Sexuality in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Times

The studies in this volume explore the phenomenon of sexuality in a variety of medieval and early-modern literatures, including Old English texts, Middle-High German narratives, medieval Spanish and early-modern French literature, and also eighteenth-century English novels. Art historians, historians, and social historians contribute as much as researchers of the history of mentality and religion. The problem with sexuality within the medieval Church finds extensive consideration, and so the fundamental debate among modern sociologists and anthropoligists regarding the evaluation of sexuality, shame, and ethical norms as indicators of the process of civilization (or its myth).

Auteur

Albrecht Classen, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.

Résumé

Sexuality is one of the most influential factors in human life. The responses to and reflections upon the manifestations of sexuality provide fascinating insights into fundamental aspects of medieval and early-modern culture. This interdisciplinary volume with articles written by social historians, literary historians, musicologists, art historians, and historians of religion and mental-ity demonstrates how fruitful collaborative efforts can be in the exploration of essential features of human society. Practically every aspect of culture both in the Middle Ages and the early modern age was influenced and determined by sexuality, which hardly ever surfaces simply characterized by prurient interests. The treatment of sexuality in literature, chronicles, music, art, legal documents, and in scientific texts illuminates central concerns, anxieties, tensions, needs, fears, and problems in human society throughout times.