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Valentine's Day and Geoffrey Chaucer: The biggest troll ever
14 years ago
General
The biggest one I've ever seen, anyway.
If you're wondering just what the hell I'm on about, I'll lay that out for you in a minute. First, however, I'd like to address something I wrote last year about this time. It was a journal, which is burried somewhere in the list of them here, and it was discussing Valentine's day(I use the term "discuss" loosely there, though). That was written during a time when I was filled with anger, depression, loneliness, and a lot of other unpleasant emotions that I don't care to get into. Some of you were with me through that, others weren't; either way, I'd like to apologize for the nastiness contained in that journal. It was a bunch of emotionally charged drivel that isn't worth the pixels it shows up as, written while I was in an unstable place.
Now then, on to what I actually sat down to write about here. Valentine's day and how Geoffrey Chaucer has committed the biggest troll that I've ever seen. For quite a while now, I've been somewhat outspoken in my dislike for this holiday. Having chocolates and red hearts and the idea that you have to appease anyone on a certain day because a corporation shoves it down your throat has never set well with me, and neither have the social connotations and pressures that go along with it. Call me cynical, bitter, just lonely, or whatever else you like - it's probably not a stone's throw from the truth.
This year, instead of just going on a rant about how I dislike the holiday, I actually decided to do a bit of research on how this whole shennanigan got started. I dug up some interesting facts, too! For example, did you know that Valentine's Day was originally a religious holiday? Yep, that's right. It was established in 496AD by Pope Gelasius I, to commemorate the memory of a few Christian martyrs named Valentine. Christian martyrs. As in, people that gave their lives for their religion, and nothing to do with romance. At all. It was also deleted from the General Roman Calender by Pope Paul VI, in 1969, even though it is still celebrated nearly world-wide. The holiday was to remember Valentine of Rome, and Valentine of Terni; both of which were burried in Via Flaminia.
You're probably asking yourself, "what the bloody hell does any of this have to do with Chaucer?" I'll tell you! In 1382, Chaucer wrote the poem "Parlement of Foules," which was written in honor of the first anniversery of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. This poem contained the line "For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate." Let's take a look at this for a second, though. The line refers to birds coming to find their mates. February is a very unlikely time for this to occur, since it's so damn cold during that month in England. It's more likely that he was not refering to February 14, and instead referencing May 2, a day of celebration in the liturgical calender of Valentine of Genoa, which was an early bishop of Genoa that died around 307AD. Since that point, Chaucer had written a number of other poems that makes romantic references to Valentine's Day, and the mass public has mistaken the reference for a completely different date!
Another common misconception that reinforces the romantic tones that overpower the holiday now, is that in Rome during February 13-15 was the festival of Lupercalia, which was part of the celebration for the marriage of Zeus and Hera, as well as an archaic rite connected to fertility. The misconception alleged that there were links between this celebration and Valentine's Day, but there were actually none. That's right, it was just a coincidence. Incidently, I believe this is where the image of Cupid became associated with Valentine's day as well.
In addition to this, in Paris in 1400, a High Court of Love was established to deal with domestic disputes. The day it was created happed to be, you guessed it, Valentine's day. The judges for this court were selected by women, which judged the men vying for position by the love poems, or "Valentines" they were able to write and read for them.
By 1797, Valentine's Day was just a stone's throw from what we know it as today. Men were expected to write poems and give confectionary and all the rest of that stuff, but there were no cards to buy or anything of the sort - instead, people had to do their own writing and create their own gifts. Well, until this particular year. 1797 is when a British publisher put out "The Young Man's Valentine Writer," a book of sentimental and romantic verses for young men who had trouble creating their own words. What put the final nail in the coffin and sealed this as a corporate holiday was that around the same time, companies began printing Valentine's Day cards to purchase and send to whomever you please. I'm sure you can guess the rest from there.
And guess what? It all started with Chaucer making a few vague references in a poem written just over 600 years ago. So, here's to you, Geoff. The biggest troll that ever lived. 600 years later, it's all still going strong and nobody is letting go of it.
Now excuse me while I drink myself to death.
If you're wondering just what the hell I'm on about, I'll lay that out for you in a minute. First, however, I'd like to address something I wrote last year about this time. It was a journal, which is burried somewhere in the list of them here, and it was discussing Valentine's day(I use the term "discuss" loosely there, though). That was written during a time when I was filled with anger, depression, loneliness, and a lot of other unpleasant emotions that I don't care to get into. Some of you were with me through that, others weren't; either way, I'd like to apologize for the nastiness contained in that journal. It was a bunch of emotionally charged drivel that isn't worth the pixels it shows up as, written while I was in an unstable place.
Now then, on to what I actually sat down to write about here. Valentine's day and how Geoffrey Chaucer has committed the biggest troll that I've ever seen. For quite a while now, I've been somewhat outspoken in my dislike for this holiday. Having chocolates and red hearts and the idea that you have to appease anyone on a certain day because a corporation shoves it down your throat has never set well with me, and neither have the social connotations and pressures that go along with it. Call me cynical, bitter, just lonely, or whatever else you like - it's probably not a stone's throw from the truth.
This year, instead of just going on a rant about how I dislike the holiday, I actually decided to do a bit of research on how this whole shennanigan got started. I dug up some interesting facts, too! For example, did you know that Valentine's Day was originally a religious holiday? Yep, that's right. It was established in 496AD by Pope Gelasius I, to commemorate the memory of a few Christian martyrs named Valentine. Christian martyrs. As in, people that gave their lives for their religion, and nothing to do with romance. At all. It was also deleted from the General Roman Calender by Pope Paul VI, in 1969, even though it is still celebrated nearly world-wide. The holiday was to remember Valentine of Rome, and Valentine of Terni; both of which were burried in Via Flaminia.
You're probably asking yourself, "what the bloody hell does any of this have to do with Chaucer?" I'll tell you! In 1382, Chaucer wrote the poem "Parlement of Foules," which was written in honor of the first anniversery of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. This poem contained the line "For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate." Let's take a look at this for a second, though. The line refers to birds coming to find their mates. February is a very unlikely time for this to occur, since it's so damn cold during that month in England. It's more likely that he was not refering to February 14, and instead referencing May 2, a day of celebration in the liturgical calender of Valentine of Genoa, which was an early bishop of Genoa that died around 307AD. Since that point, Chaucer had written a number of other poems that makes romantic references to Valentine's Day, and the mass public has mistaken the reference for a completely different date!
Another common misconception that reinforces the romantic tones that overpower the holiday now, is that in Rome during February 13-15 was the festival of Lupercalia, which was part of the celebration for the marriage of Zeus and Hera, as well as an archaic rite connected to fertility. The misconception alleged that there were links between this celebration and Valentine's Day, but there were actually none. That's right, it was just a coincidence. Incidently, I believe this is where the image of Cupid became associated with Valentine's day as well.
In addition to this, in Paris in 1400, a High Court of Love was established to deal with domestic disputes. The day it was created happed to be, you guessed it, Valentine's day. The judges for this court were selected by women, which judged the men vying for position by the love poems, or "Valentines" they were able to write and read for them.
By 1797, Valentine's Day was just a stone's throw from what we know it as today. Men were expected to write poems and give confectionary and all the rest of that stuff, but there were no cards to buy or anything of the sort - instead, people had to do their own writing and create their own gifts. Well, until this particular year. 1797 is when a British publisher put out "The Young Man's Valentine Writer," a book of sentimental and romantic verses for young men who had trouble creating their own words. What put the final nail in the coffin and sealed this as a corporate holiday was that around the same time, companies began printing Valentine's Day cards to purchase and send to whomever you please. I'm sure you can guess the rest from there.
And guess what? It all started with Chaucer making a few vague references in a poem written just over 600 years ago. So, here's to you, Geoff. The biggest troll that ever lived. 600 years later, it's all still going strong and nobody is letting go of it.
Now excuse me while I drink myself to death.
I loved that someone finally did research and summarized it, because I rarely do myself. (Which is bad) Im sure several countries celebrate this differently or on a different day (such as St.Whites day in Asia) but the meaning is still there. Its fascinating and makes me wonder what else we do as tradition that has deeper meaning, or like Valentines day, less meaning than we thought.
Still love you. :3c