Reconsidering Fin'amor through a rhetorical analysis of North French poets' chanson courtoise

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We analyze North French poets' chanson courtoise to extract two major enthymemes (the first one, starting with an unstatede premise that a mutual duty may operate effectively upon the feudal relationship, induces You-Lady-Sovereign to give a 'reward' for My-Vassal's services; the second, starting with another unstated premise that a lord might be an examplar to his vassals, and hence be an incarnation of all goodness, induces You-Lady-Sovereign to have 'mercy' on Me-Vassal), and to define the nature of this poetry as an intellectual game of logical persuasion based upon the educational practices of the Rhetorica in the Middle Ages. Then, we propose a new understanding of the key term fin'amor (pure love), pointing out a strategic phase that should have the metaphoric feudalisation of two lovers and the beautiful name of fin'amant (pure lover) in the context of the persuasion of a woman, at the same time the spirits that should operate upon these poetical activities.