Sexual Relations

Student B British Literature Prof. Gary Gutchess December XX, 20XX The Battle of the Sexes in British Literature, Part I Women and men have had a lot of different roles inside their communities, their political organizations, and even their families during the past 500 and 1000 years. Some of these were public, and some were private. Starting back in the Middle Ages women in general were undereducated, quiet and rarely mentioned in literature, but in the early modern period they become more able to speak for themselves, and by the 18th century there were famous female writers and women in powerful positions. The changes in the relations of the sexes throughout the three time periods are clear, and they helped shape the future for women. In the Middle Ages women had access to books, but these books that women had access to encouraged them to pray, and aided them in private devotions. During this period women were more likely to read English, or French, instead of Latin. This English was Old and Middle English. The power women had during this time generally was limited to the home or church, unless you were like Empress Matilda, who organized an army by herself, showing that women could cause havoc at any moment. Literature during the Middle Ages such as “Beowulf,” “Judith,” “Lanval,” “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” and “The Book of Margery Kemp,” illuminated the ideals of the sexes. Men in the epic “Beowulf” were very testosterone driven. They spoke about battles, wars, soldiering, and were the protectors of the people around them. Women on the other hand were mentioned little within “Beowulf.” There were seven women inside this story, and all but one of them were described in good terms. The only exception was Grendel’s mother, but that was probably because she was Beowulf’s enemy. Women were expected to be good subordinate wives, and inside the story you can see this loyalty when the Queen comes out with the cup of wine: she gives it to her Lord first, then to

Cited: Damrosch, David et al., eds. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume One. 3rd Edition. Vols. 1A, 1B, 1C. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006. ISBN 0-321-33392-6