Talking legs in the English Renaissance : shifting concepts of masculinity in Tudor and Stuart England
'Talking Legs in the English Renaissance' is an exploration of the multiple presentations of masculinity in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England. In it, legs are used as a metonym for the male body in its entirety, and looked at as a specific site of gender differentiation, a body part that in the early modern period was, I argue, closely tied to the expression of courtly and fashionable masculinity. My research merges sources and techniques traditionally pertaining to literature, history, and art history, such as close reading of literary and non-literary texts and of images, object-based investigations, reconstructions, and conversations with practitioners. Such a range of sources and perspectives is crucial to this thesis, which examines how the representation of the male leg in the context of a study of early modern fashion, medicine and surgery, and movement and physical activities can contribute to a reassessment of how the male body may have been felt and lived in in pre-modern England. In the first chapter, 'Proud Lookes and Brave Attires: legs, legwear, and the construction of the fashionable man', I examine the development of male fashion in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Through close
Mari, Giulia
Talking legs in the English Renaissance : shifting concepts of masculinity in Tudor and Stuart England. 'Talking Legs in the English Renaissance' is an exploration of the multiple presentations of masculinity in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England. In it, legs are used as a metonym for the male body in its entirety, and looked at as a specific site of gender differentiation, a body part that in the early modern period was, I argue, closely tied to the expression of courtly and fashionable masculinity. My research merges sources and techniques traditionally pertaining to literature, history, and art history, such as close reading of literary and non-literary texts and of images, object-based investigations, reconstructions, and conversations with practitioners. Such a range of sources and perspectives is crucial to this thesis, which examines how the representation of the male leg in the context of a study of early modern fashion, medicine and surgery, and movement and physical activities can contribute to a reassessment of how the male body may have been felt and lived in in pre-modern England. In the first chapter, 'Proud Lookes and Brave Attires: legs, legwear, and the construction of the fashionable man', I examine the development of male fashion in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Through close
talking english renaissance shifting concept masculinity tudor stuart england talking english renaissance exploration multiple presentation masculinity sixteenth seventeenth_century_england use male body entirety look_specific site gender differentiation body_part argue closely tie expression courtly fashionable masculinity source technique traditionally pertain literature history art_history close_read literary non_literary text image object based investigation reconstruction conversation practitioner range_source perspectives crucial examines_representation male context study early_modern fashion medicine surgery movement physical activity contribute reassessment male body may felt live pre_modern england first construction fashionable man examine_development male fashion close