Gibran Sheikh
Professor Macklin
English 115
18 October 2012
Modern
Chivalry: A Decline to the Gentleman’s Code
Modern
chivalry, the code of male ethics, is one of the abstract concepts in life that
some males abide to. For those clueless as to what modern chivalry is, it is a
simple gesture of courteousness. Modern day society claims it no longer has use
for a man’s chivalry, but in reality, chivalry is the characteristic of certain
men that distinguishes them from others. That is, chivalry is what gentleman
display which not only brightens their day, but also brightens the days of
other people. Presently the concept of chivalry has noticeably diminished, and as
people are becoming much more self-sufficient, it leaves men to no longer be gentlemen.
The abstract concept of chivalry should not be one to fall out of place in society;
it is an idea that should not become obsolete.
An
image that displays the decline in chivalry depicts a couple, the man in the
couple has his gaze fixed on another woman passing by, while the woman in the
couple has a thought bubble; in it she thinks about a princely gentleman with a
rose for her at her window (Precious Pat). Messages that emanate from the image
are that men aren’t how they used to be and the knights in shining armor simply
aren’t there anymore. Taking a look at history, it is stated that chivalry was
the class that deemed a young man a knight (Encyclopedia Britannica). From
there the term chivalry changed its definition to what most people in society
understand it as today: courtesy (Encyclopedia Britannica). Going back to the
image described, it is a princely gentleman whom the woman in the couple dreams
of. In this case the male in the couple lacks chivalry, as he is not a gentleman
in the eyes of his girlfriend. Modern chivalry, courteousness, is crucial to gentlemen
because it is a factor amongst others which defines them, and in the case of
women, it is chivalry that sparks a meaningful relationship. If society had forsaken
chivalry, in turn gentlemen would also be forsaken; therefore chivalry should
remain, as should gentlemen.
While some men
choose to live with the so-called “swag”, a term manipulated by internet slang
and modern society, others are aware that this is of no use to anyone;
therefore, the men who understand the ultimate uselessness of “swag” display
chivalry. Men with nothing but “swag”, as internet slang defines it, are men
who display disrespect, inconsideration of others, and absolute discourtesy.
These men are those among other people in society who are the cause of the
decline in chivalry. Chivalry is a concept shadowed by other, negative concepts
such as “swag”; however, it is able to be shown the light if brought up by
other men, gentlemen. It is these men who, in reality, can fend for others and
themselves in certain situations, order a bottle of Chardonnay wine if the
occasion calls for it, or simply hold open a door for a passing pedestrian.
These are the men that society needs for chivalry to brighten back to society,
so that society may view courtesy once more.
Chivalry today is
something that plays a strong part in marriage, the union of two select
individuals. Chivalry is a positive additive in a marriage because not only
does a man show respect to his wife, but the two learn to communicate better and
learn to care for each other. In some cases there is, amongst other things, an
absence in chivalry in some marriages. In this case there is a divorce, a split
between the union of two individuals. The National Center for Health Statistics
(NCHS) states a divorce rate that is half as high as the marriage rate in the
United States. With that statistic, it appears difficult for men and women both
to find someone to their liking. Man’s chivalry towards others is a factor
amidst others that are needed in a successful marriage, and without it, some married
couples will struggle to work. Accordingly, chivalry is furthermore needed in
marriage as well as a variety of reasons. With so many reasons accounted for,
it is crucial that chivalry does not bleed out of society.
As
a society progresses, we can easily observe how men and women interact with one
another, and thus it is surely apparent that a society’s dependence on man has
slightly died down. For example, there is an increase in the number of
stay-at-home fathers, nearly double that of what it used to be in the past
decade (U.S Census Bureau). That being said, it is apparent that some men today
aren’t the ones in the workplace; therefore, women are the ones being depended
on, rather than the men. It used to be that the men bring home the bacon, the
women cook the bacon, and the children eat the bacon; but this idea doesn’t
seem to pertain to some families in the modern day society. It seems that in a
modern society, dependence on man isn’t where it used to be. Dependence on a
man was something that chivalry thrived on, but as modern society continues to
grow on its own, it is evident that as independence of men increases, chivalry
slightly decreases. It is up to society to view chivalry as a benefit to man
and itself, so that the concept does not fall out of place.
Formerly,
it was proper that when men and women dined, women would be served first, and
men last, giving the idea that the man was ultimately responsible for the bill.
Presently, however, we see that while some restaurants may still follow this
basis of servitude, others may choose to serve men and women in matters they
choose. In other words, it is recognizable that women may actually be served last
and may be responsible for the bill. In the case of a couple dining, where
chivalry is most needed, a woman paying for the meal seems to take away from
the man. It’s a nice gesture for a woman to pay for the meal, but if the man
was looking for an opportunity to display chivalry, he has lost it. To many,
paying the bill is a gesture of common courtesy; it’s the fact that counts, and
in the case of men, it’s what defines their chivalry. If man could not be
defined by chivalry, then the concept has concluded, and society has lost a
valuable asset to the male characteristics.
Modern
chivalry is what men go by to make their lives easier and the lives of others a
bit more meaningful. It is an abstract concept derived by “gentlemen” to serve
as a basis for the male code of life. Not all men go by it, but those who do
are those who warm the hearts of others; however, it is notable that modern day
society has seen a decline and overall “death” in chivalry. It is up to modern
day society to look into those who do display it and therefore change them from
being defined as merely men to that of a gentleman. No longer can society blame
men for the decline in chivalry, it must blame itself.
Works
Cited
"2010 Census." 2010Census.gov.
U.S. Census Bureau, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://2010.census.gov/2010census/>.
"Chivalry." Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/113409/chivalry>.
"Marriage and Divorce." Www.cdc.gov.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/divorce.htm>.
"Modern Chivalry." ChivalryNow.net.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.chivalrynow.net/articles/chivalry.htm>.
Williams, Alex. "Just Wait
Until Your Mother Gets Home." Nytimes.com. The New York Times, 12
Aug. 2012. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/fashion/dads-are-taking-over-as-full-time-parents.html?pagewanted=all>.
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