Lines 4766-4481 Summary

Reason continues making her point, discussing the immorality of Courtly Love.

Lines 4766-4481 Analysis

This passage presents some ideas that are very odd to modern readers. Here, Reason argues that sexual activity just for fun is a sin and is against the dictates of Nature (called Genius or Kinde), as both nature and the church of that day stressed that sexual activity should be for the purpose of procreation rather than pure pleasure. This point stresses one of the important differences between Courtly Love and the moral traditions of the day. While Medieval clerics debated whether experiencing pleasure as part of sex within marriage (and marriage was considered holy and honourable) was a sin or not, the Courtly Love tradition often idealized adultery. Courtly Love did not often consider the possibility of children when discussing love and sex, and love was...