http://4.bp.blogspot.com/eBg51pP9GZk/TpVOSpM0bFI/AAAAAAAAAKk/64KL0
4qjHrI/s1600/CourtlyLoveWound.jpg
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/TECH/social.medi
a/11/19/facebook.modern.romance.mashable/t1lar
g.teens.computer.jpg
MEDIEVAL
vs.
MODERN
COURTSHIP
By: Emily Ladig
Private: Medieval Courtship
 In Medieval times, courtship was something that
usually took place between the privacy of two
lovers, and was not made a public spectacle.
 “Courtly lovers were pledged to strict secrecy.
The foundation for their affair was that the rest of
the world (except for a few confidantes or gobetweens) was excluded. In effect, the lovers
composed a universe unto themselves--a special
world with its own rules, codes, and
commandments.” http://condor.depaul.edu/dsimpson/tlove/courtlylove.html>.
http://indianapublic
media.org/harmoni
a/files/2009/07/court
ing_ed.jpg
http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/i/201
0/197/f/b/Medieval_Door_by_nub4s
h.jpg
Public: Modern Courtship
 Nowadays, relationships are made more public
with social media sites like Facebook. Couples
want their relationship status to be seen by other
people instead of keeping their love private.
http://www.funnystatus.com/images/facebook-love.png
http://www.thelostogle.com/2011/
04/27/gentle-readers-ibaka-wiccaand-webcams/facebookrelationship-status/
http://www.thelostogle.com/2011/04/27/
gentle-readers-ibaka-wicca-andwebcams/facebook-relationship-status/
Public: Modern Courtship
 The Bachelorette and Bachelor series is based on
courtship and is publicly viewed by millions as a
form of entertainment.
The Bachelor
http://www.teenjury.com/the-bachelor-sued-for-racial-discrimination/
http://www.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/celebrities/28872-thebachelorette/1278083567_bachelorette-290.jpg
The Bachelorette
Public Display of Affection:
Modern Courtship
Showing affection used to be considered a private act, but
now, people don’t think twice about doing it in public.
http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001348803/movie_kiss_xlarge.jpeg
http://www.catholicmatch.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/iStock_000013149072Small.jpg
http://readhappy.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/door-hold-not-quite.jpg
Styles of Courtship:
Medieval
 “The emergence of chivalry during the Middle
Ages brought forth the courtly practice of
wooing one's intended with love poems, music
and acts of bravery to prove one's desirability as
a mate.”http://www.ehow.com/about_4587310_history-courtship.html>.
 “Suitors wooed their intended with serenades
and flowery poetry, following the lead of lovelorn
characters on stage and in verse.”
http://www.ehow.com/about_4587310_history-courtship.html>.
http://www.history.org
/History/teaching/ene
wsletter/volume7/ima
ges/mar/courting.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3422/3
239317207_5b72236ddf.jpg
Styles of Courtship: Modern
 Lovers show their interest in each other
nowadays by friending each other on Facebook,
asking each other on dates, and through text
messaging.
http://www.indiavision.com/news/images/articles/2012_03/28
4659/u8_texting-dangerous-neck.jpg
http://cdn0.fiverrcdn.com/pho
tos/1069887/medium/faceboo
k-friendrequest.jpg?1349010115
http://matchuptodate.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/girl-and-guy-talking.jpg?w=500&h=334
Communication: Medieval
Lovers in the Middle Ages primarily communicated
in person, or through written letters and it was more
of a personal ordeal.
http://www.justbeenough.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/01/iStock_000017376402XSmall-1.jpg
http://merryfarmer.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/medieval-couple.jpg
http://cdn2.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/4390873_f2481.jpg
Communication: Modern
 Today, lovers communicate through texting, talking on the
phone, and through social media sites.
 Many people believe that texting does not compare to
what it is like to hold a conversation with someone in
person.
 “Suitors now contact each other in an instantaneous,
frictionless sphere separated from larger social institutions
and commitments.”
 “Today’s technology seems to threaten the sort of recurring
and stable reciprocity that is the building block of trust.”
Brooks, David. "Cellphones, Texts and Lovers." The New York Times. N.p., 3 Nov.
2009. Web. 25 Nov. 2012.
http://stopbeingaloser.files.wordpress.com/
2010/09/busy-lifestyle-man-talking-onmobile-phone-thumb7372582.jpg
http://
www.n
eontom
my.co
m/sites/
default/
files/upl
oads/F
acebo
ok%20C
hat.jpg
http://www.hercampus.com/sites/default/files/styles
/square_thumbnail/public/Girl-Texting-On-CellPhone-485x363.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/q6UlzvvDcIk/TVP9b8y2cLI/AAAAAAAABEQ/qi8PW3v
iCGU/s1600/young-man-texting-on-couch.jpg
Male Courted Female:
Medieval Courtship
 In Medieval courtship, men were the ones who
always wooed the women, and never the other
way around.
 “Thus, just as a vassal was expected to honor and
serve his lord, so a lover was expected to serve his
lady, to obey her commands, and to gratify her
merest whims.”
 The lady “expected to be served and wooed,
minutely and at great length.”
"The Middle Ages and Courtly Love." The Middle Ages
and Courtly Love. N.p., 17 Aug. 2000. Web. 25 Nov.
2012.http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/mel
ani/cs6/love.html>.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/eBg51pP9GZk/TpVOSpM0bFI/AAAAAAAAAKk/
64KL04qjHrI/s1600/CourtlyLoveWound.jpg
Male Courts Female, Female
Courts Male: Modern Courtship
In our society, it is not unusual for a woman to ask a
man out.
SURVEY: how many girls would ask out a boy?
In a survey of 32 girls…
18
14
Said YES, they would
Said NO, they would
ask out a boy.
not ask out a boy.
http://www.glamour.com/sex-lovelife/blogs/smitten/2012/04/27/0427-guy-giving-girlroses_sm.jpg
http://wonderfulpresentsformen.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/09/2.-Girl-Gives-Guy-APresent.jpg
Music/Poetry: Medieval
Courtship
 Men used poetry and music
to win over women.
 The poem “To the Virgins, to
Make Much of Time” is
aimed at boys sleeping with
girls.
 This poem is written to the
virgins (young girls) of the
world.
 Herrick is implying that the
virgins should get married
while they are still young,
beautiful and capable of
having children.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=to+the+virgins+to+make+much+of+tim
e&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=2467&bih=1242&tb
m=isch&tbnid=z1LxmFAIPpxLM:&imgrefurl=http://www.docstoc.com/docs/84034986/To-theVirgins-to-Make-Much-ofTime(3)&docid=hQrjrDpdxsibMM&imgurl=http://img.docstoccdn.com/thum
b/orig/84034986.png&w=1275&h=1650&ei=bFu1UIjFAoiu8ASvwIDACg&zoo
m=1&iact=rc&dur=758&sig=107841264822469826632&page=1&tbnh=145&t
bnw=113&start=0&ndsp=113&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:0,i:157&tx=36&ty=56
Music: Modern Courtship
 Popular music heard on the radio
today talks about guys trying to “get
with girls” in crude or even dirty
ways.
 Ex: “Scream” By: Usher, talks about
seeing a girl, and wanting to get
with her and do sexual things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=qnjqNHB1bKw
 A portion of Usher’s “Scream” lyrics
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/
photos/6400000/-Usher-usher6465568-1280-1024.jpg
I see you over there so hypnotic,
Thinkin' 'bout what I'd do to that body,
I'll getchu like ooh baby baby, ooh baby
baby
A-ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby
Got no drink in my hand, but I'm wasted
Gettin' drunk off the thought of you
naked
I'll getchu like ooh baby baby, ooh baby
baby
A-ooh baby baby, ooh baby baby
And I've tried to fight it, to fight it
But you're so magnetic, magnetic
Got one life, just live it, just live it
Now relax and get on your back
Music: Modern Courtship
 Also, like poetry in the Middle Ages, modern day rock stars
write songs about women to woo them.
 John Mayer’s song “Edge of Desire” is one example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcZcd9ZuvqE
 John Mayer’s song is more poetic and lyrical, but is still a
modern example about a singer/songwriter wanting to be
with a woman.
A Portion of John Mayer’s “Edge of Desire” Lyrics
Don't say a word, just come over and lie here with me
'Cause I'm just about to set fire to everything I see
I want you so bad, I'll go back on the things I believe
There I just said it, I'm scared you'll forget about me
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/john1.jpeg
So young and full of running
All the way to the edge of desire
Steady my breathing, silently screaming
I have to have you now
Sex: Medieval Times
 Sex, and stories about sex were seen as funny, or
silly during the Middle Ages.
 In “The Millers Tale”, the characters saw sex as
humorous content and talked about it in their
stories because it was funny and entertaining.
http://www.maidenhead-drama.co.uk/past/canterbury_tales.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_l4z_uk_P7
MU/TQfdcwTuDGI/AAAAAAAAI1M/C
t0eIMe8f3A/s1600/Canterbury.jpg
Sex: Modern Times
 In our society today, sex is not
seen as humorous. It can be seen
as a status symbol or even similar
to a contest sometimes.
 People are judged on who they
have sex with, the amount of
people they have sex with and
many other factors.
 Sex is such a common topic
today that tabloids even have
articles about sex advice for
women and men.
http://collegecandy.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/glamour.jpg?w=
600&h=337
Behavior
Medieval Times
Modern Times
 When men were in love,
they would act sickly, and
seem weak when around
the woman.
 Today, when men are in
love they become cocky,
and arrogant.
 Lovesickness
http://www.do
mesticexecutive.com/
wordpress/wpcontent/upload
s/2009/05/dsc_7
234.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons
/b/bf/The_Lovesickness_of_Frey.jpg
http://www.
girlwithnon
ame.com/i
mages/Coc
kyMuscularMan.jpg
Courtship in the 20th Century
Here is a look at dating in the 80’s and 90’s from the perspective of my
parents!
 “It was very formal back then. You would be asked out either by note,
on the phone, or face to face.”
 “You would always have your friends check out the situation to see if
the girl/guy liked you back, so that you wouldn’t embarrass yourself.”
 “You had to wait for the phone call and worry if you would be by the
phone. Basically you would sit by the phone and wait. If your parents
answered the phone, it was pretty embarrassing.”
 “Dates were very formal. Boys would go to the girls house, meet the
parents, be drilled by the father and mother. They would always ask
where they were going and what time the girl would be home.”
 “A typical date would usually consist of dinner and a movie.”
Petrarch: LOVE
 Italian scholar and poet
 Was famous for poetry and wrote how to woo
 Thought that true love should be distant
 Said that the idea of love is always bigger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrarch
http://www.biographycenter.com/images/petrarch.jpg
http://www.biographycenter.com/images/petrarch.jpg
Compared to Medieval times, the
styles of love and courtship today
have been changed drastically and
have evolved to fit our modern
society.
http://www.karamayphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/the-end-.jpg