Courtly Love and Shakespear

Courtly Love

Courtly love is a “code of behavior that defined the relationship between aristocratic lovers in Western Europe during the Middle Ages [1200 A.D. to 1300 A.D.]” (Microsoft Encarta 97). In most cases, courtly love involved “a lady and her lover,” the lover usually being a knight or nobleman, and the lady being both married and from a family of equal wealth. William Shakespeare took this form of love (which was still common practice in his generation) and developed Romeo and Juliet.
Both Romeo and Juliet were from rather wealthy families, who were feuding with each other. As in many situations of courtly love, Romeo and Juliet pledged themselves to each other. They were deeply in love and inseparable. However, Juliet was supposed to be married within a week when she met Romeo. This was an arranged marriage, so Romeo and Juliet proceeded to carry out a courtly love romance. How...