Courtly love
An understanding of love arising from the European Middle Ages, focussing on the woo-ing of women.
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The Argument
The idea of courtly love began as a literary convention, in which an unattainable woman was wooed by a noble knight proving his devotion and selflessness. These stories were commonly spread by troubadours in poems, and became wildly popular.[1]
The stories depicted in these works then heavily influenced ideas about love in wider society. This is credited with bringing ideas about romantic passion to the Christian world, which largely saw marriage as a passionless institution.[2] Courtly love is an integral part of how the cultural understanding of love shifted across Europe.
Counter arguments
Premises
[P1] The idea of courtly love was popularised in the Middle Ages through troubadour poems.
[P2] This bought ideas about romantic passion to the Christian world.