Literary Origins of Valentines Day

"I am so in awe of Love and so bemused, when I think about Him, that I'm completely perplexed"- Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Parliament of Fowls, written in the late 14th century, holds a significant place in the history of both literature and the origins of Valentine's Day as a celebration of romantic love. The satirical poem, which features a symbolic assembly of birds debating over their choice of a mate, is often considered one of the earliest works to explicitly link Valentine's Day to the idea of love and courtship. While the association of February 14th with romantic love predates Chaucer, it is his poem that, for many, solidifies the connection. Chaucer’s reference to this day as a time when birds "choose their mates" suggests a connection between the natural world and the human experience of love, making Valentine's Day a celebration not only of affection but also of the search for a soulmate. Romantic!

The poem is a dream in which the narrator is in a garden on St. Valentine’s Day, where a parliament of birds gathers to discuss love. Among the many birds, the three most significant—the Eagle, the Swan, and the Nightingale—engage in a debate about which bird should be paired with whom, representing different attitudes toward love. Chaucer  blends the themes of desire, courtship, and choice, portraying love as both a natural force and a personal decision. The birds' deliberations reflect the complex, often frustrating nature of romantic relationships, emphasising themes of patience, hope, and the sometimes arbitrary nature of love. The poem’s use of birds as symbols for human affections further suggests the idea that love, while a universal experience, is also one that perhaps involves some element of fate.

Chaucer’s The Parliament of Fowls is a key early exploration of the themes of love, choice, and courtship that would become central to later medieval and Renaissance literature. By linking these ideas to Valentine's Day, Chaucer gave shape to the modern understanding of Valentines Day as a celebration of romantic love, an idea that would evolve through the centuries. The poem introduces a playful and satirical, yet thoughtful engagement with the idea of love as both a joyous and frustrating, challenging pursuit, setting the stage for future works that would continue to explore the complexities of human relationships. It marks a key moment in the cultural history of Valentine’s Day, framing it not just as a day for the expression of affection, but as an occasion for the contemplation of love itself.