An Attempt to Explain Italian Women Through History: Part I
By Nick Signoriello
There are many beautiful things to contemplate in Italy, and Italian girls are no exception. Unfortunately, they know this. Furthermore, as with Florence's Duomo or the Ponte Vecchio, your experience with Italian girls may be enhanced if you know some Italian history.
Chivalry dates back to the early Middle Ages, when men were revered for their courage, bravery, and loyalty. This was a time when war was an art and knights in shining armor would fight with their horses, swords, and shields.
This idea of chivalry is important when thinking about the dynamics of contemporary Italian society, and even more so, Italian women. Into the 14th and 15th centuries, the term transformed and came to represent a code of knightly conduct that incorporated courage and honor, but also more importantly manners. Men of the higher classes would learn how to behave like gentlemen and act appropriately in public places. Specifically, they would learn how to court a woman, which became known as the courtly love tradition.
Now you might be asking yourself exactly how this relates to today’s Italian society. First off, the code of conduct rooted in the courtly love tradition still exists, and there are rules when attempting to woo an Italian woman. This may seem uncomfortably strange to you if you come from a country where meeting a girl consists of going out with your buddies, drinking, then finding chicks. It may be hard but it is possible, if you remember to use your best manners—they , might be just good enough.
Just remember a few simple rules:
1.) Always be sure of yourself, confident in your actions, and do not be afraid to speak your mind; be her modern-day knight. (A knight courting a woman would NEVER let a girl open a door for herself).This attitude is the origin of chivalry in its purest sense when men were honored for their war ethos and courage.
2.) Always dress appropriately, part of chivalry during the Middle Ages highly emphasized the way you presented yourself in public. A t-shirt and sneakers are just not good enough, not even during the day, go buy yourself a nice shirt and pair of Italian shoes.
3.) Take things slow, remember you are courting her. This may consist of going on a group date first with her friends and then only going on a single date once they have approved of you. **For those of you planning to come to Italy and score with an Italian girl on the first night, you are out of your mind.
All of this may be overwhelming and seem difficult, and I wish I could say it wasn’t. But if you meet a girl and want to have a chance at all, you need to know how to woo her (reading a little history about chivalry wouldn’t hurt). Good luck.
