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How Has Chivalry Changed In The Middle Ages

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The way people interact plays a key role in the attitude of society. Throughout history, people have communicated through violence, trade, and agreements. Some interactions benefit society, while others negatively impact it. Chivalry provided knights with rules for interaction and behavior in the Middle Ages, and they were considered honorable. While chivalry may seem like it died in the past, chivalry is still essential to daily life because it evolves over time, sets a moral standard, and creates a better society. Indeed, chivalry is still followed because it has evolved over time. In the Dark and Middle Ages, chivalry was defined as the code of ethics knights followed (Wells). Chivalry is not the strict set of rules it used to be, but a general guideline for how people should behave and interact with others. In the code of chivalry, protect the innocent, never lie or deceive, and never attack an unarmed foe are among some of the rules knights were required to follow. Nowadays, protecting the innocent and remaining honest is still important; however, the meaning of never attacking an unarmed foe has changed. In the Middle Ages, never attacking an unarmed foe was literal, but today, it means not acting …show more content…
It is based on the application of “knightly virtues”, and both men and women have the responsibility to behave with courage, justice, mercy, generosity, faith, nobility, and hope (Apperson-Farrell). These traits were required of knights and should be required of every person of noble character. Courage is doing something in spite of fear; justice is fair behavior and treatment; mercy is compassion or forgiveness; generosity is being kind and generous; faith is trust or confidence; nobility is having high moral principles and ideals; and hope is ambition. If everyone applies these characteristics to their lives and follows the moral standard, society will be improved as a

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