Topic > Love is seen as a parody in La Celestina

La Celestina, written by Fernando de Rojas, can be considered one of Spain's most important novels due to the way it was written and its contrast with social norms. One of the most interesting themes of La Celestina is the way courtly love is subverted by Celestina and her companions. Courtly love is a philosophy of love that emphasizes the mystical and platonic aspect of love. It began in the Middle Ages and spread throughout Europe in the epic poems of the minstrels and troubadours who entertained themselves in the courts (...). The characters who express courtly love do not actually do so, but become parodies. The theme of courtly love is not traditional in La Celestina compared to other Renaissance works, as it does not follow the normal rules or steps of what a courted woman should be like. This is why the story ends in tragedy. There are many examples and omens that make the reader understand that the ending of La Celestina will not have a good ending. The main example is La Celestina. She practices witchcraft, is the leader of a brothel, and is a manipulator and instigator. The women who work for her are prostitutes and are not people of good character. Celestina is a matchmaker, but not a saint. In many cultures, matchmaking is an acceptable way to find a spouse. Some of the factors that determine whether a suitor is eligible are economic status, education and whether he would be able to take care of his wife (...). However, Melibea is of higher rank than Calisto, and it can be understood that she is more intelligent than him. This fact is enough to know that a relationship between Melibea and Calisto would be very unlikely. Matchm......middle sheet......but Pleberio's lament begins inauspiciously when he tells his wife in very common, if not comical, terms that "our source of joy is through the hole" ( "Our joy in the Well" Law XXI), and his body is ("pieces of the fact"). Just as nobles were not supposed to die ignominiously by falling from a ladder like Calisto, so girls were not supposed to end up in pieces at the foot of a tower Fernando de Rojas did a good job of introducing the parody of courtly love La Celestina, a topic which was not previously mentioned in literature or poetry. The Celestina was one of the most famous books of the 16th century and its popularity also aroused scrutiny from preachers and moralists who condemned it for its immorality. Celestina is a story that brings to life the practice of courtly love and how absurd it sometimes was.