Sex and Gender in Cervantes: Essays in Honor of Adrienne Laskier Martín ed. by Fernández Esther and Mercedes Alcalá Galán
Margaret Marek
Reviewed by: Sex and Gender in Cervantes: Essays Honor of Adrienne Laskier Martín ed. by Fernández Esther Mercedes Alcalá Galán Margaret Marek Fernández, Esther, Galán, editors. Martín. Reichenberger, 2019. 303 pp. ISBN: 978-3-944244-84-6. The book opens with a warm introduction honoring the impressive diverse exploits L. Martín, underscoring her innovative studies on eroticism sexualities, "a field deemed scabrous older critical generations" (3). In Cervantes, contributors to this volume, celebrate Martín's study marginal sexualities animal upon occasion retirement from teaching. Section I, "Creative Deceptions Seduction" Frederick A. De Armas heats things up, deliciously asserting that La Galatea is both genre- gender-bending. novel critiques effeminate men even as it celebrates title character's triumphant rejection shepherd suitors, preferring instead tryst Florisa: "Why their hair loose disheveled? What truly happened at spring?" (24). next two essays collection satisfy, though they lean slightly more towards vanilla. David Boruchoff parallels Cervantes's reinvention genre Quijote (1605) use literary convention problematize stereotypes portrayal women. Adrián Pérez Boluda notes that, while sex would be an impediment knight errant, conversely, Cervantes was steeped sexual mores his time. reader, then, acts voyeur humorous, unsatisfied appetites don Quijote. Susan Byrne's essay ratchets tension back up scintillating reading Quijote's questioning fifth galley slave. She examines crime (incest—the prostitutes turn out own sisters) fate (he sentenced galleys rather than religious orders, public shaming, or death) context early juridical treatises. [End Page 149] second section, "Peeping Through Metaphors," takes us human sexualized (for food). J. Ignacio Díez traces representations cat, meowing heat displaying its fluffy, phallic tail. largelyundomesticated feline embodies Altisidora's control passions, signals misread work belligerent spirits. Fortunately, Rocinante gets luckier. For Ana Laguna, although misadventure Galician mares Marcela's Grisóstomo, partnered donkey, horse enjoys "one most satisfying erotic experiences novel" (114). Sherry Velasco then provocatively straddles gap between (the Cave Montesinos, Gaiferos Melisendra) (Maese Pedro's monkey, braying episode). painstakingly couples influence brought bear travels Italy captivity Algiers, pairing imagery (figs, peaches, fish) music traditions. Carolyn Nadeau's penetrates intersection race, gender, class El celoso extremeño, peaking association well-known stew, pepitoria, poetic portrait Loaysa, whose "body parts become chopped pieces poultry […] ready devoured" ladies (163). From there, III, "Cervantine Bodies Gendered Identities," explores female warriors, ugliness, maternity. Jesús Jerez-Gómez, Morisca Félix, one least-studied characters, crosses temporal geographic boundaries. His encyclopedic account uncovers Classical, Carolingian, Arabic, Sephardic, Slavic, Nordic, Anglo-Saxon counterparts. José R. Cartagena-Calderón tantalizingly unshackles ugliness masculinity. Ugliness not immutable over Moreover, Sancho show discernible preference for hirsute enchanted Dulcinea originates hombruna appearance Aldonza Lorenzo, but unappealing peasant girl who inspired Sancho's falsified Dulcinea's enchantment. Galán's considers dead, absent, voiceless, anonymous mothers oeuvre. While maidens figure prominently narrative possibilities, "marriage end...
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