Sexual Violence and Rape in the Middle Ages: A Critical Discourse in Premodern German and European Literature

Albrecht Classen

Published by De Gruyter 2011

Sexual Violence and Rape in the Middle Ages

A Critical Discourse in Premodern German and European Literature

Albrecht Classen

Volume 7 in the series Fundamentals of Medieval and Early Modern Culture

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110263381

Overview
Contents

About this book

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.

Author / Editor information

Albrecht Classen, University of Arizona, Tuscon, USA.

Topics

Frontmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	I
Table of Contents Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	V
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 1 Female Suffering and Rape in Hartmann von Aue’s Erec Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	11
Chapter 2 The Nibelungenlied — a Male Poet Reveals His Fear of Women Violence, Rape, and Political Machinations in the Heroic World Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	33
Chapter 3 Date Rape, or The Breaking of a Contract? The Problematic Case of Mauritius von Craûn. Modern Legal Issues in a Medieval Context Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	53
Chapter 4 Rape in Medieval Romance, with a Focus on Heinrich von dem Türlin’s Diu Crône Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	83
Chapter 5 Rape in Medieval Latin and Middle High German Poetry: Walther von der Vogelweide and the Carmina Burana Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	113
Chapter 6 Rape in Late Medieval Mæren Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
Chapter 7 Rape in the World of the Peasant Class in the Late Middle Ages Heinrich Wittenwiler’s Ring Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	143
Chapter 8 Apollonius of Tyre, Mai und Beaflor, and Other Late Medieval Narratives. The Suffering of Young Women Within Their Families Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	161
Chapter 9 Violence against Women in Late Medieval Popular Song Poetry and Heroic Epic Songs Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	197
Chapter 10 The Critical Treatment of Rape in Sixteenth Century Schwänke Literature: The Case of Hans Wilhelm Kirchhoff’s Wendunmuth Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Epilogue Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	227
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	233
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	269

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Scholars (Literary Studies, Medieval Studies, Cultural Studies), Departments, Libraries
Pages
- Front matter: 6
- Main content: 272
Keywords: Medieval German Literature; Sexual Violence; Rape; Medieval Gender Issues; Women's Rights

eBook

Published: June 30, 2011
ISBN: 9783110263381

Hardcover

Published: June 16, 2011
ISBN: 9783110263374