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User:MiguelNavidad/Courtly Love's Effect on Modern Romance

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Courtly Love's Effect on Modern Romance[edit]

The Medieval view of romance, known as courtly love[1], has played an important role in the growth of modern literature. And much like King Arthur and Robin Hood, this importance leads to plenty of adaptations throughout time. As shown below, courtly love has countless adaptations for the modern audience.

Courtly love is a term, coined by Gaston Paris, of the Medieval viewpoints of true love.[2] The ideals of this love are reflected by the love between two worthy people.[3] One would usually be a knight, while the other a damsel who was already married to someone not worthy of her love.[4] While many of the social standards that brought this way of thinking about are gone, the ideals that this love holds are still alive and well in modern film and literature.[5]


Representations of Courtly Love Ideals in Modern Film and Literature[edit]

Many Ideals of Courtly Love, especially the idea of "love for the sake of love"[6] are used in modern film and literature frequently. For example, the "Chronicles of Prydain" series, by Lloyd Alexander, features a princess who, against the wishes of her only remaining family, marries the hero; though his social standing is sufficiently poorer than any of the other suitors that may have been waiting for her. [7] This type of love is also reflected in other media. Examples include:


  • "Star Wars", in which Princess Leia falls in love with and marries Han Solo, the bounty hunter.[8]
  • "Notting Hill", in which an actress, played by Julia Roberts, falls in love with Hugh Grant's bookstore owner.[9]
  • "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" where two people from completely different backgrounds fall in love and marry.[10]
  • "Aladdin", in which a princess and a "street rat" fall in love and overcome several obstacles in order to stay together.[11]


These are but a few examples of the ways that Courtly Love's view of "love beyond borders" has effected modern film and literature. The ideal "romance story" stems from the Medieval love stories themselves.[12] Included in courtly love's ideals, and also in the above examples, in the idea of not just "love without borders", but true love.[13] However, this true love has to have challenges that the hero has to overcome.[14] This idea has plenty of adaptations, along with new views on true love. Some examples would be:


  • Any Disney adaptation of a classical fable or love story. (Examples include Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin)
  • "Shrek", much like the Disney adaptations, has the main character Shrek overcome many challenges in order to save the princess Fiona.[15]
  • "Forrest Gump", while Forrest's life does not center completely around his love, he has many aspects of a hero in Middle Age literature, such as a devotion to Jenny, his love interest, that borders reverence, as seen in most Medieval romance.[16] [17]


Many action movies tend to place a love story into the mix, which creates interest outside of the action itself. Also, this falls into the Medieval idea that the hero needs to earn the lady's love by proving himself in battle,[18] amongst other things. Likewise, many video games, such as "Shadow of the Colossus"[19], give the hero a romantic reason to go on dangerous adventures. Courtly love, as shown above, has been and will be adapted given it's idyllic view of "love without borders" and "true love"[20]



References[edit]

  1. ^ Michael Delahoyde, "Courtly Love", 2011, "[1]", 2011
  2. ^ Michael Delahoyde, "Courtly Love", 2011, "[2]", 2011
  3. ^ "Love in the Middle Ages: General, August 17th, 2000 "[3]", 2011
  4. ^ David L. Simpson, "Chivalry and Courtly Love", 1998, "[4]", 2011
  5. ^ Deirdre O'Siodhachain, "The Practice of Courtly Love", 2004, "[5]", 2011
  6. ^ Dr. L. Kip Wheeler, "Courtly Love", 1998, "[6]", 2011
  7. ^ Lloyd Alexander, "The Chronicles of Prydain", 1964-1968, Henry Holt, New York, New York
  8. ^ "Star Wars", Dir. George Lucas, Performances: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, 20th Century Fox, 1977
  9. ^ "Notting Hill", Dir. Roger Mitchell, Performances: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Universal Pictures, 1999
  10. ^ "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", Dir. Joel Zwick, Performances: John Corbett, Nia Vardelos, Playtone Pictures, 2002
  11. ^ "Aladdin, Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker, Performances: Scott Weingar, John Freeman, Robin Williams, Walt Disney Pictures, 1992
  12. ^ Deirdre O'Siodhachain, "The Practice of Courtly Love", 2004, "[7]", 2011
  13. ^ Dr. L. Kip Wheeler, "Courtly Love", 1998, "[8]", 2011
  14. ^ Michael Delahoyde, "Courtly Love", 2011, "[9]", 2011
  15. ^ "Shrek", Dir. Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson, Performances: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Dreamworks, 2001
  16. ^ "Love in the Middle Ages: General, August 17th, 2000 "[10]"
  17. ^ "Forrest Gump", Dir. Robert Zemeckis, Performances: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Paramount Pictures, 1994
  18. ^ Dr. L. Kip Wheeler, "Courtly Love", 1998, "[11]", 2011
  19. ^ "Shadow of the Colossus, Sony Computer Entertainment, "[12]", 2005
  20. ^ Dr. L. Kip Wheeler, "Courtly Love", 1998, "[13]", 2011

External links[edit]


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