A01=Katherine Harvey
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Anglo-Saxons
Author_Katherine Harvey
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catholic
chastity
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Come as You Are
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Curious History of Sex
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erotic
europe
gender
Language_English
masturbation
medieval
Mind the Gap
nuns
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pornography
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prostitution
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religion
roman
Sex and Punishment
sexuality
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women
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Product details
- ISBN 9781789144895
- Dimensions: 156 x 234mm
- Publication Date: 11 Oct 2021
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
- Language: English
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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, and reveals details of their most personal thoughts and experiences. Ultimately, it provides us with an important and intimate connection to the past.
Katherine Harvey is an Honorary Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. She holds a PhD in Medieval History from King’s College London and has published widely on medieval topics, including sexuality, gender, emotions and the body.
