Assess the way any two works from the course delineate and reflect on the roles of EITHER women OR men.
One of the most interesting aspects of renaissance literature is the way in which many texts from this period tackle the issue of masculinity. Many writers explore the themes of male gender roles through their characters and Gerry Milligan states that this is intrinsic to Renaissance work as ‘the question of masculinity lies at the heart of masterpieces of Renaissance art, philosophy, and literature.’ This is certainly true for both Thomas Middleton’s ‘A Chaste Maid in Cheapside’ and Thomas Nashe’s ‘The Choise of Valentines’ as both of these texts present the reader with male characters who not only delineate and reflect the roles of men in Elizabethan society but also reflect upon the ways in which gender roles were …show more content…
This idea of cuckoldery is also present within ‘The Choise of Valentines’ when the Lady Francis decides to use her dildo to satisfy herself in the presence of Tomalin after he has been unsuccessful in satisfying her during intercourse. The texts also present their audiences with the idea of men exchanging money for sex. In ‘A Chaste Maid in Cheapside’, not only does Allwit trade his wife for Whorehound’s wealth, Yellowhammer willing exchanges his sons hand in marriage for the wealth of Whorehound’s whore. This idea of men paying for sex is also present in ‘The Choise of Valentines’ when Tomalin pays to spend the night with the Lady Francis whom he was presumably able to see for free before she was forced to become a whore. Both texts also touch upon the importance of procreation and in Renaissance Britain the ability to father sons was one of the most important attribute that a man could have. In a Chaste Maid, most of story focusses on the inability of several characters to have their own children, thereby emasculating them.
One of the most interesting aspects of renaissance literature is the way in which many texts from this period tackle the issue of masculinity. Many writers explore the themes of male gender roles through their characters and Gerry Milligan states that this is intrinsic to Renaissance work as ‘the question of masculinity lies at the heart of masterpieces of Renaissance art, philosophy, and literature.’ This is certainly true for both Thomas Middleton’s ‘A Chaste Maid in Cheapside’ and Thomas Nashe’s ‘The Choise of Valentines’ as both of these texts present the reader with male characters who not only delineate and reflect the roles of men in Elizabethan society but also reflect upon the ways in which gender roles were …show more content…
This idea of cuckoldery is also present within ‘The Choise of Valentines’ when the Lady Francis decides to use her dildo to satisfy herself in the presence of Tomalin after he has been unsuccessful in satisfying her during intercourse. The texts also present their audiences with the idea of men exchanging money for sex. In ‘A Chaste Maid in Cheapside’, not only does Allwit trade his wife for Whorehound’s wealth, Yellowhammer willing exchanges his sons hand in marriage for the wealth of Whorehound’s whore. This idea of men paying for sex is also present in ‘The Choise of Valentines’ when Tomalin pays to spend the night with the Lady Francis whom he was presumably able to see for free before she was forced to become a whore. Both texts also touch upon the importance of procreation and in Renaissance Britain the ability to father sons was one of the most important attribute that a man could have. In a Chaste Maid, most of story focusses on the inability of several characters to have their own children, thereby emasculating them.