Medieval thoughts on marriage
Sep. 22nd, 2021 07:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
medievalrosalie
I'll be honest. I'm not a man-hater (as some book reviewers suggest) but I do hate the way medieval women get thought of by many medieval people. Not all, obviously, but many others shared the views of Thomas of Cantimpre and other religious men.
The medieval church of old felt quite strongly about the women and they were usually in two camps, never mind all the complex in betweens. No, they preferred their women clearly sexed and in one of two places: with Eve, as a foul temptress or with Mary, as a sainted and shining example of womanhood.
They preferred nothing in between, leading to statements like this one. Marriage was to be endured for the procreation of heirs or the expansion of empires. Intimate relations, ditto. You might marry, but surely you will grow to regret it.
The medieval period is often romanticised in literature and film, but I'm glad I don't live there. I can tell I'd be trouble.
no subject
Date: 2021-09-22 01:13 pm (UTC)My blog is partly f-locked (the reasons for that are on my intro post) so although I've granted you access you may need to subscribe to see the whole lot- I don't filter so what you'd see would be the whole lot in that case! :o)
I'm an early modern military historian so my mind spends an awful lot of time in the 17th century- actually the bloodiest century on record, not the 20th as many believe.