Courtly love was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry.
Origination of Courtly love
It is a tradition of love, represented in Western European literature between the 12th and 14th centuries. The passion of the highly aristocratic woman’s and their lovers constituted this kind of love in medieval England. First of all courtly love is identified in France among the royal members. Later on, French writers started their literary work based on this theme of Courtly love and makes it popular. Then this tradition of love spreads throughout the whole of Europe.
More Notes: Troilus and Criseyde
Elements of Courtly love
The elements of courtly love are humility, courtesy, adultery, and the religion of love. Courtly love is adulterous. Because at that time the marriage of the upper classes was the result of economic interest.
The excellence of Courtly love
Courtly love idealizes love between a knight and a married lady. A courtly lover sees himself as a slave of his beloved. He worships her beauty like a goddess. He admires her beauty in such a way that, no one is parallel to her in this universe. Her appearance removes all the sorrows of her lover. He is overwhelmed looking at her face. He can do anything for his beloved.
