MACMILLAN Medieval Considerations of Incest, Marriage, and Penance (The New Middle Ages)

Medieval Considerations of Incest, Marriage, and Penance focuses on the incest motif as used in numerous medieval narratives. Explaining the weakness of great rulers, such as Charlemagne, or the fall of legendary heroes, such as Arthur, incest stories also reflect on changes to the sacramental regulations and practices related to marriage and penance. Such changes demonstrate the Church's increasing authority over the daily lives and relationships of the laity. Treated here are a wide variety of medieval texts, using as a central reference point Philippe de Rémi's thirteenth-century La Manekine, which presents one lay author's reflections on the role of consent in marriage, the nature of contrition and forgiveness, and even the meaning of relics. Studying a variety of genres including medieval romance, epic, miracles, and drama along with modern memoirs, films, and novels, Linda Rouillard emphasizes connections between medieval and modern social concerns. Rouillard concludes with a consideration of the legacy of the incest motif for the twenty-first century, including survivor narratives, and new incest anxieties associated with assisted reproductive technology. Review “This rich study offers many insights into an early version of the popular Flight from Incest motif in its thirteenth-century socio-historical context, in relation to the aristocracy, the Church, the law, and the position of women. Rouillard also suggests important connections with attitudes to incest today, both in literature and in law. Her book will be of interest not only to medievalists but also to modern literary scholars, social historians, and feminists.” ―Elizabeth Archibald, Professor of English Studies, Durham University, UK   “In this fascinating, informative study, Linda Rouillard offers important insight into incest motifs in the literature of the Middle Ages and modern world.  The author explores timely issues of gender and speech acts, power relationships and consent, virtue and bodily integrity, subversive female behavior, self-mutilation (the cutting off of one’s hand) as a strategy against incest, as well as medieval relics and reliquaries.  Her fascinating case studies and perceptive analysis recommend this study to a wide readership.” ―Jane Schulenburg, Professor of History Emerita in Continuing Studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, and Medieval Studies at UW-Madison, USA  From the Back Cover Medieval Considerations of Incest, Marriage, and Penance focuses on the incest motif as used in numerous medieval narratives. Explaining the weakness of great rulers, such as Charlemagne, or the fall of legendary heroes, such as Arthur, incest stories also reflect on changes to the sacramental regulations and practices related to marriage and penance. Such changes demonstrate the Church's increasing authority over the daily lives and relationships of the laity. Treated here are a wide variety of medieval texts, using as a central reference point Philippe de Rémi's thirteenth-century La Manekine, which presents one lay author's reflections on the role of consent in marriage, the nature of contrition and forgiveness, and even the meaning of relics. Studying a variety of genres including medieval romance, epic, miracles, and drama along with modern memoirs, films, and novels, Linda Rouillard emphasizes connections between medieval and modern social concerns. Rouillard concludes with a consideration of the legacy of the incest motif for the twenty-first century, including survivor narratives, and new incest anxieties associated with assisted reproductive technology. About the Author Linda Marie Rouillard is Professor of French, Chair of World Languages and Cultures, University of Toledo, USA.