Medieval Chivalry Essay - 1668 Words

Each different aspect of the code of chivalry held a separate role in society. Whether it be religious or barbaric, chivalry tended to hold a moral guideline among those who followed it. This moral guideline held them true to their duties to man, God, and women (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). All of which are reflected in the three themes of Chivalry: Warrior chivalry, religious chivalry, and courtly love chivalry (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). These three hold their individual roles, all stimulating a different part of the mind and creating a code held by all areas of life in those who hold it. The underlying question posed in this intense pledge is whether those who took the oath lived it out accordingly. To live out Chivalry is†¦show more content†¦This also brings with it the idea of being willing to give one’s life for another’s; whether he would be giving his life for a poor man or his lord. Under a better name, it is warrior chivalry. This is th ought to be the most achieved duty of chivalry. A knight is not always portrayed as lady killer, but more popularly as a noble warrior. Were knights really as noble as they seemed? The logical of a human really doesn’t allow that to happen. Why would someone want to risk their own life for lives of others? The human mind doesn’t function like that. Knights still fight however, but this is based purely on the fact that there is no way around it. If a knight chose not to fight, treason was the only price. Knights did not have a willing attitude. To appeal to the human mind, why would one desire to throw his body out to a sure death? A man in his sane mind would not do so. This is clearly reflected in the medieval narrative Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The example begins with the knights of the round table all meeting in their hall during evening festivities. A mysterious green knight enters the hall and possesses a challenge. The challenge is that one knight of Arth ur’s gets a unresponsive attack at the neck of this giant green knight with his own axe. The only loophole is that in one year and a dayShow MoreRelated Medieval Chivalry Essay2847 Words   |  12 Pages Western Civilization Medieval Chivalry and Knighthood During medieval times knighthood was a class culture, cherished and jealousy guarded by the knightly caste. Knight had the honor of defending the king as well as their country. On the bloody fields of battle a code of chivalry evolved that tempered anger and fury with mercy. It created ways of turning the grim business of fighting into something tolerable, perhaps even acceptable. Chivalry was not only looked upon as a code for war; it wasRead MoreEssay on The Medieval knight and Chivalry1383 Words   |  6 Pages The Medieval Knight and Chivalry The Medieval knight followed a strict and detailed Code of Chivalry, which dictated his lifestyles and actions throughout the medieval ages. 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During the Medieval Age, there once existed a moral system that introduced a set of conducts such as, virtues, honor, and courtly love. This was known as the Code of Chivalry. These codes where available and practiced in knights daily life. The idea of chivalry is extremely valuable to the people, that even everything a knight wore symbolized something valuable or unique. In othe r words, chivalry was no gameRead MoreChanges to Knighthood throughout the Years942 Words   |  4 Pagesof seven, especially if they want to be in the arms profession. Start out by serving their fathers, around the age of 12, they then move onto serving the house receiving more advanced instructions in military subjects and morals. The original medieval nights were originally servants who kept their lords lands after they served in their lords armies. With time christian values were added to knighthood â€Å"involving respect for the church, protection of the poor and the weak, loyalty to one’s feudalRead MoreEssay about Chivalry in the Middle Ages: Illusion or Reality?1922 Words   |  8 PagesThe ideals of chivalry are inextricably linked with the medieval period, and even today it is an ideal we still pay lip service to. Many historians however have questioned whether the knights and nobility of the time actually took it any more seriously than we do. Johan Huizing a described it as â€Å"a cloak for a whole world of violence and self-interest† , an â€Å"illusion of society [that] clashed with the reality of things† , and in our rather cynical age, this is probably the predominant view of theRead More Arhurian Romances Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pages Chretein de Troyes, Arthurian Romances nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;From the Classical age through the medieval age, women were greatly disrespected. They did not have any say in anything and were not appreciated. In Classical texts such as The Odyssey, the women were treated as if they were animals. They did not have the respect of others and some were thought of as whores. In the stories of Erec and Enide, Lancelot, and Perceval, we see a dramatic change in this, due to the system of government