Literature has popularized and romanticized Valentine’s Day, and we all know this from the English classes we had back in high school, as we were required to read and analyze various forms of literature – whether we liked them or not. Yet, perhaps our English teachers did not know that the day was not “made romantic” until Geoffrey Chaucer came along. This fourteenth century poet was not only known as the Father of English literature, but was also the mastermind behind the present day celebration of love.
Geoffrey Chaucer’s association with Valentine’s Day is a dreamlike and whimsical one, exemplified in his poem Parlement of Foules. This poem is magical in its portrayal of love, as it is governed by free will, and regarded as a discovery, where both parties involved in this special connection are seen as liberal individuals. The French word ‘foules’ is used as the poetic symbol of a parliament of fowls. It reveals an underlying notion of love as being natural, which ultimately, strengthens this bond. Thus, the liberal debates in which this parliament is portrayed to have encourages all birds to pursue their ‘appropriate mates’, as love is a natural instinct.
Amidst the patriarchal, female-oppressing, and religion-indoctrinating fourteenth century social scene, Chaucer’s autonomous vision was a revolutionary one. His awareness of lovers as a collective, and as individuals with free thought and dreams aptly resonate and fuels our modern day outlook on love and romantic passion.
Art by Alexis Arnold