Ideas and Ideals of Secular Masculinity in William of Malmesbury<sup>1</sup>
Kirsten A. Fenton
Abstract This article explores the presentation of secular masculinity in two key works written by twelfth century Benedictine monk, William Malmesbury. It considers ideas and ideals through display certain attributes including violence, sexuality use speech order to arrive at a definition what Malmesbury himself considered be ideal masculine behaviour. Central each these attributes, Malmesbury’s eyes, was notion restraint. is linked importance restraint late antiquity as well issues specific eleventh centuries especially developing notions chivalry courtliness. portrayal Henry I central paper it not only reveals how complex actually but also provides insight into which he – others judged him. Notes [1] Thanks must go Arts Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for providing post‐doctoral research funding family Clare Evans. My thanks Professor Pauline Stafford her guidance comments on this unstinting belief it. Dr Cordelia Beattie. [2] R. A. B. Mynors, M. Thomson & Winterbottom (Ed. Trans.) (1998–1999) Malmesbury, Gesta Regum Anglorum, 2 vols (Oxford: Clarendon Press.) Hereafter GRA. Lower case roman numerals Arabic number refer book chapter number, capital volume page i.e. GRA v: 393 five, II, pp. 3–9 refers 2, pages 3–9. 393. [3] 411. [4] 412. [5] Gransden (1992) Prologues Historiography Twelfth Century England, Legends, Traditions History Medieval England (London: Hambledon Press), 125–151 (p. 126). [6] I, 6–9. Compare ii: prologue; E. King (Ed.) K. Potter (Trans.) (1998) Historia Novella, i: prologue Press). HN. Roman respectively. [7] Fenton (2004) Gender, Nation Conquest Anglorum (PhD, University Liverpool), 98–140, 165–173. [8] J. Cohen Wheeler (Eds.) (2000) Becoming Male Middle Ages (New York London: Garland); D. Hadley (1999) Masculinity Europe (London New York: Longman); C. Lees, T. Fenster McNamara (Eds) (1994) Masculinities: regarding men (Minneapolis Minnesota Press); Murray Conflicted Identities Multiple medieval West Garland). [9] V. L. Bullough On Being Ages, Lees et al. Masculinities, 31–45 34). [10] From an enormous literature see Flori (1986) L’Essor de la chevalerie, xi–xii siècles (Geneva: Librairie Droz); W. Kaeuper Chivalry Violence Oxford Keen (1984) Haven Yale Leyser Early Canon Law Beginning Knighthood, Reuter Communications Power Europe: Carolingian Ottonian 51–71; Nelson (1996) Ninth Knighthood: evidence Nithard, The Frankish World 75–87; Poly Bournazel (1991, first published 1980) Feudal Transformation 900–1200 Holmes Meier), 87–118. Much debate questions whether masqueraded contrary realities society; Borst (1968) Knighthood High Ages: reality, F. Cheyette Lordship Community Europe. Selected Readings Krieger), 180–191 Huizinga (1924) Waning Penguin), 65–75. [11] Gillingham Conquering Barbarians: war Britain, Haskins Society Journal, 4, 67–84; 1066 Introduction G. Garnett Hudson Government Normandy: essays honour Sir James Holt (Cambridge: Cambridge 31–55; (1995) Thegns Knights Eleventh England: who then gentleman?, Transactions Royal Historical Society, 6th series, 5, 129–153; Strickland Slaughter, Slavery or Ransom: impact conquest conduct warfare, Hicks (Stamford: Watkins), 41–60; War Chivalry: perception Normandy, 1066–1217 passim. [12] Gillingham, ‘1066’, ‘Conquering Barbarians’, Strickland, ‘Slaughter’, 41–60. [13] S. Jaeger (1985) Origins Courtliness: civilising trends formation courtly 939–1210 (Philadelphia: Pennsylvania esp. 127–175. ‘Thegns knights’, 148–150. [14] Norbert Elias (2000, 1939) Civilising Process: sociogenetic psychogenetic investigation rev. edn, ed. Eric Dunning, Johan Goudsblam Stephen Merrell, trans. Edmund Jephcott Blackwell), 92–97. [15] For religious (2006) Question Presentation Wulfstan Worcester, Anglo‐Norman Studies. Proceedings Battle Conference 2005, 28, 124–137. [16] Herrenfrage. Restructuring Gender System, 1050–1150, 3–29. [17] Flux: nocturnal emission limits celibacy early ibid., 103–120; Monks, Secular Men c.900, 121–142; Tosh What Should Historians Do with Masculinity? Reflections Nineteenth Shoemaker Vincent Western Arnold), 65–81. [18] Aird Frustrated Masculinity: relationship between Conqueror his eldest son, Masculinity, 39–55; Bennett Military Northern France c.1050–c.1225, 71–88 (esp. 76–79); Duby (1980, 1977) Youth Aristocratic Chivalrous Postan (Berkeley Los Angeles; California 112–122; Karras (2003) Boys Men: formations 1–19. [19] overview life 2nd edn (Woodbridge: Boydell [20] xlvi–xlvii. [21] [22] 446–449. [23] HN, prologue, 2–3. [24] Brubaker Sex, Lies Textuality: secret history Prokopios rhetoric gender sixth Byzantium, H. Smith East West, 300–900 83–101; Rulers Ruling Families Alfred, Charles Bald (Aldershot: Ashgate); Weiler (2005) Kingship, History, 90, 3–22. [25] Men, p. 21. [26] Kuefler (2001) Manly Eunuch: masculinity, ambiguity, Christian ideology (Chicago: Chicago 19–20. [27] Lindsay (1911)) Isidori Hispalensis episcopi: Etymologiarum sive originum libri xx, vols, xii 17–19. [28] knowledge Isidore 459. See Ideology Studies Church 34, 51–73 (pp. 55–57). These links have much earlier heritage; Kuefler, Eunuch, 19–20, 24–25, 109, 113, 207–209. awareness classical texts impressive. Blacker Faces Time: past old French Latin historical narrative regnum (Austin: Texas 58–66. Haahr (1990) Models: Suetonius Lucan, Bernardo Levin Classics Ages. Papers Twentieth Annual Centre Renaissance (Binghamton, State Binghamton), 165–173; Schütt (1931) Literary Form ‘Gesta Regum’, English Review, 46, 255–260; Thomson, 3–13. [29] N. Hamilton (1870) Willelmi Malmesbiriensis monachi Gestis Pontificum Libri quinque Rolls Series), Book ii, 74. [30] iii: 243. [31] 181. [32] iv: 373. [33] [34] 374. [35] 305. [36] 320. [37] HN 3. [38] 239–240. [39] 119. [40] footnote 18 above. [41] [42] identifies interplay violence crucial idea process Process, 161–172, 387–397. [43] [44] 37. [45] [46] 347. justum bellum new century. Cross (1971) Ethic Old English, P. Clemoes Hughes before Conquest: studies primary sources presented Dorothy Whitelock 269–282; Russell (1975) Just [47] As evidenced their virtus, e.g. Godfrey, [48] 369. [49] 381. [50] Russell, War, 21, 32–33, 38–39, 49–50. [51] 405. [52] [53] [54] 177. [55] 154. above, 6. Keynes (1978) Declining Reputation Æthelred Unready, Hill Ethelred Unready: papers from millenary conference, British Series 59 Archaeological Reports), 227–253 236–238). [56] Warren Hollister Frost 70–76; Rouen Riot Conan’s Leap, Peritia, 10, 341–350. [57] 392. [58] See, instance, Chibnall (1969–1980) Orderic Vitalis, ecclesastical 6 OV. References are OV III, 106; IV, 146–148; V, 24, 300–302. John notes that Geffrei Gaimar exceptional presenting Robert model ‘1066,’ 34–35 12. [59] Smail Fama: politics talk reputation (Ithaca Cornell [60] Smail, ‘Introduction’, Fama, 1–11 9). [61] Elias, 92–97; Knights’, 148–149; Jaeger, Courtliness, 127–175; (1997) Queen Emma Edith: queenship women’s power eleventh‐century 105–107. [62] Gowing Domestic Dangers: women, words sex modern London 59–138. [63] Civilizing 45–182; 148–150; [64] 23. [65] 254. [66] 26. [67] 59. [68] 310. [69] 36–38; [70] 149. [71] 758. [72] 196–197. [73] 197, ‘homo affectati leporis ingenue gentilitia lingua eloquens, mirus dicere, populo persuadere quae placerent’. [74] implies there some opposition Edward’s succession 197. [75] 239; 759. [76] 238. [77] 17. [78] 312. [79] all‐male associations nineteenth‐century arguing they sustained identity exclusiveness, ‘What Masculinity?’ 69–70. Bennett, ‘Military Masculinity,’ 71–88. [80] 22. Similarly, 40, compare 19. [81] [82] Hollister, 41–43 children ludicrousness statement. 376 suggests statement example abilities ironist. But, like think being more serious than allows. [83] VI, 98–99; Greenway Henry, Archdeacon Huntingdon, HH. HH x: 1. [84] Bullough, ‘On Male’, 34. [85] literature, Brooke (1989) Idea Marriage Brundage (1993) Variorum); Knight, Lady Priest: making marriage France, Ray Allen Lane); Molin Mutembe (1974), Le rituel du mariage en XII au XVI siècle (Paris: Éditions Beauchesne). [86] Preoccupation clerical period sexual control had been feature since fifth (See pp.161–205.) Gregory VII’s stress sense moral chastity celibacy, added greater depth traditional self‐control particular significance clergy. Cowdrey (1988) Pope VII Chastity Clergy, Frassetto Purity Piety. Essays Clerical Celibacy Religious Reform Garland), 239–302. Ancient traditions civic could transmitted via asceticism demonstrated Cooper Grace: impotence, servitude manliness 12, 536–551; Insinuations Womanly Influence: aspect Christianisation aristocracy, Journal Studies, lxxxii, 150–164; Leyser, ‘Masculinity Flux,’ 103–120. [87] so‐called ‘Canons Edgar’, Clauses 8, 68a, Whitelock, Brett (1981) Councils Synods other documents relating AD 871–1204, Part 1 876–1066 [88] Æthelred’s laws (V VI Æthelred), Clauses, 9, 9.1 [89] 273; picture contradicts one given [90] 418. [91] Huneycutt Images Queenship 1, pp.61–71 69); Sons Mothers: middle ages, Baker Women Blackwell Ecclesiastical Society), 79–100 90). [92] 419. A similar made 2. [93] indication public nature royal bodies Airlie Private Bodies Body Politic Divorce Case Lothar Past Present, 161, 3–38. [94] 4. [95] 176. [96] 439. [97] Clanchy Abelard. Life 149–172; Marenbon Philosophy Peter Abelard 28–303. [98] Ariès Love Married Life, Flandrin Sex church’s teaching behavioural Bejin (Eds)Western Sexuality: practice precept present times, Forster 130–139, 114–129; (1994, 1988) We Know about France? Dunnett(Cambridge: Polity 22–35. [99] Duby, Marriage, 32. [100] 273. [101] v:393. translates amor sensual love argues inappropriate 97–98. [102] particular, Brown Society: men, women renunciation Christianity Columbia Male,’ 31–45; passim; Rousselle Porneia: desire body antiquity, Pheasant Blackwell). [103] ‘The Grace’, Cooper, ‘Womanly Influence’, [104] Anthropologist Douglas (1966) pioneered medium social can discussed Danger: analysis concepts pollution taboo Routledge). [105] 29. [106] example, church councils referred 764 [107] Cities Plain: sodomy Damian’s ‘Book Gomorrah’, Romantic 86, 191–211. [108] ’Thegns Chivalry, [109] Above, 760. [110] 115–118. [111] 760–761. [112] 762–763. [113] [114] 393, [115] [116] 18–19; c. De contemptu mundi: [117] [118] Additional informationNotes contributorsKirsten Kirsten now holds Leverhulme Career Fellowship School Classics, Edinburgh, UK. She working monograph entitled ’Gender, Works Malmesbury’ beginning project, ‘Noblewomen, Property 10–12th centuries’.
Womens History Review