Transvestism in the Middle Ages. The Venusfahrt of Ulrich Von Liechtenstein

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Year:
Pages:340
ISBN:0-7734-4311-8
978-0-7734-4311-2
Price:$219.95 + shipping
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This book takes a new look at gender and transgender issues inherent in the concept of male transvestism, or cross-dressing, as represented in the Latin, French, Old Norse, and German literatures of the European Middle Ages, with a primary focus on the Venus Journey of the knight, Ulrich von Liechtenstein.

Reviews

“This fascinating and much studied case of the thirteenth-century poet and knight, von Liechtenstein, and his curious first-person narrative account of the Venus Journey has puzzled and intrigued scholars for centuries. The nature and purpose of Ulrich’s journey and cross-dressing have been widely contested…Frankki offers here a new perspective on the Venus Journey. His study addresses the narrative from the perspective of transvestism itself.”
-Dr. Nicola Gilmour,
Senior Lecturer in Spanish,
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand


Table of Contents

Foreword by Dr. Nicola Gilmour
Acknowledgements
Introduction
CHAPTER
I. MALE TRANSVESTISM DEFINED

Magnus Hirschfeld
Hirschfeld’s Transvestites
Masochism and Transvestism
Fetishism and Transvestism
Hirschfeld’s Impact
Havelock Ellis
Classification Systems
Attempts at Destigmatization: Non-Pathological Cross-Dressing
Transvestism in Art and literature
II. TRANSVESTISM IN THE MEDIEVAL EUROPE
The Latin Literature of the Middle Ages
Gregory of Tours: History of the Franks
St. Jerome: Legenda Aurea
William de Blois: Alda
Statius : Achilleid
Edda and Saga : The Scandinavian Middle Ages
Thrymskviða and Lokasenna
Helgi Hundigsbana ønnur
Njál’s saga
Halfreøar’s saga and Vatnsdœla saga
Laxdœla Saga

Transvestism in Medieval French Literature
The Tournament of Sourluse
le Roman de Tristan en prose
L’histoire de Merlin

Heldris de Cornuä Le Roman de Silence.
Raoul de Houdenc : Meraugis de portlesguez
Douin de Lavesne : Trubert
Witasse le Moine
Claris et Laris

Transvestism in the German Literature of the Middle Ages
Tandareis and Wigalois
Die Mären

Konrad von Würzburg: Trojanerkrieg
Wolfdietrich B

Jans Enikel: Heer Friedrich von Auchenfurth
Cross-Dressing Knights and the Arthurian Festival
Summary
III. TRANSVESTISM IN THE FRAUENDIENST OF ULRICH VON LIECHTENSTEIN
A Critical Survey
Childhood in the Middle Ages: Ulrich’s Jugendgeschichte
Aspects of Masochism in Ulrich’s Person and Character
Ulrich as Poet
Masochistic Tendencies of the Knight Ulrich as a character in the Fraudenienst
The Venus Journey: Initial Preparations and Secrecy
First Scene in Church
Second Scene in Church
Eroticism during the Venus Journey
Ulrich’s Venus Wardrobe
Hoher muot and theroter mund
Homosexuiality, Transvestism, and the Knight Hademar
Frauenbuch
Frauendienst:
Ulrich and Hademar
Cross-Dressing and the windische wîp
Otte’s Request for a Joust
Otte’s Dress
IV. CONCLUSIONS
Bullough’s “Lost Status”
Gender Theory
Ulrich von Liechtenstein: A Medieval Transvestite
APPENDIX A: Transvestism as a Psychological Condition
APPENDIX B: Transvestism as a Literary Motif in the Middle Ages
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

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