Sex in Holy Places: An Exploration of a Medieval Anxiety
Dyan Elliott
Sex in Holy Places: An Exploration of a Medieval Anxiety Dyan Elliott But those who forget their fear me and insane wickedness destroy the temples dedicated My name, or defile that dedication originated by Jacob polluting holy places with murderous blood impure seed adultery fornication ... O woe to wretches.1 Hildegard Bingen's prophetic denunciation sacrilegious pollution is premised on set conventional assumptions. Pollution prohibitions Christian tradition were sufficient antiquity provide kind illusory stability essential religious belief structures. Yet expression meaning particular anxiety still remained sensitive historical contingency. This paper examines case point. A rather startling story enjoyed popularity across all genres medieval didactic literature high later Middle Ages. man woman have intercourse precinct: be it church, monastery, cemetery, near sainf s shrine. As punishment for this inappropriate act, couple miraculously stuck together, only discovered humiliating predicament wondering populace, whose reaction ranges from hilarity deep disgust. They are eventually released united prayers community. graphic depiction what specialists call penis captious vaginismus (depending which genitals preferred as locus drama) fabricated tissue anxieties.2 When construed primarily an gynephobia female genitalia singular site "danger," tale can take its place alongside more celebrated motifs like vagina dentata? Nor does adhesive climax narrative fail achieve transhistorical transcultural ubiquity. Medical historians demonstrated breadth dissemination;4 when I first heard version was making rounds prÃ©adolescent circles urban legend. In latter context, functioned generalized warning against dangers sex.5 longevity motif ought not beguile us into regarding either static form meaning. The characteristic rendering focuses consecrated soil Â© 1994 Journal Women-s History, Vol 6 No. 3 (Fall) Eluott 7 transgression danger. such, specific timely respect origins, meaning, application, variants. earliest versions topos surfaced around 1100. miracle acta St. Guignerius (d. ca. 450), offense perpetrated tomb bishop had been member household father saint. couple, locked together dogs (more canum), conveyed shrine saint "where merit witness Christ intercession faithful they liberated."6 compared analogues, proximity notably oblique narrative. consecration offense, lesser occasion than church. ceremony evolved contend other forms pollution, cemetery's solitary defilement affect integrity church-proper. On hand, if church polluted some way, cemetery likewise desecrated.7 Similarly, deceased remotely associated question. Especially noteworthy fact author takes no pains differentiate between actions unseemly ritually polluting. marvel immediately preceding our incident, example, two soldiers horribly punished urinating rock where once anchored his ship.8 there difference world urine (even saint) semen soil, since requires deliberate public purification. Thus boundaries constitutes "the sacred" seem somewhat amorphous. "once-removed" proximity...
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