The Politics of Reproduction: Medieval Norwegian Kingship
Jenny Jochens
THE DOMINANT ROLE ATTRIBUTED TO MALE IN HUMAN REPRODUCTION may be the strongest and most startling illustration of patriarchy. For more than two millennia, Western thinkers, firmly rooted in biblical Aristotelian concepts, depicted female as a mere receptacle into which male planted his seed. The mother produced body, father soul, new human being.1 As consequence, even reproduction, dramatic focal point might have been woman giving birth, historians centered on man's role. From fourth century, when Jerome translated Eusebius's world chronicle, throughout medieval period, universal history was framed genealogical lists taken from Bible. Demonstrating paternal succession, these monotonously repeat that engendered (genuit) son.2 Only rarely do names women appear among several sexual companions, usually signposts to straighten simplify path descent.3 occasionally order highlight prestige brought man descendants he acquired wife higher social level own.4 But, often,
The American Historical Review|PubMed