Routledge Fecal Matters in Early Modern Literature and Art

Explore the overlooked history of bodily functions in Early Modern Europe with this academic collection from Routledge. Fecal Matters in Early Modern Literature and Art: Studies in Scatology examines the widespread use of scatological rhetoric that was common in the works of our educated forebears. While modern sensibilities often avoid these topics, this volume addresses the academic neglect of how feces, urine, flatus, phlegm, and vomitus were represented in historical texts and art. This collection of essays serves as a deep dive into the representation of the body's waste products. By analyzing the various forms and functions of these elements, the contributors fill a significant gap in the study of European cultural transitions. Readers will find a detailed look at how the process and product of elimination shaped the literature and visual culture of the era. This book is an essential resource for scholars interested in the history of the body, early modern studies, and the cultural significance of scatology in historical art and writing.