Medieval Romance: An Analysis of Courtly Love in the Middle Ages Applied to Vita Nuova by Dante Alighieri

Abstract

Courtly love has been a little-studied topic due to its banal character among medieval writers, the era in which it was conceived. Many of these authors on courtly love dedicated a large part of their lives to contributing to the medieval conception of love; one of them is Dante Alighieri, who left a significant contribution on how this love becomes more than just a carnal act, as contemplation and appreciation appear frequently in his writings. This author is one of the most famous medieval poets, and through his work Vita Nuova, the most important aspects of courtly love will be analyzed in this research, along with other bibliographic sources to identify conceptions of love and their connection to medieval life. Finally, the influence that Dante and courtly love have had on contemporary times, which society often overlooks, is highlighted.