The Carmina Burana {Songs from Benediktbeuern} is the largest and most important medieval European poetic anthology. Found at the Benedictine monastery of Benediktbeuern about 50km south of Munich, it was probably written about 1230 in South Tyrol. It has been preserved as MS. Bavarian State Library, Munich, clm 4660/4660a.
The Carmina Burana consists mainly of accentual, rhyming Latin verse. It also includes some German verse (about 7% of the verses) and a Latin-French macaronic poem.
The Carmina Burana represents the true vibrancy and diversity of medieval European culture. It encompasses moral-satirical verse, love poems, drinking poems, and religious plays. The love poems show medieval men’s ardent, fleshly love for women and represent men’s great suffering in lovesickness. These poems embrace God’s love in the flesh and relish the divine promise of seminal fruitfulness.
Medieval poets understood that the sexual fate of old men is linked to the fate of the world. The common issue is separating wheat from chaff. … Read the post old men’s sexual difficulties: all-encompassing medieval perspectives
Men’s imaginary delights in women’s creative valleys inspired medieval poetry even amid the rejection, pain & crushing disappointment common in men’s lives. … Read the post men’s imaginary delights in creation prevail against love pain
Phyllis & Flora debated knights versus clerics as women’s lovers. The medieval Council of Remiremont ruled in favor of clerics, then wealthier than knights. … Read the post Phyllis & Flora on knight v. cleric: Council of Remiremont ruling
Men can’t have it all. Old men can’t effectively identify as young men. Old men should consider engaging in scholarly study instead of trying to bed women. … Read the post why can’t men have it all? an alternate life-stages approach
In 16th-century France, Gratien Dupont created Controverses that challenged gynocentric oppression indicated in the chess queen’s rise to dominance on the chessboard. … Read the post rise of the all-powerful chess queen & Gratien Dupont’s protest