Sodomy, Masculinity and Law in Medieval Literature: France and England, 1050–1230

by William E. Burgwinkle

Shedding new light on the representations of masculinity and same-sex desire in medieval literature, William Burgwinkle offers a historical survey of attitudes towards same-sex love during the Middle Ages. His studies of a wide range of texts reveal that medieval attitudes towards sexual preferences were much broader than usually conceded. Although most texts of the period denounced sodomy, Burgwinkle reveals how some also endorsed it, however inadvertently.

Genres: Medieval, History, Nonfiction

314 pages, Hardcover

First published July 8, 2004

Reviews

[I wish I had eyeballs · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were interesting notes where the literature was actually related to the era's society. Monks' and Christian thinkers' writings related to monastic life, Medieval experience and judgement related to early Christian and Pagan experience, the historic changes behind it all...And then it goes into a full-on, more abstract literary analysis that doesn't take the time to place it in such engaging social/historical context anymore (in my opinion).

[Splen]

I read sections of this while I was researching Lanval and The Green Knight by Marie de France, but I still want to read the rest of it eventually.