Sex in the Middle Ages

By: Jennifer McNabb, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Jennifer McNabb

Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Sex. The word makes some people giggle or blush, while others may draw back in discomfort. Whatever the reaction, whether positive or negative or a confusing mix of both, it’s rarely neutral. But sexual intercourse is a basic biological fact of life—and none of us would be here without it.

So, why do we find it so difficult to talk openly about sex? Where do the many rules and taboos surrounding sex and sexuality come from? How is it that a basic biological act can be so fraught with cultural, social, and moral complications?

In truth, much of our reticence in discussing and acknowledging the realities of sex comes, at least in part, from a unique time and place: medieval Europe. In the 12 episodes of Sex in the Middle Ages, Professor Jennifer McNabb and a panel of experts in medieval history and literature will take you back to the period between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance to explore the ideals and realities of sex and sexuality. As you’ll learn, the rise of Christianity as not just a religion but a powerful political institution irrevocably influenced both the practical and moral dimensions of sex for centuries. And you may be surprised to see how much medieval views of sex continue to influence us today.

From the crowned heads of Europe to the lowliest serf, sex and its consequences affected everyone. After all, for people in the Middle Ages, sex could determine the fate of a kingdom and the state of your immortal soul. With so much on the line, is there any doubt that sex occupied the medieval mind and became a focal point of politics, literature, art, and so much more? This deep-seated preoccupation means that looking at the past through sex and sexuality opens doors into so many other dimensions of medieval life and offers a fresh new perspective on history beyond the big events and famous names we are familiar with.

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Laced with modern narratives

This book is narrated by 4 people, three women and 1 man. Overall the story was fine but it was clear one of the speakers had additional agenda they were interested in inserting throughout.

Three of the narrators stuck to facts based on stories and written accounts form the time period while one went beyond to insert ‘between the line’ assumptions throughout, as the book goes on I tended to cringe as she attempted to assert modern thinking of social justice, norms, themes into stories that didn’t mention them at all.

She asserts transgender, feminism, and other stretch themes through a 21st century lens that I think went beyond the other narrators perspective.

Provides perspective

A historical look at views on sexuality reveals some interesting tidbits: Middle Ages authors were very lewd. Religion (as always) ruins everything. I was amused that it was (supposedly) celibate priests who would be consulted for advice on sex.
This book helps provide perspective on today's arguments around issues of sexuality.

Boys Will Be Boys

The authors did plenty of research. Very interesting to learn that people viewed sex during the middle ages much as we do now. I found it particularly odd to have several different narrators taking turns willie nillie. The, "Valley Girl", narrator was extremely annoying even though her content was solid.

Scholarly and Fun

I bought this course on a whim, thinking it would be just like all the other Great Courses lecture series on medieval history that I’ve enjoyed in the past. It’s not. It’s VERY different, though in a pleasantly surprising way.

The most obvious difference is that the instructor, Professor McNabb, isn’t front and center. She introduces the topic of each lecture and provides a bit of background information, but then she steps aside, allowing a handful of medievalist colleagues to take turns covering the content. Most of these scholars are excellent and highly professional, though one of them sometimes refers to sexual intercourse rather indecorously (and in this case, anachronistically) as “shagging” or “getting it on.”

Which brings us to a second significant difference – this course contains vocabulary and graphic descriptions of sex acts that some may find offensive. This was a bit of a surprise, because The Great Courses has always been distinctly conservative in its editorial policy. Anyone familiar with Maureen Corrigan’s superb “Banned Books” course, in which a small number of expletives quoted from literature are muted by TGC censors, will know exactly what I’m talking about. There is no censorship of any sort in this lecture series, so if you are offended by what is commonly referred to as profanity, perhaps you should look elsewhere. Just know that if you do, you’ll miss out on a course that’s scholarly, informative, and at times lots of fun (particularly Lecture 6).

Confusing

The use of multiple presenters is confusing, especially since none are introduced and several seem to disagree with each other. There is also a notable lack of primary source citation.