Figurations of Male Beauty in Medieval Culture

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Special Session

Organizer Name

Gerry Guest

Organizer Affiliation

John Carroll Univ.

Presider Name

Gerry Guest

Paper Title 1

The Body Beautiful: Norse Models of Ideal Male Physique

Presenter 1 Name

Oren Falk

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Cornell Univ.

Paper Title 2

"Fine Words and Glorious Deeds": The Beauty, Heroism, and Gender Ambiguity of Richard the Lionheart in Fortz chausa es

Presenter 2 Name

Rachel May Golden

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Univ. of Tennessee-Knoxville

Paper Title 3

Blazon and the Green Knight

Presenter 3 Name

Sylvia Tomasch

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Hunter College, CUNY

Paper Title 4

Medieval "Muscularity": The Form of the Knightly Male Body

Presenter 4 Name

Steven Bruso

Presenter 4 Affiliation

Fordham Univ.

Start Date

16-5-2015 1:30 PM

Session Location

Schneider 1120

Description

During the central and later Middle Ages, there existed a complex set of typologies for understanding male beauty. Although often problematized, physical beauty could be seen as a positive trait in men. Thus, male saints could be described as physically beautifully, their outward appearance reflecting their inner sanctity. Knights might be described as beautiful, either in their physical proportions or for their glittering, colorful armor and accoutrements. Youthful male beauty was seen in still other ways. Elsewhere, male beauty could be also be seen as being intertwined with pride and other sins. Despite this provocative diversity of attitudes, little has been published on the ways in which medieval people understood the complex intersection of masculinity and beauty at this time. (Gerry Guest, John Carroll Univ.)