Performing Virginity and Testing Chastity in the Middle Ages

Overview

This book challenges the belief that female virginity can be reliably and unambiguously defined, tested and verified. Kelly analyses a variety of medieval Western European texts - including medical treatises and their Classical antecedents - and historical and legal documents.

The main focus is the representation of both male and female virgins in saints'' legends and romances. The author also makes a comparative study of examples from contemporary fiction, television and film in which testing virginity is a theme.

Significance

Performing Virginity and Testing Chastity in the Middle Ages presents a compelling and provocative study of the paradox of bodily and spiritual integrity as both presence and absence.