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all of Love's precepts in the other's embrace” (40). The pseudo-obsessive love that is exemplified
in this tradition quickly created an entirely new way of life in the courts of Europe, with many
officials beginning long and convoluted love affairs both inside and outside the court, now that
extramarital love was seen in a more pleasant light.

Along with a definition steeped in the physical and emotional realms, courtly love created
a code by which love was engendered. Many medieval romance stories made elements of this
movement an integral part of the plot. It was well known that “the young lover must perform
deeds of prowess, so that his fame may come to his lady's ears, if he wishes to gain her favor”
(Dodd 233). Indeed, in Lanval, the knight would never have attracted the attention of his queen
had his character not been one famed for proficiency in the knightly arts (Lanval 112-115), but
this kind of love does not resonate with a modern audience. While a potential partner’s character
is most certainly a primary concern in the minds of twenty-first century lovers, it is not the most
important. Neither has this modern generation agreed on a set list of traits that define desirable
character; many traits fluctuate between individuals, depending on personal taste and previous
experience. In the world of today, love is based on personal choice and desire, and this choice is
oftentimes an integral part of daily life. This is why Dodd reminds us that, “extravagant as the
courtly love may seem to us, this was the only kind of love there was at that period” (252). In
this time, marriage was a truly social act, with little to no emotional motivation. To have a
system of love that actually allowed for personal choice was completely new, and the people
reveled in it, but it was not long before this outburst quickly pushed love into a more sensual and
lustful arena.

Several of the rules and ideas of courtly love published by Andreas Capellanus clash
directly with many tenants of marriage, and therefore deserve examination. For instance, his