(Untitled)

[me_ves_y_sufres]

This goes out to all the medievalists on my flist: can you recommend any good books that combine study of medieval literature/society with queer theory or readings? I've got Dinshaw, Pugh and Burgwinkle (BURGWINKLE what a name) on stack request. Alternatively-- and I realise this is really hazy, but at the moment I am just randomly googling search

Comments

[magic_doors]

*cracks knuckles*

Right, my interests/readings have primarily been in the ideologies of the eucharist, saints cults and virginity in terms of gender and queer theory. There's some really interesting articles out there.

Atkinson, C. W. 'Precious Balsam in a Fragile Glass : The Ideology of Virginity in the Later Middle Ages'. Journal of Family History, 8 (1983), 131-143
- Magic vaginas and unicorns!

E. Duffy, ‘Holy Maydens and Holy Wyves: the Cult of Women Saints in Fifteenth- and Sixteenth- Century England’ in Women in the Church, ed. W.J. Sheils and D. Wood, Studies in church history., 27 (1990), pp. 175-96
- This one is hell to find on OLIS - funny what you remember, but I KNOW it is in the lower cam.

S. Beckwith - Christ's Body: Identity, Culture and Society in Late Medieval Writings
- Like my essay (which was basically 'I MOSTLY THINK WHAT SHE SAID') only as I remember it had more about the mystery plays. Lots of stuff on Christ's wounds being like breast milk and all that stuff.

S. Riches and SARAH SALIH isn't that a beautiful name? - Gender and Holiness - Men, Women and Saints in Late Medieval Europe
- Lots of interesting queer readings and stuff on masculinity. I remember the article on male virgins and queer readings of the sexual vibe around the martyrdom of St. George being quite interesting.

SAC Penn - Female Wage Earners in late C14 England - Agricultural History Review 1987
S. Bardsley - Women's work reconsidered: gender and wage differentiation in late medieval England Past and Present Nov 1999
- I think a lot of people have a problem with this article; they have some good points but mostly I remember one response to it saying that gender based pay gaps can't survive in truly competitive economies and women who worked really hard could earn just as much as men if they really tried, which is always good for getting your rage on.

C. Fletcher - Manhood and Politics in the Reign of Richard II P&P 2005
- AWESOME.

Caroline Walker Bynum - Fragmentation and Redemption: Essays on Gender and the Human Body in Medieval Religion
- I had a LOT of problems with this book's conclusions when I first read it - I thought she basically ran away into the hills of theory and imagery and blah blah blah, neglecting actual oppression. But there's some really interesting stuff about queer theory and depictions of Christ in it and women's suffering as the Imitation of Christ. And she also had the bit about how it's implausible erotic tension in a painting of Christ and John the Baptist was intentional because it was done for nuns, and there is NO WAY a group of sexually frustrated women would turn to the vicarious enjoyment of gay male eroticism, IS THERE? The guy she's replying to there is really interesting - Leo Steinberg: The Sexuality of Christ in Renaissance Art and Modern Oblivion - if a bit late in its focus, maybe.

For MArxist stuff on economics after the Black Death - Brenner and anyone responding to him is increibly confusing oh Jenny I don't understand useful.

Do you want to go see As You Like It?

[highfantastical]

and there is NO WAY a group of sexually frustrated women would turn to the vicarious enjoyment of gay male eroticism, IS THERE?

:D :D :D

YAY SLASHER NUNS.