The Art of Courtly Love

In the text’s Preface, Andreas writes: “I know clearer than day that after you have learned the art of love your progress in it will be more cautious” (27). Consider why Andreas believes that learning about love will make Walter more cautious. What other benefits does Andreas believe learning about love can have in the long term?

Examine Andreas’s use of pagan imagery and mythology in Books 1 and 2. What do the “works of Venus” signify? Use at least three examples from the text in your discussion.

In Book 1, Andreas explains that the Latin word for love means “hook” (31), meaning to capture or be captured. Discuss the significance of this meaning as it relates to Andreas’s beliefs about love. Use at least three examples of figurative language from the text in your discussion. 

Consider the importance of class rankings in the society Andreas discusses. Do you believe his book attempts to uphold or subvert his society’s beliefs about class? Use at least three specific examples from the text as evidence for your position.

In Chapter 8 of Book 2, Andreas tells the story of a brave knight who overcomes obstacles to fetch a hawk from the court of King Arthur and present it to the woman he loves. What is the significance of the story to Andreas’s underlying commentary on love, and how does the hawk relate? 

In the Seventh Dialogue, the higher nobleman attempts to refute the higher noblewoman’s claim that distance will be an obstacle to their love. He tells her, “[W]henever the possession of some good thing is postponed by the difficulty of getting it, we desire it more eagerly and put forth a greater effort to keep it” (99). How does the meaning of this concept change from Book 1 and two to Book 3? 

In the dialogues, Andreas’s general advice in the introduction to each sometimes contradicts the way he portrays the characters within the dialogues. What does this suggest about Andreas’s beliefs about class and gender?

In Chapter 8 of Book 2, Andreas tells the story of a brave knight who overcomes obstacles to fetch a hawk from the court of King Arthur and present it to the woman he loves. What is the significance of the story to Andreas’s underlying commentary on love, and how does the hawk relate?