Every word’s definition comes from a particular point of view but many times the essence remains same throughout the history no matter how much society changes. Among this list is the word chivalry whose true intention is just to put out a set of ideals that are seen to be noble in that society and environment. An interesting thing to know is when you google- does chivalry exist today, a few more questions pop up. Is it just confined to men to show an ideal behavior, may it be in warfare or love and what does chivalry mean in today’s world? Let’s begin and find the answers.
1. What is the History of Chivalry?
The word chivalry stems from the French term chevalerie whose literary meaning is horse soldier. The set social codes were to be followed by the knights and the gentlemen during medieval times in Europe. Moreover, with time the meaning of the word has gone through a lot of changes and the original military standing has lost its grasp in the 21st century. One of the most famous literary works that provide us with a glimpse of what chivalry meant in medieval times is compiled to be called the Matter of France or the Carolingian Cycle because they arose during the time of the Carolingian Empire. (See What are the 3 Types of History?)
2. What was Chivalry before the Medieval Times?
An interesting thing to know about is that the idea of chivalry did get codified in medieval times, but historians have compiled a list of chivalrous acts that were being followed in Europe before medieval times. This noble conduct was called noble habitus and included acts such as loyalty, generosity, integrity, and boldness as the qualities of a sensible man.
Basic three areas of chivalry for knights included:
- Courtly love: Knight’s duty towards his partner.
- Warrior: Knight’s duty towards his lord.
- Religion: Knight’s duty towards his religion and society.
3. What is the Role of Lineage in Chivalry?
It is a fact that the position of nobility was seen as less honorary as compared to knighthood because the knights’ position was considered a more chivalrous position. It is similar for other regions in the world as well where military men are seen as being the epitome of class and etiquette who have a good history of a family that has proven their chivalry in terms of their duty towards their country. Keep reading further to know does chivalry exist today. (See What are Some Values and Norms Examples?)
4. What is the Equation of Chivalry with Gender Roles?
Well, all men are taught some chivalrous acts since childhood such as to open doors for women, treat every woman with respect, and pay for their outings. However, has anything changed with changing times where women are now getting paid as equals and are treated with as much respect in their workplace as men without any gender bias? Most people think that with feminism, everything is changing, and we as humans should always show respect to everyone, no matter what their gender is. Anyway, do you think, should chivalry die in the 21st century? Must read What Century are We Living in Now?
5. How is Chivalry still shown today? What does Chivalry mean in Today’s World?
In this era, a chivalrous attitude is not the best benchmark to judge a person’s character. So, how is chivalry still shown today? Well, it is hard to change these society-driven norms because society itself is ready to shame a man if he does have a chivalrous partner. It seems to society that one becomes less of a man if he takes any favor from his better half.
However, you will come across all sorts of people and societies all over the world where you will see different definitions of chivalry. Hence, it is quite tricky to understand its meaning in today’s world. (See How does Society Influence You?)
6. Does Chivalry exist today? How can you Define Chivalry in the 21st Century?
If women have stood up to have equal rights, and the backward classes are raising their voices for the wrongs that have been done to them then it is high time that we think about changing the way the law of chivalry has worked in the past.
Does chivalry exist today, still? Yes, in some forms, it does exist. Chivalry has taken a long path from just concentrating the knights to the so-called gentlemen. Moreover, increasing its border limits to include all those ideals that emerged after the decolonization, e.g., the Civil Rights movement, and the Black Lives Matter protest has shown how things have changed in the 21st century. (See What is an Example of a Social Concept?)
7. Is there any Scope for a Change in Nature of Chivalry?
Every change comes from within an individual and in the case of society, a bigger movement is required. We often ask- does chivalry exist today or how is chivalry still shown today but what we forget is every single movement requires an event to trigger it and there seems to be a meager chance of such an event taking place. So, we are left with the only option but to try at our levels to change some definitions and what people think is appropriate behavior. (Also read How Should A Woman Treat Her Man?)
