Mastering the Art of Cortesia

After our discussion last class on the coded nature of troubadour verse and the highly performative life of Occitan courts, it was interesting to read Gaunt’s statement on “the matter of good behaviour in the households of the nobility, and how cortesia, was becoming an art form”. I am particularly fascinated with the multi-layering of the performance concept; Both within the fabric of courtly life and within a genuine staged performance. In Bernart de Ventadorn’s songs he presents himself to his lover exclaiming, “behold me at your command, a man to rely on, before you, o noble, gentle, courteous, and gay.” Bernart presents himself as a master of this cortesia which Gaunt references. He is the most excellent troubadour because of his verse, but the most excellent lover because he expertly manages himself and his manners. It is interesting to me to consider this idea of cortesia within Butler’s notion that gender identity is the stylized repetition of acts through time. If we use this lens, then the perfect troubadour/courtier is one that masters these stylized repetition of acts; And if they are stylized they are inherently a performance, and like Gaunt says “an art”. He goes on to express that “A man needed tact, charm and discretion; he had to be elegantly dressed, cheerful, urbane” and if someone could master this “agreeable public mask” they would have access to “advancement, material comfort and security”. It is so interesting that in order to prosper at court it was vitally necessary to be a great actor, in order to embody these extremely specific parameters. Bernart was clearly extremely aware of the importance of this performance as he explains that “a man is a fool when he does things out of measure and doesn’t hold himself with courtesy”. “Courtesy” because of cortesia seems not only to supply the courtiers their bread and butter, but also their women. Their performance in life laid the foundation for how their staged performances would be received.