Helen and Paris’s love affair brought about the disastrous Trojan War, yet medieval poets imagined it romantically. Men’s deaths should matter more. … Read the post Helen and Paris’s love affair in medieval imagining
Medieval European culture supported ardent, profound love between women and men. Losing such love is a catastrophe for human welfare and society. … Read the post medieval men ardently, profoundly loved women
While old men may lack young men’s sexual vigor, medieval poetry of the Carmina Burana shows young men regarded old men as competitors in love. … Read the post medieval tension between young & old men in loving women
In meeting the Trojan woman Briseida, the ruthless, brutal Greek warrior Diomedes asked to be subservient to her in love and begged her for mercy. … Read the post Greek Diomedes madly loved Trojan Briseida during Trojan War
The bawdy pound-of-flesh motif in the Gesta Romanorum illustrates the moral range of Shakespeare’s medieval sources for The Merchant of Venice. … Read the post bawdy medieval version of The Merchant of Venice’s pound of flesh