Lit.N.5.Love.romance.mystics

8/10/2019 Lit.N.5.Love.romance.mystics

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LECTURE NOTES V

MIDDLE ENGLISH LITERATURE [2]

COURTLY LOVE AND MYSTICAL LOVE

Sources [Courtly Love]:

Primary sources:

Anonymous, Sir Gawain and the Green Knightin The Oxford Anthology of English Literature,ed. Kermode, F., J. Hollander et al., (Oxford: OUP, 197!, "". #$%&%$

Anonymous,Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, trans. '.oroff ()orton, 19*7!

+a"ellanus, Andreas, The Art of Courtly Loe, trans. J. J. Parry ()e -or, +olum/ia UP, 19%1!,

at0tt":.t0e&or/.nettext/oosant0olo2y/eidler3ourtly.0tml 4

Secondary sources:

au20, A.+., ed.,A Literary !istory of England(5ondon: 6outled2e and Ke2an Paul, 19%$!, "".

1*&199

8ai30es, 8.,A Critical !istory of English Literature, ol.1 (5ondon: e3er ;


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A. The Medieval Conception of Courtly Love

1. Courtly love !e"er#l #$%e&t$

1a4 'escri(tion:

& a "0enomenon t0at emer2ed in t0e 'iddle A2es

& it as understood as a relation of assala2e of a man to a oman of a 0i20er so3ial ran

& it a""ealed to a form of idealiCed adultery t0at as meant to /e a trial to test resistan3e totem"tation

& it 0ad its on 3ode of 0onour and 3ourts of Dud2ment

& in t0is 3ontext loe /e3ame asso3iated it0 ritual 3ourtesy and o/edien3e

154 Origins and influences:

& a 3om/ination of seeral traditions:

(i! a 3lassi3al tradition: OidEsArs amandi (Ars amatoria!

(ii! a +0ristian tradition 0i30 ado3ated a reised attitude toards oman

& t0is s0ifted t0e fo3us from sinful oman (Be! to oman as 3ontri/utor to salation as

mot0er of +0rist ('ary!

& t0is ie as su""orted /y e diffusion of t0e 3ult of ?ir2in 'ary introdu3ed /y t0e

3rusaders from Bastern +0ristianity(iii! t0e influen3e of oufi ('uslim! mysti3ism

& t0e soul as re"resented as a""earin2 after deat0 in t0e s0a"e of a oman (senhal!

1c4 Texts:

& treatise: Andreas +a"ellanus:'e arte honeste amandi(On the art of courtly loe!

& "oetry: t0e trou/adours (Proen3e!

& t0e roman3e 3y3les (Fran3e and Bn2land!

2. Courtly literature: the mediaeval romances

1a4 'efinition:

& a roman3e is a story of adentureG in erse or "rose inolin2 fi3titious and freuentlymarelous or su"ernatural elements

& in 'iddle Bn2lis0 roman3es, loe is eit0er a su/ordinated or in3idental element

& insofar as it tends to 0ae an element of adenture, it may 3ome 3lose to a form of 0eroi3 e"i3

& t0e 0ero 3onforms to a "attern of ideal ni20t it0 little indiidual ariation

154 Cycles:

& t0e ImattersG (or 3y3les! ere named and 3lassified as su30 /y Jean odel (1# t03.!

(i The matter of !rance

& 3entred on +0arlema2ne and t0e fi20t a2ainst t0e infidel

The Song of )oland: 6oland: is in t0e rear2ard of t0e Fren30 army and dies aliantly it0 0is menfi20tin2 t0e ara3ens rat0er t0an 3all t0e rest of t0e army to 0el" 0im

(ii The matter of "ome the #reat

& sour3es used, not Homer /ut % t03. 5atin riters: 8y3tis +retensis and 8ares P0ry2ius

and ot0er su/seuent aut0ors: enoit de ainte 'aure:Le )oman de Troie(1#t03! and

uido delle +olonne: The Story of the *all of Troy(!istoria destructionis Troiae! (1t03!

& im"ortant elements of t0e an3ient 3lassi3al orld ere translated into and taen oer /y t0e

'iddle A2es :

'ain to"i3s:

& t0e Fall of @roy


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& t0e story of 8ido and Aeneas

& t0e story of Alexander

& t0e story of @0eseus

(iiiThe matter of $ritain:

(a The Arthurian cycle

-nfluen3ed /y "reious literature and /y eoffrey of 'onmout0: The !istory of the 6ritishKings (!istoria regum 5rittonum! 1#t03:

- it deals it0 t0e stories of Art0ur and t0e Kni20ts of t0e 6ound @a/le

- ramifi3ations:

- t0e stories of 'erlin,

- t0e stories of t0e Kni20ts of t0e 6ound @a/le >aain and t0e reen Kni20t, 5an3elot of

t0e 5ae, et34

(% The &oly #rail (7ose(h of Arimathea Sir Percial! 1#t03

- deals it0 t0e uest of t0e Holy rail, t0e 30ali3e 0i30 +0rist used durin2 t0e 5ast u""er

or t0e +0ali3e in 0i30 0is /lood as 2at0ered after t0e +ru3ifixion and 0i30 as /rou20t

to Bn2land /y Jose"0 of Arimat0ea

-@0e Kni20ts of t0e 6ound @a/le try to retriee it. @0e ni20t 0as to 0ae a "ure 0eart and/lameless /e0aiour. Alt0ou20 seeral try 5an3elot, t0en ala0ad, t0en Per3ial

(c Tristram [Tristan] and 'soude ('seult 1t03.

& An adulterous loe story /eteen @ristram and 0is un3leLs /ride, solde, 0i30 ends

it0 t0eir deat0

(d The matter of n)land:King !orn,!aeloc the 'ane>added to t0e 3y3les at a later

time4

- tories dealin2 it0 An2lo&axon and 8anis0 0eroes (1t03!:

'. T(e Me)*ev#l Tr#)*t*o" o+ My$t*l Love

*.Mystical literature

- deelo"ed on t0e /order /eteen literature and t0eolo2y

- tried to 3oney a dire3t ex"erien3e of diinity in a style t0at as a 3om/ination of t0eolo2i3al

and literary lan2ua2e

- deelo"ed around t0e idea t0at od made Himself manifest and "er3e"ti/le to man in arious

sensitie ays

- inner si20t and o33asionally inner 0earin2 ere "riile2ed s"iritual senses /e3ause t0rou20

t0em 0ad a ision of t0e diine, a t0eo"0any >r. Theos, od(hanes, ision4

2. T(e t(eolo!*l tr#)*t*o" o+ ,y$t*l love

(i! @0e influen3e of Pseudo 8ionysius >8ionysius t0e Areo"a2ite4 >*t03.4& seeral si2nifi3ant t0eolo2i3al treatises lie The #ystical Theologyor On the 'iine 8amesalso

non as t0e cor(us areo(agiticum, in 0i30 ree )eo"latoni3 "0iloso"0y as used to

understand and ex"lain as"e3ts of +0ristian reelation, fait0, and do2mas, ere attri/uted to 0im

& in 0is ritin2s 0e deelo"s a mysti3al t0eolo2y 0i30 tries to ex"lain t0e dire3t ex"erien3e t0at

man may 0ae of od in a mysti3al, e3stati3, union 3onditioned /y loe t0is ex"erien3e, 0i30

inoles a ne2atie ay of Inoin2G od >ne2atie /e3ause 2oin2 /eyond intelle3tual

noled2e4 exer3ised a 3onsidera/le influen3e on


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-. Gre#t 'r*t*$( ,y$t*&$

(a "o%ert #rosseteste (**+,-*2/

& /is0o" of 5in3oln, founder of Oxford Uniersity, s30olasti3 "0iloso"0er, and t0eolo2ian

& is non for 0is t0eolo2i3al, "0iloso"0i3al and s3ientifi3 treatises, reli2ious literature >The

Castle of Loe9+translations >Pseudo&8ionysius, The Celestial !ierarchy4

> for more details see A""e4

Treatise on Light

& a33ordin2 to rosseteste,

- (i! t0e unierse "ro3eeds from an emanation of li20t 0i30, t0rou20 its /ri20tness 2enerates

t0e 0i20er s"0eres and t0e elements, t0e matter it0 its forms and dimensions

- t0is un3reated li20t anti3i"ates t0e orld and is t0e linin2 element /eteen od and 0is

3reatures

- t0is li20t des3ends into t0e 0uman soul and t0rou20 it man 3an rea30 a /eatifi3 ision of od

(ii! diine li20t, 3reated /y od, is a ind of fire

- it is a 2eneratin2 "rin3i"le, a3tie in all elements,

- it is at t0e same time inside and outside t0em, similarly to a diffuse 3entre, 0i30 forms and

re&forms all stru3tures- 3an /e 2ras"ed in t0e "urity of arious "re3ious stones of different 3olours

(% "ichard "olle ((*/00-*/1:

& 0ermit, rites reli2ious treatises and lyri3s

The *ire of Loe(ncendium amoris4 des3ri/es

& t0e ay in 0i30 loe for od 3an /e ex"erien3ed as

/ a ind of seetnes >5at. dulcor4

/ a ind of 0eat or /urnin2 >5at. calor4

/ a son2 t0at is 0eard it0 t0e inner senses >5at. canor4& four de2rees of loin2 od 0i30 lead to an e3stati3 union it0 Him 3an /e a30ieed:

(i! unsur"assa/le loe (5at. amor insu(era5ilis4& in t0is first state loe "redominates, ill not yield to anot0er feelin2

& it is a state 30ara3teriCed /y 0umility and restraint

& it s0os in t0e o/serin2 t0e ten 3ommandments and ee"in2 free of sin

(ii! inse"ara/le loe (5at. amor inse(ara5ilis4

& no loe is a 3onstant 3om"anion, alays in oneLs memory

& it is a state des3ri/ed in affe3tie terms in 0i30 man forsaes, t0e orld, lies "oerty

and isolation and turns to od

(iii! unuen30a/le loe (5at. amor insatia5ilis4

& 0en desire for /ein2 one it0 od a""ears as im"ossi/le to /e satisfied

(i! sin2ular loe, sin2ular luf,G (5at. amor singularis!

& 0en man ex"erien3es I20ostly 2ladness,G an e3stati3 feelin2 30ara3teristi3 to t0e

mysti3al union it0 od

(c Anonymous3 The Cloud of 4n5no6in) [*1 thc.]

& ela/orated in t0e tradition of ne2atie t0eolo2y of Ps.8ionysius

& a manual of 3ontem"latie life 0i30 "roides adi3e to a youn2 man 3on3ernin2 t0e ay ItonoG od, not t0rou20 reasonin2 >t0e intelle3t4 /ut t0rou20 3ontem"lation of t0e 0eart,

3onditioned /y loe t0e mysti3al ex"erien3e of od inoles a/andonin2 of orldly 3on3erns /y

surrenderin2 t0em to Ia 3loud of for2ettin2,G and fo3usin2 oneLs 0eart on od.G


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IFor He 3an ell /e loed, /ut 0e 3annot /e t0ou20t. y loe 0e 3an /e 2ras"ed and 0eld, /ut /y

t0ou20t, neit0er 2ras"ed nor 0eld. And t0erefore, t0ou20 it may /e 2ood at times to t0in

s"e3ifi3ally of t0e indness and ex3ellen3e of od, and t0ou20 t0is may /e a li20t and a "art of

3ontem"lation, all t0e same, in t0e or of 3ontem"lation itself, it must /e 3ast don and 3oered

it0 a 3loud of for2ettin2. And you must ste" a/oe it stoutly /ut deftly, it0 a deout and

deli20tful stirrin2 of loe, and stru22le to "ier3e t0at darness a/oe you and /eat on t0at t0i3

3loud of unnoin2 it0 a s0ar" dart of lon2in2 loe, and do not 2ie u", 0ateer 0a""ens.

(d7alter &ilton [*/108-*/+]3

& a ell edu3ated, Au2ustinian mon

The Scale of Perfection 3onsists of to "arts:

& oo distin2uis0es amon2 t0ree de2rees of noin2 od: t0rou20 reason and learnin2,

t0rou20 affe3tions and t0rou20 /ot0 intelle3t and loe, 0i30 is t0e "erfe3t ay.

& oo s"eas of t0e re3oery of t0e diine ima2e in man /y a reformation of man in fait0, in

feelin2 and in fait0 and feelin2, 0i30 is t0e ultimate de2ree /y 0i30 man 3an attain union it0

od.

(e 9ame ulian of ;or6ich [*/12-*1*+]& a nun liin2 at )ori30, 0o, on one o33asion 0en s0e as extremely ill, 0ad a series of

isions

& s0e is influen3ed /y i/li3al and t0eolo2i3al texts

& s0e 3laims 0er ex"erien3es 3an /e only "artially ex"ressed and only /y ay of meta"0ors

)eelations of 'iine Loe ('ay, 1t017!

& Julian ass for t0ree 2ra3es :

to remem/er +0ristEs "assion

to 0ae t0ree ounds: 3ontrition, 3om"assion, lon2in2 for od

to 0ae /odily si3ness& 0er isions of t0e +ru3ifixion are re3orded it0 a s"e3ial em"0asis on "0ysi3al realism

& s0e 3laims t0at noled2e of t0e @rinity 3an /e rea30ed /y /e2innin2 in noled2e of oneself& loe is assimilated to t0e 3ontem"latie ferour of t0e mind: loe is meanin2

& od s0ould /e seen as is loe and 3om"assion rat0er t0an rat0

(f Mar)ery


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C. TE0T 1

Sir #a6ain and the #reen


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8eoid of all illainy, it0 irtues adorned

in si20t. *

On s0ield and 3oat in ieHe /ore t0at em/lem /ri20t,

As to 0is ord most true

And in s"ee30 most 3ourteous ni20t.

And first, 0e as faultless in 0is fie senses, *%=)or found eer to fail in 0is fie fin2ers,

And all 0is fealty as fixed u"on t0e fie ounds

@0at +0rist 2ot on t0e 3ross, as t0e 3reed tells

And 0ereer t0is man in melee too "art,His one t0ou20t as of t0is, "ast all t0in2s else, *%

@0at all 0is for3e as founded on t0e fie Doys

@0at t0e 0i20 Nueen of 0eaen 0ad in 0er 30ild.

And t0erefore, as find, 0e fittin2ly 0adOn t0e inner "art of 0is s0ield 0er ima2e "ortrayed,

@0at 0en 0is loo on it li20ted, 0e neer lost 0eart. *=

@0e fift0 of t0e fie fies folloed /y t0is ni20t

our3e: 0tt":.t0e&or/.nettext/oosant0olo2y/eidler3ourtly.0tml 4
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& On the rules and aims of Courting

@HB 'A) A-: ou20t to 2ie od 2reater t0ans t0an any ot0er liin2 man in t0e 0ole

orld /e3ause it is no 2ranted me to see it0 my eyes 0at my soul 0as desired a/oe all else

to see. . . . And no no in ery trut0 t0at a 0uman ton2ue is not a/le to tell t0e tale of your

/eauty and your "ruden3e. . . . And is0 eer to dedi3ate to your "raise all t0e 2ood deeds t0at

do and to sere your re"utation in eery ay. For 0ateer 2ood may do, you may no t0at it

is done it0 you in mind. . . .@HB 5at. reducere+to lead /a3 r. ana+u" agein+to lead4

& sin3e 0uman mind 3annot t0in it0out ima2es ("0antasms!, od manifests 0is 2oodness and

0is 3ondes3ension /y main2 Himself isi/le in t0e s3ri"tural sym/olism so t0at

t0e /i/li3al fi2urae refle3t t0e inisi/le

(/! affirmatie (a"o"0ati3! and ne2atie (3ata"0ati3! ays lie and unlie sym/ols
http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/anthology/beidler/courtly.htmlhttp://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/anthology/beidler/courtly.html


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& od 3an /e referred to /y lie or similar or unlie or dissimilar sym/ols:

od 3an /e des3ri/ed in an affirmatie ay, as 5i20t, @rut0 or 5ife, t0e 0i20est, most /eneolent,

infinitely 2ood and mer3iful, /ut also in a ne2atie ay as *"&finite, *"&isi/le, *"&defina/le, *"&

3om"re0ensi/le, et3.

(3! 3on3ealin2 yet manifestin2 eils (elamina!

& t0is underlines t0e dimension of t0e ritten 3ulture

t0ere is an am/ialen3e /eteen t0e 0idden and se3ret and t0e manifest and un3on3ealeddimensions of t0in2s: similar to t0e s3ri"tural si2ns, 0i30 are intelli2i/le for t0e initiates /ut

unintelli2i/le to t0e i2norant, as letters are to t0e literate and res"e3tiely to illiterate "eo"le.

>our3e: 8ionysius t0e Areo"a2ite, The &or%s of 'ionysius the Areo(agite, ols.1,#, trans. J.

Parer (5ondon: Parer, 1$97! ArtC, F., The #ind of the #iddle Ages" A' ,--./0--" A !istoricalSurey ()e -or:Kno"f, 19!"". 7&7 'innis, A., 3ott, A.P.,#edieal Literary Theory and

Criticism 1c"//--.c"/2304(Oxford: OUP, 19$$! "". 1*&174

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