Teaching Rape in 바카라사이트 Medieval Literature Classroom: Approaches to Difficult Texts, edited by Alison Gulley

In 바카라사이트 era of #MeToo, how can university teachers responsibly teach texts that feature sexual violence? That is 바카라사이트 question that lies at 바카라사이트 heart of this collection of 14 essays by educators working in 바카라사이트 field of medieval literature. At first glance, 바카라사이트 reader might be tempted to think that a 200-page collection about 바카라사이트 methodology and morality of teaching stories from 바카라사이트 Middle Ages is an example of left-wing academic handwringing. If universities are experiencing a sexual violence crisis, wouldn¡¯t it make sense to pay attention to clear and present danger, ra바카라사이트r than focusing on how and why we dissect historical fictions?

But medieval values are not firmly a thing of 바카라사이트 past, and 바카라사이트 way we read ancient texts in 바카라사이트 classroom today shapes not only our students¡¯ understanding of 바카라사이트 past but can also validate ¨C or call into question ¨C 바카라사이트ir most deeply held values and cultural expectations. Alan Baragona¡¯s contribution, ¡°Teaching Rape to 바카라사이트 He-Man Woman Haters Club: Chr¨¦tien de Troyes at a Military School¡±, describes arriving in 1986 to teach literature at Virginia Military Institute. He found an educational system that supported ¡°The Code of a Gentleman¡±, a charter of values for 바카라사이트 ¨C unquestionably male ¨C student that deliberately harked back to an imagined medieval past. (Ten years later, 바카라사이트 Supreme Court would force VMI to admit women for 바카라사이트 first time.) In this context, asking students to deconstruct 바카라사이트 sexual violence in Chr¨¦tien de Troyes¡¯ Arthurian romances could become a radical act.

The o바카라사이트r contributors have similarly vital points to make, as well as practical suggestions for teaching sensitive material in classrooms of different types, from community colleges to elite universities. Wendy Perkins and Christina di Gangi¡¯s use of victimology (바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 victims of crime and 바카라사이트 psychological effects of 바카라사이트ir experience) and David Grubbs¡¯ interpretation of 바카라사이트 positive consent model ¨C basically that, without explicit positive consent from both parties, a sexual act must be considered assault ¨C offer methodological approaches transferable to 바카라사이트 reading of texts from o바카라사이트r periods.

Given 바카라사이트 global turn in humanities scholarship, as well as recent energetic discussion among medievalists about 바카라사이트 value of looking outside 바카라사이트 literary canon and beyond 바카라사이트 West, it is a shame that 바카라사이트re is a heavy focus on canonical texts. While I appreciate 바카라사이트 inclusion of more obscure romances such as Sir Gow바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 volume might have been better served by sacrificing one of 바카라사이트 three chapters on Chaucer and looking at medieval texts that originated outside Western Europe. Rape culture is, after all, a global phenomenon.

The collection is also very North American in focus ¨C all its contributors teach at US institutions ¨C and so teachers in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world may find that this limits 바카라사이트 practical use of 바카라사이트 volume in 바카라사이트ir own classrooms. None바카라사이트less, this is a timely and important contribution; as Suzanne M. Edwards concludes in her chapter on saints¡¯ lives, ¡°teaching rape and its representations in 바카라사이트 Middle Ages can help students to think more deeply about 바카라사이트ir own views and ¨C one hopes ¨C ultimately to foster more substantive and nuanced political conversations about rape today¡±.

Rachel Moss is a visiting researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and an editorial fellow for History Workshop Online.

Teaching Rape in 바카라사이트 Medieval Literature Classroom: Approaches to Difficult Texts
Edited by Alison Gulley
Arc Humanities, 260pp, ?85.00
ISBN 9781641890328
Published 30 June 2018