The Concept of 'Courtly Love' in Chaucer

There was an interesting practice that was a ramped theme during Chaucer's literary career. The middle ages was a time when a chivalrous code, known as "courtly love", dominated not only courts and upper class citizens of the Chaucer era, but also the literature. Courtly Love was the concept that European members of the courts, especially knights and noble women, engaged in a chilvalrous love code regardless of their marital status. Courtly love must be proven through valiant quests, battles, or jousts. Members of the upper class believed that "true love can only exist outside of marriage." Marriage at this time was commonly set up not out of true love, but out of financial gain. Therefore, men and women who were married were not truely in love. This concept makes room for the acceptance of the concept of "courtly love".

Courtly Love was the literal theme of the times. Chaucer gives many specific examples of courtly love in The Canterbury Tales. However, chaucer was not the only medieval writer who included this strange love triangle. Writers like Dante, in The Divine Comedy, and Petrarch, in his Sonnet's to Laura, were enthralled by the idea of courtly love. Aurthurian Legend and stories about the knights of the round table are emmersed with ideals of Courtly Love. This can be seen in works such as the story of Lancelot and Gweneviere, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Andreas Capellanus explains and believes that the idea of love is painful to a man. Love, in fact, degardes the soul and is an incurable disease. He says that when a man is truely in love, he cannot eat, sleep, or speak when in the presense of his true love. He will turn pale in the presense of his love and he will change shape and form. He will wither away because of the effects of love. Evidence of this can be seen in Chaucer's "The Knights Tale". In this story the Knight Arcite sinks into having a broken heart. As a result, his physical appearance changes. He turns pale in the presence of his lover, and he is no longer recognizable. Also, Palamon and Arcite perform a duel to settle the rights to Emilie. When two knights valiently fight over a woman, this is another condition for courtly love. Their actions are also abiding to Capellanus' rules of love by confirming to fact that, "Nothing prevents a woman from being loved by two men, or a manfrom being loved by two women."

Other example could include the Squire, and his concept of courtly love. He has a courteous style and is a ladies man. He goes by the strict rules of courtly love. In "The Miller's Tale" the idea that Nicholas and Absolon are lured by Alison toward gestures of courtly love, indicates that Chaucer was thinking of courtly love when writing this tale. This is also an example of two men loving one woman. "The wife of Bath" could also be included. In this story Chaucer once again presents us with a knight. This time he is in trouble for rape. He makes a deal with a haggard, old, woman who tells him what to say to Gwenevire, in exchange for marriage. Eventually the knight finds love through a set up marriage. What is intriguing about the "Wife of Bath's Tale" is that in the prologue the wife of bath herself engages in courtly love. That is she finds her fifth husbeen Jackyn by picking him out and professing her love for him. She has had other marriages in the past. However according to the 31 rules of love, "A new love expells an old one". Being married or having other marriages and engaging in coutly love was not uncommon for courtly men, especially noble knights. However, when a woman engages in this role she is shunned upon by her peers, and is considered adulterous and unholy. This is not only an exotic example of courtly love but it also shows the ammount of anti-feminism that was evident during Chaucer's days.