Andreas Capellanus

Andreas Capellanus’s book, De Amor (about love), written sometime between 1186-1190, is a book many contemporary historians use to delineate their understanding of courtly love and its prominence during medieval times. In the articles titled, “The Courtly Model” by George Duby, and “Andreas Capellanus’s Scholastic definition of Love” by Don A. Monson, one can see two unique interpretations to Capellanus’s work. For this short reflection, I will first provide the major differences in both authors’

actually better to never have loved at all? When pondering these questions, one must first consider the rules of loving and being loved to determine the physical, emotional, and psychological costs they entail. In order to do so, one could use Andreas Capellanus’ The Art of Courtly Love as a guideline for the rules of love.

women, and how to obtain them. Through Ovid’s perspective, there are three different ways to consider a woman. These three views include relating a woman to a game, a beautiful treasure, and as a means to assert social status. Comparatively, Andreas Capellanus writes in a way that makes women seem respected, worthy and as something to a man would willingly devote his life to. Both men have a clear fascination with women and their relationship to men. However, their distinct writing styles cause

century. It consists on the expression of love in its most sincere, chivalric and noble form. It tended to be chaste and adulterous. It was also secret and, in general, always took place between the members of the higher classes of society. Andreas Capellanus defines it in The Art of Courtly Love as “the pure love which binds together the hearts of two lovers with every feeling of delight. This kind consists on the contemplation of the mind and the affection of the heart; it goes as far as the kiss

Champagnian troubadours, the framework/ideals of fin amour grew and spread throughout Europe, reaching the courts of Britain. As the conception of fin amour became increasingly popular amongst the literature of the aristocracy, writers such as, Andreas Capellanus wrote of the stages and rules of courtly love. Inspired by this movement in the culture and literature of court, the poet Marie de France composed a collection of romantic lays. In the “Breton Lays”, Marie presents her narratives as a guide

Creative Project Can we follow the art of Courtly Love today? De Amore, written by Andreas Capellanus is a treatise about the art of courtly love. Douglas Kelly, in his article mentions that, “This disconcerting treatise provides us with the only true art of courtly love that we possess, but it also contains a very harsh attack against love. The antithetical attitude towards love is all the more astonishing because Andreas, although a churchman, devoted far more space to the instruction on how to love

the nobility, chivalrous, and virtuous. Andreas Capellanus defined courtly love as “Love is a certain inborn suffering derived from the sight of and excessive meditation upon the beauty of the opposite sex, which causes each one to wish above all things the embraces of the other and by a common desire to carry out all of love’s precepts in the other’s embraces.” Capellanus 28) In other words love and suffering go hand-in-hand, much like modern love. Capellanus gives the “Rules of Love” (1) governing

The Art of Courtly Love, Consolation of Philosophy, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Part 1: Consolation of Philosophy, written by Boethius 1. Boethius was a popular member of the senatorial family. He was a philosopher that agreed with Plato that government should be solely in the hands of wise men. After becoming consul, charges of treason were brought against him. He lived in a time in Roman society when everyone was mainly Christian. He was an Arian Christian and believed that Christ

Characterize the figure of Theseus. Introduced as “a conqueror…greater” than any other “beneath the sun,” Thesëus, the wise and chivalrous lord Athens, is a merciful and noble duke (Chaucer 24). As a wise and noble leader, Thesëus, with a “heart of pity,” mends the ailments of his people, “ as he [is] a true knight.” (26). How does Theseus treat the mourning women who ask for help against the tyrant Creon? Thesëus mercifully agrees to to get vengeance on the tyrant Creon, who “[set] his dogs to

servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, “A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved”. The stories of Marie de France and Chrétien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love. According to Capellanus, “Good character alone makes any man worthy of love”. In Lanval, the fairy lover chooses