Lancelot and Guenever were sitting at the solar window. An…
““Lancelot and Guenever were sitting at the solar window. An observer of the present day, who knew the Arthurian legend only from Tennyson and people of that sort, would have been startled to see that the famous lovers were past their prime. We, who have learned to base our interpretation of love on the conventional boy-and-girl romance of Romeo and Juliet, would be amazed if we could step back into the Middle Ages - when the poet of chivalry could write about Man that he had 'en ciel un dieu, par terre une deesse'. Lovers were not recruited then among the juveniles and adolescents: they were seasoned people, who knew what they were about. In those days people loved each other for their lives, without the conveniences of the divorce court and the psychiatrist. They had a God in heaven and a goddess on earth - and, since people who devote themselves to godesses must exercise some caution about the ones to whom they are devoted, they neither chose them by the passing standards of the flesh alone, nor abandoned it lightly when the bruckle thing began to fail.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Love in medieval times was portrayed as a mature, lifelong partnership grounded in spiritual and earthly devotion, not fleeting romance.
In simple terms: Mature love linked to spiritual and earthly devotion.
Key Takeaway
Value deep, lasting commitment.
Themes
love
commitment
spirituality
history
age
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- marriage counseling
- intergenerational relationships
- historical literature studies
- faith-based counseling
- cultural comparisons
Key Concepts
chivalry
medieval romance
lifelong partnership
Questions to Reflect On
- How does age affect love expectations?
- What can contemporary couples learn from medieval partnership models?
A Different Perspective
Modern romance ideals may overlook the complexities of lifelong devotion.