Is Chivalry Dead

Is chivalry dead? It’s a question that is asked every so often in the modern day, a time dominated by “hookup culture”, a time where social equality is celebrated and desired, and also a time where many believe that older custom that formed as staples to society such as manners and faith, are tarnished. But the meaning behind chivalry itself is well misunderstood in modern society, it’s not uncommon to run into a complainer, who spouts “Chivalry is dead” after they feel as they were mistreated, these people seem to have nostalgize the “good ol’ days” that never were, a damsel in distress, an idyllic portrait of goody two shoes holding a door open for a lady as if it were a behavior of every men in the 50’s. It’s safe to say, Chivalry is dead,
Even though generosity was a common theme in the chivalric codes, especially during the word’s revival in the early renaissance to the industrial revolution. Knowing the historical implications, however, it is probable that what many see as the ideals of chivalry were only seem through the rose tinted goggles of such writers and thinkers in their own manifestation. Knights were still seen a piteous and respected class in the day, but what is seen as courteousness towards women were perceived very differently. Episodes of mannerisms were expressed towards royalty, and a man being “good” to a women can just mean that they were strapping chastity belts on them as the men fought in the
Doesn’t chivalry have a different meaning?” Yes, but the point here is that the “chivalry” we all think of may have been dead all along. Sure, the chivalric code has died in several instances, knightly bands broken in the wars of Roses and eventually proved themselves obsolete or outright ignored the codes as professional infantrymen started to take the battlefront in the 15th century. But a scenario of Mario saving princess Peach is just a work of fiction, it’s all a superficial nostalgic view perpetuated by a conservative crowd who blame the ability of women to display their promiscuity in a “hookup culture”, or the rather delusional youth who fantasize about the days they never lived when they are treated out of expectation. You may say the idea behind chivalry is fine, but the ideas may just be the problem. In a more modern timeframe, what we’ve seen as a form of “respect” towards women may of just been a way of leveling societal inequality, a man would open a door so the women may not have to open it themselves, they may buy a meal since they have a higher income, etc. Given this, it just seems that it is no longer possible for this version of chivalry to find itself in modern society. Does this mean we can abandon our mannerisms, or treat women poorly? No, absolutely not. Respect and courteousness should be given to people regardless of what they were determined by birth, a group that makes up roughly half the human population and have well demonstrated