Medieval Romance Literature
...upon pleasing his/her audience, the vernacular narratives written for these courts ("romances") tended to focus on other plot developments than the fighting and male bonding emphasized in epic poetry. The narratives still concern the deeds of brave warriors, but the Middle English knight (unlike the Old English thane) is motivated by love for his lady. Accordingly, women play an increasingly important and active role. Two women who had a particular influence on the development of romance were Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen first of France and then of England, and her daughter Marie, Countess of Champagne. The "courtly love" relationship is modeled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord. The knight serves his courtly lady (love service) with the same obedience and loyalty, which he owes to his liege lord. She is in complete control of the love relationship. "Courtly love" began to emerge during the 1100s starting in southern France. This was a code of behavior made popular through Romance literature, defined then as any prose written in one of the Romance languages. This term later evolved to include any tales of knights, chivalry and courtly love. Troubadours went from village to village telling these stories that were later written down by court scribes, musicians, clerics and aristocrats. Noble classes first used these stories for edification, but these tales found popularity among the masses. These romantic poems and prose extolled the ennobling power of love, and the concept of "passionate," or inextinguishable love. Romantic writing elevated the beloved woman to a superior position over her male suitor. The Middle Ages saw the beginnings of a rebirth in literature. Early medieval books were painstakingly hand-copied and illustrated by monks. Paper was a rarity, with vellum, made from calf's skin, and parchment, made from lamb's skin, were the media of choice for writing. Students learning to write used wo...