12th Century Disenchantment and 21st Century Student Riots

Today I learned the origin of the phrase "we are not amused." When Lewis Carroll (a math tutor here at Oxford) first published Alice in Wonderland, the Queen loved it so much she sent him a letter insisting that he send her the next book he published, meaning of course, that she wanted the Alice sequel. He obliged her to a T and sent her a textbook on linear algebra. Soon after, he received a note: "We are not amused." Brilliant.

I am having a bit of a sad week because I am learning all about courtly love. In this case learning has rather disenchanting effects. Professor Georges Duby (uninspired, hateful man) takes the cynical view that courtly love was actually an educational game to train men in the art of vassalage. In this sort of training the lady fair served as a kind of dummy, an expendable trial run for young noblemen to learn submission and self-control. What really mattered in the end was that they were good vassals to their overlords. I suppose I should take it as a relief that courtly love turned out to be only a utilitarian social exercise. Its all a little sick when you think about it. Still, can't help being a little put out. Maybe my term paper on Aelard's 'On Spiritual Friendship' will make me feel better. Or maybe it will just want to spend an entire evening mocking Bernard of Clairveaux. Wretched, wretched man.

In other news, the students are striking again. I think it has something to do with the exorbitant dues required to get into the Oxford Student Union. When I went running past the Bodely today, there were dozens of them hanging on the iron gates, chanting something and waving pamphlets. Their anger made their accents thicker, however, and I couldn't quite catch what they were saying. A dozen policemen stood around in yellow vests in case they got out of hand. I wonder if it is worth if for them to get so angry over almost nothing at all - if they feel more alive because they can scream and hang off of 500 year old gates and light their own pamphlets on fire in an ironic manifestation of their indignation. Chivalry and courtly love were constructions to train and occupy the privileged youth of the 12th and 13th century. I wonder if riots are the bastardized 21st century equivalent. I hope it doesn't come to tearing up pavement stones. Such base behaviour is usually reserved for the French, or so I'm told.

Must finish reading The Legend of the Grail. Perceval is not done being idiotic yet. Cheers.