Chivalry... Why art thou dead?!

The other day me and my muse got into bit of tiff. She wanted me to have a go at the story with a chivalrous man as the central character; set in the present day!! I told her that even fantasy fiction has it's limits. 'Face it dear.. Chivalry is DEAD!'. She huffed and puffed but there are somethings about our times which you just cant change.

Just to make sure, I went and asked the girls to name a few chivalrous men they knew. Sure enough, they came up with a few name: Mr. Darcy; Sir Lancelot; Walter Raleigh. So I rephrased my question to name a few chivalrous men they knew for real, in the present age and time. They smirked and giggled like I just asked for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! :-|

And just to reconfirm, I went to the All-Knowing-One, ie Google. The results*: 99.9% of all pictures turned out to be either cartoons/paintings/black and white photos :-/

No, I needed no more proof.

But I could not help wondering what exactly led to it's demise. Then out of the corner of my mind, the corner which stores random information about random people, I could remember people being chivalrous to one girl in particular. In fact a lot of guys used to fall over each other to try and help her. I know what you are thinking..She was cute, but not that cute. So I probed into the why. Why her? What is it about her that sent men all the way back to the Authurian Age?

Hmmm. She's just like any other girl when there are just girls around. But put anything remotely resembling a male in her vicinity and then suddenly she turns into new born Bambi!! Pupils widen; a certain languidness about her which makes her look like she's gonna fall any second; movements become clumsier and the clumsiness results in pouty lips or giggles and down cast eyes [ I have not been able to find the logic which dictates when pouty lips and when giggles are appropriate] ; and of course, for the life of her she cant do anything without the help of a 'strong, masculine hand' . The overly sweet,simpering temperament!!


Wait a second. Did I just describe the classic 'damsel in distress'? 0_o

Is that why knights are long dead and gone? Because damsels in distress are far and few in the post feminist world?? Do they feel out of place if they don't have someone to rescue?? Am I to understand that the independent women don't need chilvary? Did.. [hushed tones]..Did women kill chivalry?


Well, I guess common sense dictates that, 'of course independent women don't need chivalry!' Does that mean  they are averse to it? I doubt that. After which girl doesn't dream of being treated like a lady.
But does that mean she can't have it in her terms?

Hmm.. what exactly are her terms? I think this is where it goes awry. Standard ones are opening doors, pulling out the chair, offering to pay the bill, offering to carry something heavy when she's tired. But there's always this sect of women who snub the guy by saying 'Do I look incapable?'#glare#
I think for the sheer confusion which is created by what is chivalrous and what is questioning her ability to fend for her self, made men decide it's not worth it. They are simple creatures who are feel their very existence is threatened by confusion. After all, they are MEN. They grunt and decide. No namby pamby wondering which way to go.
And maybe that is why it is only for the absolute 'Bambi' type females, who are unlikely to spurn them thus that they venture forth to try.

Sigh.

It's a sad state of affairs. But maybe there'd be enough men out there who are not looking to validate their manliness and just be polite for politeness sake and help out the girls; whether she asks or not. Coz the secret is irrespective of what she says and does, she's thrilled in her heart's core when you do those little things!