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The Role Of Sexism In Medieval Literature

1498 Words6 Pages

In our present generation, the idea of a separation between men and women really is not considered. We live in a culture where a person gets to choose sexual orientation, sexual preference, and even alter sex chromosomes. Due to of the advancement in our science, sociology, and psychology, sexism is arguably obsolete. I say all of that and an educated reader may be thinking “This girl is so wrong and has no clue what she is talking about because sexism does exist.” Well, it does, but not in the same way that it existed in medieval times. Medieval literature and outlets that interpret medieval literature depict sexism in a completely different, extremely radical way. Gerald of Wales’ The History and Topography of Ireland follows historian Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales) on his journey exploring Ireland and Whales. The travel journal consists of personal experiences during his time there accompanied by his outstanding observations …show more content…

The text is said to have almost ridiculed the Irish people in terms of their culture and lifestyle. The journal briefly discusses the male to female relationships along Gerald of Wales’ journey. Sexism in this particular travel narrative is displayed in a way such that women are viewed to be on the same level as animals and are viewed as filthy— having hair and dirty bodies. The text “A goat that had intercourse with a woman”, when “The wretched woman proving herself more a beast in accepting him than he did in acting, even submitted herself to his abuse” (Gerald 75) females are also associated with having intercourse with animals. But, the question is, exactly what kind of beast is Gerald referring to? One could argue that the partner practicing intercourse with females is exactly what the text says it to be, a beastly animal while there is also the possibility that Gerald was referring to the male society based on their disgusting views of

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The author uses choice words when describing the barbecue as savage, shown through phrases such as “fire building, beast slaughtering, fiddling with grubby mechanical objects, expensive gear fetishes, afternoon-long beer drinking” and “dripping pan, to preserve it from cooling, and the fat dropping into the fire, cast up… savory fumes from the burning grease” (Warnes 6, 69). Then after diving further into the book he begins to describe the act of barbecuing with more vulgar words such as “pudding-meat, that is, blood, grits” (Warnes 72). Using these words to describe the act of barbecue and feast with such savage and vulgar words shows how the idea of the masculine gender roles only advanced as time went

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Gender role is basically an arrangement of societal standards directing what sorts of practices are by and large viewed as satisfactory, suitable or alluring for a man in view of their real or actual sex. In this paper I will focus on the gender roles with reference to the mini-epic” the tain” This piece of Irish literature presents a very good distinction between the old period and the medieval time period. Formerly, men were the protagonists, leaders or the saviors in the literature. A man had to go to the wars and fights, to preserve the territory and honor (women) was their duty.

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In “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” the knight’s punishment for raping a girl is to set out on a year long journey to find out what women desire most. This story is sexist portraying women in a negative light. The tale portrays women as tricksters and seducers.

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The idea that women and sex are sinful permeated the Christian doctrine. The character Gwenhwyfar demonstrates the effects of these ideas on women through her zeal to be the perfect Christian and wife and her belief that she is naturally sinful and subordinate to men in both works (Snipes 1). On one occasion, Sir Percival meets a woman in the forest who seduces him. When explaining to a holy man, “Sir, said he, here was a gentlewoman and led me into deadly sin,” Sir Percival entirely blames the woman for their interaction and also considers sex to be a “deadly sin” demonstrating sexual repression in the medieval Christian society (Malory 982). The holy man in reply said, “O good knight… thou art a fool, for that gentlewoman was the master fiend of hell, the which hath power above all devils” (Malory 982).

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