The fires of lust : sex in the Middle Ages / Katherine Harvey.

  • Harvey, Katherine
Date:
2021
  • Books

About this work

Description

"An illuminating exploration of the surprisingly familiar sex lives of ordinary medieval people. The medieval humoral system of medicine suggested that it was possible to die from having too much or too little sex, while the Roman Catholic Church taught that virginity was the ideal state. Holy men and women committed themselves to lifelong abstinence in the name of religion. Everyone was forced to conform to restrictive rules about who they could have sex with, in what way, how often, and even when, and could be harshly punished for getting it wrong. Other experiences are more familiar. Like us, medieval people faced challenges in finding a suitable partner or trying to get pregnant (or trying not to). They also struggled with many of the same social issues, such as whether prostitution should be legalized. Above all, they shared our fondness for dirty jokes and erotic images. By exploring their sex lives, the book brings ordinary medieval people to life, revealing details of their most personal thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, it provides us with an important and intimate connection to the past"--Publisher's description.

Publication/Creation

London : Reaktion Books, 2021.

Physical description

296 pages : black and white illustrations ; 24 cm

Bibliographic information

Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-282) and index.

Contents

Introduction -- Guiding principles -- Getting together -- Sex within marriage -- Reproduction -- The battle for chastity -- Immoral behaviours - Defying sexual norms: Positions and partners -- Defying sexual norms: Religion and race -- Prostitution -- Sexual violence -- Sex in culture - Conclusion.

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatus
    History of Medicine
    TP.AA2
    Open shelves

Permanent link

Identifiers

ISBN

  • 1789144892
  • 9781789144895