Courtly Love , Chivalry , Woman and Marriage During 14th Century England

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 - 1400), considered as a greatest English poet in the middle Ages. People honour him as the "Father of English literature" and he was the first one who was buried in Westminster Abbey. 

He divides the medieval 14th century society in three parts- THE KNIGHT represents nobility, THE WORKING MAN represents the third estate , THE ECCLESIASTIC represents the church. He did not consider two extremes of aristocracy and serfdom. However, he observed society mainly through the perspective of rising middle class. In The Canterbury Tales he starts his characters' description in the ecclesiastical hierarchy with the Prioress and the Monk, afterwards Friar and the Nun's Priest or Chaplain, then the Pearson followed by Summoner and the Pardoner.  

The  code of chivalry and the convention of courtly love were shown exactly the way these were existed. The gap between the ideal and the actual was presented genuinely. The chroniclers and observers have always been pointing towards the inconsistencies and corruption existed since the earliest age of chivalry. Though the chivalric ideals believed in the values of moderation, protection and magnanimity as well as the protection of the weak, yet in the society surfs were outnumbered freemen.  

Despite it that the rich citizens brought materialistic comfort, it had adverse effect on feudal aristocracy as they started buying the rank of knighthood for themselves. The concept of courtly love was not present in the medieval period. Commercial gain was the major motive behind tying the marital knots, which infct lead to child marriage.

During that time it was easy for rich people to get divorced for larger inheritance. On the other hand condition of women was quite disappointing and beating of women, daughters as well as wives was a common practice. 
Marriages were against the romantic love where illicit love was idealised in the courtly convention. The power of the code is evident in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde.