Sexual violence and rape in the Middle Ages : a critical discourse in premodern German and European literature / Albrecht Classen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Classen, Albrecht.

Series:

Fundamentals of medieval and early modern culture ; 7.

Fundamentals of medieval and early modern culture, 1864-3396 ; 7

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

German literature--Middle High German, 1050-1500--History and criticism.

German literature.

Rape in literature.

Women in literature.

Violence in literature.

German literature--Early modern, 1500-1700--History and criticism.

Latin literature, Medieval and modern--Europe--History and criticism.

Latin literature, Medieval and modern.

Literature, Medieval--History and criticism.

Literature, Medieval.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (280 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berlin : De Gruyter, c2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Medieval historians and literary scholars have not ignored the topic of sexual violence and rape, but the primary focus has regularly rested on English, French, or Italian documents. Here we have the first book-length study that investigates the treatment of sexual crimes in medieval and early modern German and Latin literature, making great efforts to shed light on often ignored scenes and episodes even in some of the ,classical' works such as Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival or the anonymous Nibelungenlied. As this monograph reveals, many times we face situations where we cannot easily determine whether rape has occurred or not. Consequently, we recognize an important discourse in these literary examples concerning the question of how to view and deal with sexual violence, which could also involve men as victims. This critical examination extends toward sixteenth-century jest narratives (Schwänke) where the issue of rape continued to occupy the authors' minds. Moreover, as numerous side glances to contemporary European literature indicate, the theme of sexual violence was of universal concern and critical importance during the entire premodern era.

Contents:

Introduction

Female suffering and rape in Hartmann von Aue's Erec

Nibelungenlied: a male poet reveals his fear of women

Date rape, or the breaking of a contract? the problematic case of Mauritius von Craûn: modern legal issues in a medieval context

Rape in medieval romance, with a focus on Heinrich von Dem Türlin's Diu crône

Rape in medieval Latin and middle high German poetry: with some reflections on Walther von der Vogelweide and the Carmina burana

Rape in late medieval mæren

Rape in the world of the peasant class in the late Middle Ages: Heinrich Wittenwiler's Ring

Apollonius of Tyre, Mai und Beaflor, and other late medieval narratives: the suffering of young women within their families

Violence against women in late medieval popular song poetry and heroic epic songs

The critical treatment of rape in sixteenth century Schwänke literature: the case of Hans Wilhelm Kirchhoff's Wendunmuth

Epilogue.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613402783

9781283402781

1283402785

9783110263381

3110263386

OCLC:

743693648