Performing Virginity and Testing Chastity in the Middle Ages

Informationen zum Autor Kathleen Coyne Kelly Klappentext This book challenges the belief that female virginity can be reliably and unambiguously defined, tested and verified. Kelly analyses a variety of medieval Western European texts - including medical treatises and their Classical antecedents - and historical and legal documents. The main focus is the representation of both male and female virgins in saints' legends and romances. The author also makes a comparative study of examples from contemporary fiction, television and film in which testing virginity is a theme. Performing Virginity and Testing Chastity in the Middle Ages presents a compelling and provocative study of the parodox of bodily and spiritual integrity as both presence and absence. Zusammenfassung This study presents a compelling and provocative study of virginity, which challenges the belief that female virginity can be reliably and unambiguously defined, tested and verified. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction. Castitas/Virginitas 1. Hymenologies: the multiple signs of virginity 2. 'Armour of Proof': the virgin and the Church in hagiography 3. 'Love's Traces': the lady and test in romance 4. Oxymoronic bodies: male virgins in hagiography and romance 5. Multiple virgins and contemporary virginities

Product details

• Authors: Kathleen Coyne Kelly, Kelly Kathleen Coyne
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 03.02.2000
• EAN: 9780415221818
• ISBN: 978-0-415-22181-8
• No. of pages: 208
• Series: Routledge Research in Medieval; Routledge Research in Medieval Studies; Routledge Research in Medieval
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Gender Studies, HISTORY / Ancient / General, HISTORY / Social History, Social & cultural history, CE period up to c 1500, Medieval History, Social and cultural history, Gender studies, gender groups, History and Archaeology, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval, LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Gender Identity