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Title details for The Fires of Lust by Katherine Harvey - Available

The Fires of Lust

by Katherine Harvey
ebook
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An illuminating exploration of the surprisingly familiar sex lives of ordinary medieval people.

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.
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Publisher: Reaktion Books

OverDrive Read

  • ISBN: 9781789144888
  • Release date: November 28, 2022

EPUB ebook

  • ISBN: 9781789144888
  • File size: 3232 KB
  • Release date: November 28, 2022

Formats

OverDrive Read
EPUB ebook

subjects

History Sociology Nonfiction

Languages

English

An illuminating exploration of the surprisingly familiar sex lives of ordinary medieval people.

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.
Expand title description text
History Sociology Nonfiction