Thursday, February 15, 1996

Courtly Love vs. Courtney Love

Back when I spent more time thinking about medieval literature-- and when Courtney Love was more of a going concern--I created this list that was popular with a few of the hipper medievalists.

Think of it as a medievalist's meme, mid 1990's. This means it was actually printed out on paper, then passed around.
 
  
Marie de France

Active in the second half of the 12th century


  1. Wrote for an aristocratic audience.
  2. It may have been her marriage that placed her in the right place to find her audience.
  3. Husband out of the picture
  4. Likely Imitated
  5. Likely to have lived at court.
 
Courtney Love

Active in the second half of the 20th century


  1. Writes for a distinctly un-aristocratic audience.
  2. It was perhaps due to her marriage that she found any audience at all.
  3. Husband definitely out of the picture
  4. Imitated/ Imitation?
  5. Likely to spend more time in court.