The Courtly Love in Chrétien de Troyes’s Works

The basic principles common to all conceptions of courtly love run through Chrétien de Troyes's romances, such as Yvain and Conte de la charrette. In his works, the knights' faith is in the goddess-like superiority of his lady; the knights grovel before her trivial requests for feats by which they hope to prove their undying ardor. However, what are described as the principles of courtly love are not compatible with conventional medieval views of marriage, sexuality, and Christianity. It was the common view of the Middle Ages, especially the 12th century in France, to think of man as the superior of woman, to see sexual union as permissible only within marriage, and to regard sexual desire as a hindrance to union with the divine. Furthermore, it casts the grave doubt upon the proposition that Chrétien de Troyes and his supporter, Marie de Champagne, were the ardent proponents of courtly love. To put the historical records as well as the medieval conventions into consideration, the principles or the rules of courtly love in Chrétien’s works would be utterly inappropriate to a genuine noble lover or knight at that time. They are used simply as the poetical trappings or fictions to provide entertainment as well as education with his audience, the nobility.