"Historically Incorrect Canoodling," brings to light the history of Valentine's Day. Stephanie Coontz, the auhtor, says that Valentine's Day was never really about romance. It was actually used to replace Lupercalia, the night when boys drew girls' names and they were their sexual partner for the year.
As most people know, Valentine's Day was named after a Christian priest named Valentine. Legends say that he was executed for conducting marriages for Roman soldiers. Another legend is that he fell in love with his jailor's daughter, and wrote her a moving and touching letter signed "from your Valentine."
However, when the church made Feb. 14 St. Valentine's feast day in 498 A.D., they were not trying to celebrate romance, and love. The church really wanted replace the holiday honoring the Roman goddess of love and marriage, Juno. They also wanted to replace Lupercalia Eve, the night boys would draw female names, and those girls would be their mate for the year. The church didn't like things like this, and not because it preferred love-based courtship (marriage).
The article says that, actually, love isn't prevalent in the first 1500 years of church history. A 12th-century authority wrote, "no one disapproves when a gentle and honest sentiment softens the bonds of a marriage, but it is not the role of marriage to inspire such a feeling." In other words, love wasn't the role to inspire marriage. Pope Gregory the Great wrote, "while marriage was not technically sinful, the carnal pleasure that husband and wife get from from sex cannot, under any circumstances, be without blame." This basically meant that the only reason why people got married was because of sex.
People, then, warned young people to try to stay away from love and marriage, but like today, the young people didn't listen. It was around 200 years ago that people changed Valentine's Day into what it is celebrated as today.
In my opinion, I really don't like the way it was celebrated back then. It seemed all too strict, and boring. Nowadays, it had more spice and sensualness to it. If I were put in the predicament of females back then, I would honestly have to kill myself. What it the boy that picked me was ugly, or didn't smell too right, or wasn't smart enough, or was just disrespectful? I would not be able to go through that. Also, I would like to go back in time and thank whoever changed Valentine's Day into what it is. It's fun, and cute, and more celebrational! I like celebrations! Who agrees?
As most people know, Valentine's Day was named after a Christian priest named Valentine. Legends say that he was executed for conducting marriages for Roman soldiers. Another legend is that he fell in love with his jailor's daughter, and wrote her a moving and touching letter signed "from your Valentine."
However, when the church made Feb. 14 St. Valentine's feast day in 498 A.D., they were not trying to celebrate romance, and love. The church really wanted replace the holiday honoring the Roman goddess of love and marriage, Juno. They also wanted to replace Lupercalia Eve, the night boys would draw female names, and those girls would be their mate for the year. The church didn't like things like this, and not because it preferred love-based courtship (marriage).
The article says that, actually, love isn't prevalent in the first 1500 years of church history. A 12th-century authority wrote, "no one disapproves when a gentle and honest sentiment softens the bonds of a marriage, but it is not the role of marriage to inspire such a feeling." In other words, love wasn't the role to inspire marriage. Pope Gregory the Great wrote, "while marriage was not technically sinful, the carnal pleasure that husband and wife get from from sex cannot, under any circumstances, be without blame." This basically meant that the only reason why people got married was because of sex.
People, then, warned young people to try to stay away from love and marriage, but like today, the young people didn't listen. It was around 200 years ago that people changed Valentine's Day into what it is celebrated as today.
In my opinion, I really don't like the way it was celebrated back then. It seemed all too strict, and boring. Nowadays, it had more spice and sensualness to it. If I were put in the predicament of females back then, I would honestly have to kill myself. What it the boy that picked me was ugly, or didn't smell too right, or wasn't smart enough, or was just disrespectful? I would not be able to go through that. Also, I would like to go back in time and thank whoever changed Valentine's Day into what it is. It's fun, and cute, and more celebrational! I like celebrations! Who agrees?
Good summary. What do you think of the argument that Coontz makes that we treat our marriages very seriously and that our expectations for marriage are very high? 85
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