The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society

The ideal woman in the Middle Ages was based on the mythical Helen of Troy, who was seen as a symbol of beauty. Medieval thinkers derided women as oversexed sinners, but Eleanor Janega shows how real women of the era lived and paved the way for new ideas about womens nature, intellect, and ability. Janega questions why we cannot reimagine women now to create a more equitable future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2024
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

The ideal woman has been a subject of fascination and debate throughout history, with different cultures and societies offering their own perspectives on what constitutes the perfect companion. In this captivating exploration of medieval history, medievalist Eleanor Janega delves into the era that bridged the ancient world and modern society, seeking to unravel the suppositions about women and reveal the shifts and continuations that have occurred over time.

Medieval thinkers, almost exclusively male, drew upon a blend of classical Greek and Roman philosophy and Christian theology to shape their concepts of the sexes. For them, the epitome of female attractiveness was the mythical Helen of Troy, whose imagined pear shape, small breasts, and golden hair were seen as the epitome of beauty. These thinkers cast a shadow over medieval women, deriding them as oversexed sinners, inherently lustful, insatiable, and weak. Unless a woman was a nun, she was expected to embody the epitome of perfect motherhood.

In contrast, Janega presents a more nuanced and realistic portrayal of medieval women by drawing on accounts of remarkable and subversive medieval women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen, as well as others hidden in documents and court cases. These women were not just mothers but also industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, artists, and artisans, paving the way for new ideas about womens nature, intellect, and ability.

Through her meticulous research and thoughtful analysis, Janega unravels the restrictive expectations placed on medieval women and the ones that continue to exist today. She boldly questions why, if our ideas of women have changed drastically over time, we cannot reimagine them now to create a more equitable future.

The Once and Future Sex is a thought-provoking and illuminating book that sheds light on the complex and evolving nature of womens roles and identities throughout history. It challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions and beliefs about women and encourages them to work towards a more inclusive and just society.

Weight: 220g
Dimension: 209 x 139 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324074465