Early Modern Bodies: Sex and Gender in Europe

Do men and women share the same historical experiences? When do their paths align, and when do they diverge? What accounts for these differences? In this course, we will explore the physical and cultural constructions of gender and sexuality in Europe, c. 1350–1800, through a variety of topics, including the life cycle, midwifery, heterosexual marriage, homoerotic desire, same-sex practice, cross-gender identification and performance, hermaphroditism, and the “monstrous” body. Each week, we will discover how transformations in natural philosophy, religious belief, scientific experimentation, art and literature, and medical practice shaped—and were reshaped by—ideas of the body and sexual difference. We will engage with a variety of sources, ranging from anatomical illustrations and poetry to medical treatises and birth salvers, to uncover how gender norms influenced power structures and personal identity within hierarchical systems. Counts for HSMT credit.