Prostitution and subjectivity in late mediaeval Germany and Switzerland
This thesis is a study of the problem of subjectivity and prostitution in the Middle Ages. Three legal case studies of unpublished archival material and one chapter focussing on fictional texts from late mediaeval Germany and Switzerland are used to investigate the conditions of prostitutes' subjectification in law and literature. The thesis takes impetus from Ruth Karras's recent articulation of the problem of prostitution and sexuality, seeking to engage critically with her notion of âprostituteâ as a medieval sexual identity that might be applied to any woman who had extra-marital sex. In dealing with trial records, it also aims to make a methodological contribution to the study of crime and the problem of locating the individual. Chapters I-III examine the records of criminal cases featuring the testimony of prostitutes, or women who risked such categorisation, to consider the available subject positions both within and outwith the context of municipal regulation. Whilst acknowledging the force of normative ideas about prostitutes as lustful women, these chapters argue that prostitutes' subject positions in legal cases were adopted according to local conditions, and depended upon the immediate circumstances
Page, Jamie
Prostitution ; Medieval ; Germany ; Switzerland ; Sexuality ; Gender ; Sex ; Brothels ; Middle Ages ; Court records ; Testimony ; Subjectivity ; HQ198.P2 ; Prostitution--Germany--History ; Prostitution--Switzerland--History ; Trials (Prostitution)--Germany ; Trials (Prostitution)--Switzerland ; Women--Germany--History--Middle Ages ; 500-1500 ; Women--Switzerland--History--Middle Ages ; 500-1500 ; Social history--Medieval ; 500-1500
Prostitution and subjectivity in late mediaeval Germany and Switzerland. This thesis is a study of the problem of subjectivity and prostitution in the Middle Ages. Three legal case studies of unpublished archival material and one chapter focussing on fictional texts from late mediaeval Germany and Switzerland are used to investigate the conditions of prostitutes' subjectification in law and literature. The thesis takes impetus from Ruth Karras's recent articulation of the problem of prostitution and sexuality, seeking to engage critically with her notion of âprostituteâ as a medieval sexual identity that might be applied to any woman who had extra-marital sex. In dealing with trial records, it also aims to make a methodological contribution to the study of crime and the problem of locating the individual. Chapters I-III examine the records of criminal cases featuring the testimony of prostitutes, or women who risked such categorisation, to consider the available subject positions both within and outwith the context of municipal regulation. Whilst acknowledging the force of normative ideas about prostitutes as lustful women, these chapters argue that prostitutes' subject positions in legal cases were adopted according to local conditions, and depended upon the immediate circumstances
prostitution subjectivity late mediaeval germany switzerland study problem subjectivity prostitution middle_ages legal case_study unpublished archival_material focussing fictional text late mediaeval germany switzerland use_investigate condition prostitute subjectification law literature take impetus recent articulation problem prostitution sexuality seek engage critically notion prostitute medieval sexual identity might apply woman extra marital sex deal trial record also_aim make methodological study crime problem locate individual iii_examine record criminal case feature testimony prostitute woman risk categorisation consider available subject_position within outwith context municipal regulation whilst acknowledge force normative idea prostitute woman argue prostitute subject_position legal case adopt accord local_condition depend_upon immediate circumstance