L'Amour
Courtois
Courtesy,
Manners, and Courtly Love in the SCA
The SCA is founded upon
three principles: Chivalry,
Courtesy, and
Honor.
We recognize skill in battle, perfection of an art or science, and
service to the Realm with the highest honors, but underlying all of
these deeds and accomplishments is the ideal we all strive for...
that being gentleness, grace, noble bearing, and confidence in the
Dream. We think of the middle ages as being a time where men were
bold and women beautiful, where a king could rally his troops to go
conquer a country, and a lady's gentle touch could inspire a man to
slay a dragon. Truly, our images of the past are romantic and filled
with thoughts of a nobler and somewhat more idyllic time, when people
were rewarded for good deeds, and everyone lived happily ever after.
The truth be known, the
middle ages were harsh and full of uncertainty. It was a violent time
full of social unrest, religious persection, and the threat of
imminent death from the plague. But, our time is much the same and we
live our lives in blissful ignorance of the deeds our "knights"
undertake each day overseas. We forget that love and chivalry thrive
around us, in our actions toward others and in the way we comport
ourselves. We are walking examples of nobility, grace, charm,
gentleness, and goodness.
Below you will find
links to SCA pages where peers and gentles in the SCA have written
articles about chivalry, courtesy, love, and honor. I will also add
my two-cents worth of commentary. You are known by your deeds. The
SCA gives you plenty of opportunities to be brave, valiant, kind,
noble, helpful, loving, understanding, brilliant, funny, sensitive,
and trustworthy. You just need to know where to look, how to act, and
when to bow...
SCA
Articles:
This is not a publication
of the Society for Creative Anachronism Inc., and does not delineate
SCA policies. © 2000.
For questions about Scholarum Caidis, please contact
THL
Chretienne Angele de Courtenay,
mka Bonnie Black-Shockey: decourt@flashcom.net
