"The many images of tennis from the thirteenth century onwards assisted Gillmeister in tracing the development of the game, for example, when the racquet began to be regularly used, the height and arrangement of the net and even styles of play. He shows its particular hold on the artistic imagination and how it had a special relationship to courtly literature and to a conception of the ideal; human being. It appeared as a recommended part of a young man's education, contributing to a 'civilising process', teaching good manners and appropriate behaviour, as well as providing a suitable form of bodily exercise, so long as it was not taken to excess - although Charles V dismissed it as one of the games that did 'nothing to teach the manly art of bearing arms'. Its appearance in the medieval romance literature added to its glamour and eroticism, for it was associated, long before the Victorian garden party, with dalliance as well as sporting vigour and courage in combat. It was also considered an intellectual game and known as 'chess in motion', so it is easy 'to see why such a game should so have fascinated the intellectuals of the Middle Ages - who were the monks'. Indeed, one writer thought 'the art of the racquet the most appropriate sport for the man of letters'."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Elizabeth Wilson, “ Love Game: A History of Tennis, from Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon”, (2014), pp. 22-23.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Tennis
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Tennis
14 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Tennis →
Related Quotes
"An alternative theory has it developing in the streets of northern Italian towns at the same period. Medieval shop fr…"
"Lawn tennis was never to equal the popularity of cricket and football. Yet it represents more accurately than any oth…"
"In its early years military men and more unexpectedly the clergy were among the keenest promoters and players of the …"
"With the waning of its popularity in fashionable circles, lawn tennis was saved by two developments. It became popula…"
"The ancient game from which lawn tennis was adapted had been played at least since the early Middle Ages. Its roots l…"
"I honestly don't understand it, because it's somebody hitting a ball to where you can't get it, but you want to get i…"
"I have these two sayings, “Champions adjust” and “Pressure is a privilege”. Tennis teaches you about those things. Wh…"
"Tennis was invented by the Devil."
"To see Good Tennis! What divine joy Can fill our leisure, or our minds employ? Let other people play at other things;…"
"Tennis ist Langstrecke. Du kannst nicht immer mit Tempo 220 über die Autobahn rasen, du musst lernen, dass manchmal 1…"