Why Is Chivalry To Build A Better World

Chivalry first appeared around 10 AD in France. Chivalry comes from the french word “chevalier,” or knight. It was a code of conduct for knights of the church to follow. Chivalry commands knights to fight for the church, never lie, and respect all weakness. Chaucer uses the knight as an example of chivalry in the Canterbury Tales. The knight is a well valued man who has participated in many battles throughout his life. When the knight tells his tale, chivalry is one of the main themes. Interestingly enough, it is believed that “The Knight’s Tale” is actually used to poke fun at the ideas of chivalry and courtly love. In “The Knight’s Tale” Chaucer satirizes the code of chivalry and courtly love through exaggeration and violation of the codes.

     An act of chivalry is described as the qualifications or character of the ideal knight. Knights were expected to uphold this code of conduct. In the English literature Le Morte d?Arthur, French for ?The Death of Arthur?, by Sir Thomas Malory, the characters display acts of chivalry from beginning to end. Though the code of chivalry contains many qualities or acts, nevertheless bravery, loyalty, and courtly love are demonstrated more throughout this literature.

Chivalry is the type of thing that would be great to have in our society but I don’t believe that it exists too much anymore in the world today. Let me break down here some of the chivalry rules compared with the actions of the people of the current world.

My personal code of chivalry is to stand up for those who can not stand up for themselves. Those who are less fortunate, mentally challenged, and or physically disabled. I was raised in a house where you respect and stand up for anyone in need. Being a bully was not tolerated in my house, being a friend to all was expected by my parents. My mom told me at a young age “everyone understands a smile”, whether they speak the same language, have a handicap, or are considered an outcast. A smile can go a long way, and make anyone feel included.

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

Dictionary).  At the beginning of the Middle Ages, chivalry was strictly pigeon holed by its followers and members into only protecting religious pilgrimages and to maintain the church of God, to serve in valor and combat, and to bind oneself to courtly etiquette and the respect and protection of women.  Many of these beliefs and ideals stemmed from medieval literature, especially influenced by Spanish and Arabic literature, such as Arabian Nights, bringing forth

Chivalry was relevant in many ways in the Middle Ages. High expectations of virtuous and noble behavior on behalf of God, the church, and those the church marked as worthy of protection were the Christianized form of chivalry (Gregory-Abbott). “The ideal chivalric knight was brave, loyal, and determined as well as compassionate, just,

King Arthur’s court at Camelot has rule that the knights should live by and it is the chivalrous code. Chivalry is defined as the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms. To put the definition in better terms is that the more manly you are in battle, the more you have to treat your lady or wife as a princess. The fighting spirit, bravery and courtesy are important to a man’s character and cowardice is looked down upon as a severe defect.

“Chivalry is essentially a martial ideal, a code of values that glorified military prowess as the supreme achievement of the virtuous knight.” (Mellen) The code of chivalry is a basic code that all of the most virtuous knights. The code is basically the rules of behavior that a noble knight must abide by. The code says a knight must have courage, honor, loyalty, consideration for others/manners, and respect of the law. Chivalry was incredibly influenced by Christianity and the moral codes that they set for themselves. The code is also influenced by Plato’s Republic,

First of I will tell you what chivalry is. Chivalry is seen today but started out back in king Arthur’s day. It is the code of the knights. Things like being loyal, honest, and courage. For example when a lady walks in you stand up and if there is no seat then you give up your own seat for the lady. Also you always respect your elders so if there is no seat available then like a lady, you would give up your seat. In King Arthur’s time if you were a knight you had to obey they code of the knight which was the code of chivalry. The code made it so if you were a knight then you were not able to have a wife but you were able to have a girl to fight for. It was a life time deal with the king to keep your code of chivalry and devote your life to the good cause of the king and the Kingdome. In the movie “Excalibur” one knight showed his loyalty to his king Arthur by doing

Chivalry is no longer a written code that men had to follow. It’s now an “unwritten code” that people demonstrate in everyday life. They respect each other, protect others, and so much more. People just do these things because it’s the right thing to do. They help each other out and expect nothing in return.

In Medieval Europe, in order for a knight to be considered honorable, he had to conduct himself by the code of chivalry. The Knights Code of Chivalry was part of the culture of the Middle Ages and was understood by all. Chivalry was a system of ethical ideals developed among the knights of medieval Europe. Arising out of feudalism, it combined military virtues with those of Christianity, as characterized by the Arthurian legend in England and the “chansons de geste” of medieval France. The word chivalry is derived from the French chevalier, meaning horseman or knight (Chivalry. (n.d.). Retrieved June 8, 2015, from http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-knights/chivalry.htm) . Chivalry was the code of conduct by which knights were

As society focuses on balancing gender roles and the equality between men and women, more and more people are saying “Chivalry is dead”. Though it may not be thriving, chivalry is still alive. Even though it is alive, it is changing with our society.

A Code of Chivalry had three principal and central themes: religion, military duties, and love. A large and important part of the Medieval Code of Chivalry focused on the treatment of a woman. More specifically, to show respect and gallantry towards them. The continued pledge to remain loyal to the Church was unquestionably the most important law found in a Code of Chivalry. In the beginning of the Middle Ages, the only theme that was present in a Code of Chivalry was commandments regarding a knight’s religion, and his pledge of loyalty to the Church. However, in the 11th century, orders regarding the doctrine of love began to become more present within a Code of Chivalry. In terms of the military duties theme found in the Code of Chivalry,

Chivalry is a concept that has baffled countless medieval historians throughout the years. Chivalry was supposedly a code that knights and nobles lived their lives by, however, like other social structures of the past historians have debated over the extent to which people lived according to chivalric principles. Sir Walter Scott believed that chivalry was meant as a code which knights could aspire, but not one that was carried out in reality. His description seems accurate. Chivalric principles could not be borne out in real life. Froissart painted a romantic image of The Hundred Years War and of the aristocracy at the time. Froissart is constantly full of praise for the chivalric lifestyle many of them are