Alcohol, Sex, and Gender in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe / Edition 1

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Overview

This book examines the effects of alcohol on gender relations in traditional Europe, focussing on England, France, and Italy in the late medieval and early modern periods, roughly 1300 to 1700. While alcohol causes physiological changes that are scientifically verifiable, the work of anthropologists reveals that much of what passes for drinking behavior and drunken comportment varies from one society to the next. In traditional Europe, as in modern Western societies, drinking led to increased sexual activity for both men and women, and it inclined men to commit acts of violence. Despite male fears of female sexuality and despite patriarchal restraints, women still consumed alcoholic beverages, sometimes in gargantuan amounts. This widespread consumption of wine, ale, or beer illustrates the importance of alcohol in traditional Europe. Alcohol was the ubiquitous social lubricant, and alcoholic beverages formed an important part of most people's diets.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312234140
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	04/18/2001
Series:	Early Modern History: Society and Culture
Edition description:	2001
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.02(d)
Lexile:	1660L (what's this?)

About the Author

A. Lynn Martin is Reader in History, The University of Adelaide and Director of the University's Research Centre for History of Food and Drink.

Table of Contents

Introduction
• Women and Alcohol
• Sex and Alcohol
• Alehouses, Taverns, and Prostitutes
• Sexual Encounters
• Unruly Women and Unruly Men
• Husbands and Wives

Editorial Reviews

...the author has collected a lot of useful material on an interesting topic, which may stimulate further research. Gastronomica

From the Publisher

Martin (history, U. of Adelaide) examines drinking and attitudes to alcohol consumption in later medieval and early modern England, France, and Italy, especially as they related to sexual and violent behavior and to gender relations. He shows how, though alcohol was a fundamental part of the diets of most people, its consumption was thought to increase sexual activity among both men and women, and to lead to disorderly conduct by women and violent conduct by men. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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