History Main / OldSchoolChivalry

* In an episode of ''Promised Land'', the Greene family visits a dude ranch. The wife is sitting in the living room reading when the owner comes storming in. Despite having been well established as a {{Jerkass}} from earlier in the episode, he instantly removes his hat and nods in greeting when he sees her, showing that he still retains basic manners.

* Souma of ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'' comes from an absurdly old-fashioned family and as such acts like he was BornInTheWrongCentury, including when it comes to old-school rules regarding chivalry. This is sometimes played as a CharmPoint, such as in Tanabata when he admonishes [[TheCasanova Kaoru]] for suggesting that [[UsefulNotes/{{Tanabata}} Orihime and Hikoboshi]] would be unfaithful to each other because marriage is a sacred union that must be taken very seriously. However, it's also sometimes just played for laughs - in Quarrel Fes he gets a bit flustered by Anzu's openness and insists that men and women must not be physically touchy after the age of seven, but Anzu just teases him over this.

Contrast StayInTheKitchen, where the male character may act on such old-fashioned ideals in an even less supposedly noble manner, and WouldHitAGirl, where the male character abandons all thought of preferential treatment. Compare PrinceCharmingWannabe.

An AlwaysMale character devoted to enforcing the standards and principles regarding how "real men" act and behave, whether it's around women or otherwise. One of his top priorities is maintaining the comfort, safety, and reputation of ladies, thinking that the idea of a woman being OneOfTheBoys is plain old wrong. His ideals go beyond common courtesy. [[{{Deconstruction}} This can lead]] to serious problems considering how closely related this attitude is to StayInTheKitchen (whether the writers or the audience realize it or not), or if [[{{Jerkass}} someone]] is willing to [[ExploitedTrope take advantage of his beliefs]].

If he's not just a gentleman but an OfficerAndAGentleman, he probably belongs to an order of knighthood and follows the more classic code of chivalry. In that case, see KnightInShiningArmor. He might also be a SharpDressedMan.

* ''Manga/ParallelParadise'': Youta is a firm believer in this: [[HumblePie even after a rude wakeup call that he's far weaker than the warrior women of the parallel world]], he still insists on putting their well-being above his own and protecting them to the best of his ability. In fact his entire quest, one that would end with him ''picking a fight with a'' ''PhysicalGod'' ''should it pan out'', was inspired by his disgust at the curse the God of Deep Jealousy put on the girls. This entirely average kid is willing to commit ''{{Deicide}}'' for the sake of the gentle sex.

* VideoGame/StardewValley: If courted, Elliott fixes up a rowboat and takes you out on the water to confess his feelings. Elliott can be usually found by himself, either reading in the library or standing outside watching the water. The man spouts some really flowery romantic lines without a trace of self-consciousness. Depending on what you tell him about your taste in books, he may in fact write a romance novel dedicated to you.

* ''VideoGame/{{ProfessorLayton}}'' has of course the titular Professor Layton himself. No game that he is in is without mention of what a True Gentleman would do such as his catchphrase, 'A true gentleman leaves no puzzle unsolved.' A fair number of those consist of giving special attention and help to young ladies in need. He doesn't get in the way of ladies fighting for themselves if they are capable, but it does affect why he tries to not have Flora, a lady that is his ward, out in dangerous situations she has not proven capable of tackling alone.
** Directly talked about in ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonandtheMiracleMask'' where his teenage best friend, Randell, tells a young Layton that 'Chivalry is dead' after Layton escorts Randell's girlfriend, Angela, to Randell's house. Angela hadn't minded though and clearly it didn't stop Layton.

* You can do this in ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' to get girls to kiss you (or you can forget about kissing them and [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential pinch their bottoms]] instead). Keep in mind that this game is about a {{boarding school of horrors}}. As for [[FatGirl Eunice]], she doesn't expect even this from the player: she just wants a [[ChocolateOfRomance box of chocolates]].

* Harry Dresden of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' is a proponent of this trope, which annoys [[ActionGirl Karrin Murphy]]-since she had to fight her way to the top in a man's world, she feels like she's being treated like a weak, effeminate lady. Harry, in turn, likes to annoy her by treating her like a lady. And Murphy knows it. It ends up turning into BelligerentSexualTension, and Dresden does largely drops it as the series goes on.

* An episode of ''Series/{{Highlander}}'' discussed this with Duncan reluctant to kill a female Immortal (who had helped him become a gentleman in the first place) and Methos mocking the entire chivalry attitude. Methos took it upon himself to deal with the dangerous woman.
-->'''Woman:''' Who are you?\\

* Harry Dresden of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' is a proponent of this trope, which annoys [[ActionGirl Karrin Murphy]]-since she had to fight her way to the top in a man's world, she feels like she's being treated like a weak, effeminate lady. Harry, in turn, likes to annoy her by treating her like a lady. And Murphy knows it. It ends up turning into BelligerentSexualTension.

* Harry Dresden of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' is a proponent of this trope, which annoys [[ActionGirl Karrin Murphy]]-since she had to fight her way to the top in a man's world, she feels like she's being treated like a weak, effeminate lady.

* ''VideoGame/{{ProfessorLayton}}'' has of course the titular Professor Layton himself. No game that he is in is without mention of what a True Gentleman would do such as his catchphrase, 'A true gentlemen leaves no puzzle unsolved.' A fair number of those consist in giving special attention and help to young ladies in need. He doesn't get in the way of ladies fighting for themselves if they are capable, but it does affect why he tries to not have Flora, a lady that is his ward, out in dangerous situations she has not proven capable of tackling alone.

Directly talked about in ''VideoGame/{{ProfessorLaytonandtheMiracleMask}}'' where his teenage best friend, Randell, tells a young Layton that 'Chivalry is dead' after Layton escorts Randell's girlfriend, Angela, to Randell's house. Angela hadn't minded though and clearly it didn't stop Layton.

!Examples:

-->'''Lumi:''' Why did you save me?
-->'''Youta:''' Huh? Do you have to have a reason to save girls in this world? It's a man's job to keep girls safe.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Film/PrincessOfThieves''
-->'''Gwyn''': Now you let me steal your horse?\\
'''Prince Philip''': I give it to you freely madam. A woman should not have to walk.\\
'''Gwyn''': Has not a woman legs? Do we not walk and run just as you do?

-->'''Alejandro''': All that shooting guns, racing around on horses--gives me a frightful headache. It's hardly the work of a gentleman.\\
'''Elena''': What is? Climbing in and out of carriages?\\
'''Alejandro''': No, but increasing one's holdings so as to provide comfort to ladies. [[DeadpanSnarker Such as yourself.]]

** ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006''. The two times Bond and Vesper share a meal, he stands whenever she leaves the table, a classic rule of etiquette.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

-->'''Woman''': Who are you?\\
'''Methos''': Someone who was born a ''long'' time before the age of chivalry.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]

[[folder:Visual Novel]]

Any attempts to resist or otherwise convince said character that his principles are archaic rarely come up or fall flat on their faces. A rare success will result in a wake up call to the man that he [[BornInTheWrongCentury might be trapped in the wrong era]] or [[ValuesDissonance the wrong culture]].

If he's not just a gentleman but an OfficerAndAGentleman, he probably belongs to an order of knighthood and follows the more classic code of chivalry. In that case see KnightInShiningArmor. He might also be a SharpDressedMan.

* ''Film/KateAndLeopold'': Hugh Jackman's character is a nobleman from 1876. He is accustomed to stand when a lady leaves the table, is often mocked for things like his idea of the culinary arts. He becomes more modern and learns that obligation will trump integrity. He also woos Kate with a moonlight dinner and dancing on the roof, breakfast the next morning, etc.

* In Aussie cinema, truckers are often romanticised as modern day cowboys who stand up for the underdog and are always polite to women. Examples include Stacy Keach in Film/RoadGames, and Mory in Film/SavagesCrossing.

** In ''Film/{{Thunderball}}'', the ''lack'' of this tips him off to the fact that the widow of an assassin is actually the assassin himself--"she" opens her own car door, rather than letting any of the surrounding men do it.

* ''Literature/JourneyToChaos'': Nolien's manners and value system are classic gentleman and because of this he fits in better with traditional nobles than the modern mercenaries he works with. Tiza, the usual target of his courtesy, finds it stifling.

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': Simon Tam is a well dressed doctor who doesn't swear or have casual sex. Needless to say he doesn't fit in with the thieves he lives with, but he says that [[TokenGoodTeammate he has to be proper]] because [[LossOfIdentity it's all he has.]]

* An episode of ''Series/CornerGas'' has Brent start treating TheLadette Wanda more nicely and not making her work as hard when she shows up to work in a skirt one day. Lacey theorizes that seeing the skirt caused his male protector instincts to kick in, and Wanda tries to test this by looking and acting more and more feminine. It seems to work too, except when we switch over to Brent's perspective, we find out that the ''real'' reason he's treating Wanda so gently is because her out-of-character behaviour is making him think she's going nuts.

* In an episode of ''Series/{{Amen}}'', Thelma entertains a doctor and the Reverend. She leaves and re-enters the room several times--but they stand up everytime she does.

* ''Series/TwoTwoSeven''. Two women try to break into their landlords apartment because they think he's up to no good. Despite his pompous, arrogant attitude and his anger upon catching them, he doesn't hesitate to help them down from the window where they were trying to gain entry.

* ''VisualNovel/War13thDay'': Arsenik is always attentive to the needs of his [[ProperLady ladylove]], apologizes if he feels he's been too forward, and becomes indignant when she is disrespected. When Ambrosia is propositioned to and consequently blackmailed by a HandsomeLech, he even begins a fight to defend her honor.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': The witch doctor [[PunnyName Dr. I.C. Spots]] from the short "Which is Witch" takes off his hat and steps aside, when three lady natives--and Bugs, disguised as one--walk by. (Unfortunately for Bugs, his disguise slips.)

* At ''[[Wrestling/RingOfHonor ROH]]: The Homecoming 2012'', January 20, 2012, the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/roh/roh-t.html ROH World Tag Team Champions]] the Briscoes (Mark and Jay) faced the thrown-together Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} pairing of Wrestling/{{Hallowicked}} and Jigsaw in a match where, if the CHIKARA team won or outlasted the 20-minute time limit, they would get a title shot at a later date. As the match went on, CHIKARA founder [[Wrestling/MikeQuackenbush "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush]] made his way out to support Jig and Wicked. He was followed by Wrestling/{{Frightmare}}, Dasher Hatfield, [[Wrestling/TheColonyWrestling the Colony (Fire Ant and Green Ant)]], [[Wrestling/HaniaTheHowlingHuntress Saturyne]] and Wrestling/{{UltraMantis Black}}. Jay confronted Saturyne, with Dasher coming to her defense and telling Jay to respect a lady. Jay threw Saturyne in the ring, with Fire Ant flying in to distract him. This led to Jigsaw superkicking Jay for the pin.

* At ''[[Wrestling/RingOfHonor ROH]]: The Homecoming 2012'', January 20, 2012, the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/roh/roh-t.html ROH World Tag Team Champions]] the Briscoes (Mark and Jay) faced the thrown-together Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} pairing of Wrestling/{{Hallowicked}} and Jigsaw in a match where, if the CHIKARA team won or outlasted the 20-minute time limit, they would get a title shot at a later date. As the match went on, CHIKARA founder [[Wrestling/MikeQuackenbush "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush]] made his way out to support Jig and Wicked. He was followed by Wrestling/{{Frightmare}}, Dasher Hatfield. [[Wrestling/TheColonyWrestling the Colony (Fire Ant and Green Ant)]], [[Wrestling/HaniaTheHowlingHuntress Saturyne]] and Wrestling/{{UltraMantis Black}}. Jay confronted Saturyne, with Dasher coming to her defense and telling Jay to respect a lady. Jay threw Saturyne in the ring, with Fire Ant flying in to distract him. This led to Jigsaw superkicking Jay for the pin.

* At ''[[Wrestling/RingOfHonor ROH]]: The Homecoming 2012'', January 20, 2012, the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/roh/roh-t.html ROH World Tag Team Champions]] the Briscoes (Mark and Jay) faced the thrown-together Wrestling/{{CHIKARA}} pairing of Wrestling/{{Hallowicked}} and Jigsaw in a match where, if the CHIKARA team won or outlasted the 20-minute time limit, they would get a title shot at a later date. As the match went on, CHIKARA founder [[Wrestling/MikeQuackenbush "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush]] made his way out to support Jig and Wicked. He was followed by Wrestling/{{Frightmare}}, Dasher Hatfield. [[Wrestling/TheColonyWrestling the Colony (Fire Ant and Green Ant)]], [[Wrestling/HaniaTheHowlingHuntress Saturyne]] and Wrestling/{{UltraMantis Black}}. Jay confronted Saturyne, with Dasher coming to her defense and telling Jay to respect a lady. Jay threw Saturyne in the ring, with Fire Ant flying in to distract him. This led to Jigsaw superkicking Jay for the pin.

* Wrestling/FrankieKazarian displayed this in Wrestling/{{TNA}}, during his run as a baby {{face}} anyway. Even when he was embroiled in a feud against Wrestling/RobertRoode and Traci Brooks he wouldn't tolerate the former mistreating the latter, and as it turns out, Miss Brooks ''was'' appreciative of being shown how a "real man" treats a lady, when before she acted as {{the vamp}} to any man feuding with Roode who was foolish enough to show her kindness. Kazarian's gimmick later was taken by Tomko.