The Heroes of Great Literature

Do the ideals of courtly love align with the teachings of Christianity? One aspect of the knightly character is courtly love and deference to ladies. This trait produces a new kind of hero in literature. It is a dramatic change from the ideals and motivations of ancient and classical literature. In his famous Divine Comedy, Dante shows what true love is by first showing what it is not. He explains that the love of earthly things can become the first step that leads us to the love of God, which in turn purifies our love of earthy things.