Gender in Medieval Culture

Description

Gender in Medieval Culture provides a detailed examination of medieval society's views on both gender and sexuality, and shows how they are inextricably linked. Sex roles were clearly defined in the medieval world although there were exceptions to the rules, and this book examines both the commonplace world view and the exceptions to it. The volume looks not only at the social and economic considerations of gender but also the religious and legal implications, arguing that both ecclesiastical and secular laws governed behaviour. The book covers key topics, including femininity and masculinity and how medieval society constructed these terms; sexuality and sex; transgressive sexualities such as homosexuality, adultery and chastity; and the gendered body of Christ, including the idea of Jesus as mother and affective spirituality. Using a clear chapter structure for easy navigation and categorisation, as well as a glossary of terms, the book will be a vital resource for students of medieval history.

Michelle M. Sauer is Professor in the Department of English at the University of North Dakota, USA.

Gender in Medieval Culture is a serviceable and functional resource for students and instructors. It is based on a solid understanding of recent developments in medieval gender studies, provides vivid case studies, and offers a clear overview of the medieval medical and ecclesiastical discourses and ideals of gender and sexuality. * Journal of the History of Sexuality * Gender in Medieval Culture is an engaging, informative, and stimulating account of men and women in the Western European Middle Ages. In this lively and ambitious study, Michelle M. Sauer explores how gender is informed by, and informs the religious, social, economic, political, legal and medical spheres. . . arguing that only by fully understanding the interaction of gender and power in the distant past, can we fully understand it today. * Diane Watt, Professor of English Literature, University of Surrey, UK * This is a wide-ranging and detailed introduction to the problems of applying gender theory to medieval society. It presents a comprehensive overview of the key scholarly works of the past 30 years, and explores with admirable clarity the often conflicting views of medieval commentators on the definition and display of gendered roles. Dr Sauer's study illustrates the many constraints on women's lives in both sacred and secular spheres, utilizing examples drawn from historical, literary and legal sources, but also demonstrates the ways in which men, too, were governed by a set of norms. Her comparative work will be of great use to instructors and students alike. * Patricia Skinner, Reader in Medieval History, University of Winchester, UK * Professor Sauer's refreshingly clear and direct prose conveys not only information but the excitement and sheer joy of intellectual exploration. It consistently demystifies jargon, and yet all the while provides the vocabulary and critical styles its readers will need to use. The book embodies pedagogy and learning. Drawing upon Professor Sauer's experience in the classroom, her book's explanations and readings of events and texts engage readers in the act--the art--of scholarship as well as the knowledge scholarship produces. * Lisa Weston, California State University, Fresno, USA *