Dalairis Amaro
Professor Riebman
HIST 103
December 6, 2013 Courtly Love: The Emancipation of Love Woman have never been viewed equally in society, they are expected to be pure, innocent, and silent while men are not held to that same standard. Men have always been allowed to have multiple women, and been put in a position above their woman. She is merely a possession that owes him loyalty, respect, and honor. In Medieval times a woman was simply an acquisition like acquiring land. This idea that women are held to higher expectations in morality and purity is something instilled by the church centuries ago, but something that still remains current. Just in 2009 there was an incident in Sicily where a man decapitated his wife in front of his family because she was having an online affair. Giuseppe Castro, 35, stabbed his wife Gia Scuto, 41, in the neck, then sawed her head off after seeing messages she was sending back and forth with her online lover (Nelson, “Jealous Husband”). Castro stated “She was chatting with other men I just couldn’t take it anymore” (Nelson, Jealous Huband). The possession that Castro felt over his wife is an entitlement that has been passed down through centuries. His wife owed him loyalty even if they were unhappy or she was being mistreated.
The institution of marriage has never been about love, but more about economic gain or accomplishing political goals. Most women were married off to complete strangers. If they loved each other it came after marriage and was a rare occurrence. Women were married as early as twelve, men at seventeen. Although marriages were arranged by their parents, men would sometimes be allowed to pick their own wives. Also they were expected to marry in their class of nobility. Woman had no choice in marriage so often woman are trapped in loveless marriages. They were not free to practice passion or to