Courtly Love in Medieval Literature

1. Courtly Love in Medieval Literature The Case of the Franklin’s Tale and others

2. Courtly Love – A Refresher Historical Beginnings • 11th century France – and other places • Literary construction; not actual • Andreas Capellanus’ text The Art of Courtly Love explained a system that did not actually translate into behavioral expectations • “Named” in late 19th century but aspects of it are woven throughout literary history (particularly Victorian) • Basic tenets included the ennobling of the lover through engaging in love; the elevation of the beloved to a superior position; love as ever-increasing desire / insatiable.

3. Courtly Love Social Surroundings • Court-based – suited particularly for nobility “who alone were considered capable of finer forms of behaviors and the levels of self-control” necessary for courtly romance (Hawkes 73). • Partially a response to the practical marriages taking place in nobility – ‘emotional outlet’ for romance, passion • Portions of it arose across geographical areas and centuries; The Origin and Meaning of Courtly Love assigns the most influence to Spanish-Arabic poets for ‘starting’ it all • Catharist Church - suggested that this movement, developing simultaneous w/courtly love, influenced it – chastity and mystical elements particularly (Rougemont).

4. Courtly Love Relationship to the Church • Courtly love at odds with Church - Capellanus’ Art of Courtly Love • Heresy of Courtly Love condemns it • Franklin’s Tale – Breton lai, so pre-Christian. Does this matter? • In opposition to marriage

5. Other examples of courtly love texts in the medieval period • The Mabinogion – collection of romances, written down from oral tradition of Welsh bards in 13th or 14th century • The Romance of the Rose, Guillame de Lorris & Jean de Meun, (epic-length) verse • Marie de France’s Lais – relatively short verse romances, late 12th century, in Old French Prologue to the Lais in song!

6. From Courtly Love to the Franklin’s Tale “Trouthe” • Courtly love male-centered • Marriage both male & female

7. Interpreting the tale:The FT as a courtly romance • Arveragus as central: His response to Dorigen , “made in ‘friendly manner’ rather than in anger, is a display of... gentilesse” (Carruthers). Is it? • Dorigen as more than cardboard cut-out: she is “made to behave like a real woman with real sorrows and anxieties” (Wurtele 368). Yet, within the confines of the courtly romance, she has no voice to refuse Aurelius – her impossible task given him does not work to discourage his advances (Crane 64-66). • Aurelius & ‘subtil clerk’ – does releasing others from heavy vows guarantee their gentilesse?

8. Interpreting the narrator: the Franklin as a purveyor of courtly love • “the plot contradicts the Franklin’s assertion that he can represent a courtly relation in which men and women enjoy the same ‘libertee’” (Crane 109). • Compared to Wife of Bath – through wife in her tale, she fulfills courtly love expectations (female desires are central) – and the Franklin “gets it wrong” (Wurtele 370). “He makes the hero insist that the heroine fulfill a promise she does not want to keep, to submit to a man she does not want to receive” (370). The Franklin as social climber? • Demande d’amour – who is the most ‘free’? Is this question of generosity the central interpretation that must be made here? What is the Franklin missing?