Saturday, November 27, 2010

Two historical traps to avoid

This is mainly relevant for my students in this year's Chivalry and War seminar, HIST 4505.  But you never know who might be reading.  As they prepare for a term test/essay I will warn my students about these traps to avoid:
  • Thinking too much about “the code of chivalry” and what it said. Concentrate on what your [actual medieval] sources say.
  • Calling something “chivalry” based just on your general feelings or modern usage.
Ah, that elusive code of chivalry.  Just can't seem to avoid its ghostly influence...

Image:  It's the Code of Chivalry, of course!  What did you think?

3 comments:

  1. Are they confusing Valour with Honour?

    I am forever confusing Honour with Prowess.

    Bill
    http://www.southtower.on.ca

    ReplyDelete
  2. And, of course, calling something “honor” based just on your general feelings or modern usage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. And, of course:
    Calling something “honor” based just on your general feelings or modern usage.

    ReplyDelete