince her of his loyalty and good character. However, when the deed was done, the squire was nowhere to be found. This poem effectively highlights the discrepancies of courtly love by juxtaposing the fantasy and reality. The situation in The Pretty Fruits of Love are not so different from today. In Disney movies there is a certain outcome, a happy ending, that is suppose to occur when two people fall in love. However, in reality the relationship between men and women do not follow a Disney script. Even so, the notions of courtly love must have had some purpose and meaning, otherwise it would not have been so prevalent in medieval
In the poem the author discuss the dangers of taking courtly love too seriously. In the beginning of the poem a young maid is being watched from afar as she laments about her lost lover. As the poem progresses the reasons for her abandonment are revealed and “there’s no more hiding”(10). The maid, who was once desired and valorized by her “loyal knight”(25), has been left alone to fend for herself and her unborn child. In the third stanza the maid recalls how the young squire once “begged [her] every, night and day”(21-22) for her love, but has since disappeared. In the last stanza the watcher concludes that “too many a maid it happens so”(46), alluding to the fact that the maid’s situation was commonplace during the twelve century. The maid was blinded by the unrealistic notions of courtly love that promised her a certain outcome. The squire took advantage of the maid’s vulnerability by using love rhetoric to convince her of his loyalty and good character. However, when the deed was done, the squire was nowhere to be found. This poem effectively highlights the discrepancies of courtly love by juxtaposing the fantasy and reality. The situation in The Pretty Fruits of Love are not so different from today. In Disney movies there is a certain outcome, a happy ending, that is suppose to occur when two people fall in love. However, in reality the relationship between men and women do not follow a Disney script. Even so, the notions of courtly love must have had some purpose and meaning, otherwise it would not have been so prevalent in medieval