essay

Servitude and sexuality in medieval Iceland

from sagas to society : comparative approaches to early icelandEnfield Lock, Middlesex, Uk • Published In 1992 • Pages: 289-304

By: Karras, Ruth Mazo.

Abstract
References to the sexual exploitation of women across social class lines are sparse in the Icelandic sagas, and when present cannot be taken as reliable evidence for social relation during the tenth and eleventh centuries -- the period to which most sagas most often refer. This paper discusses the domination of men over women in medieval Icelandic society and the sexual access that men of a higher social level had over women slaves and servants of the lower level
Subjects
Domestic service
Verbal arts
Classes
Slavery
Sexuality
Sexual intercourse
Premarital sex relations
Extramarital sex relations
culture
Early Icelanders
HRAF PubDate
2004
Region
Europe
Sub Region
Scandinavia
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Historian
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2002
Field Date
no date
Coverage Date
ninth-thirteenth centuries
Coverage Place
general Iceland
Notes
Ruth Mazo Karras
For bibliographical references see document 10: [Gísli Pálsson]
LCCN
93150093
LCSH
Icelanders