Of Giants: Sex, Monsters, and the Middle Ages

Of Giants: Sex, Monsters, and the Middle Ages examines the role of giant figures in medieval literature and culture. Through analysis of texts from Britain and continental Europe, Cohen traces how giants emerged as complex metaphors for cultural anxieties about bodies, sexuality, and power. The book focuses on narratives featuring encounters between humans and giants, drawing from sources including chronicles, romances, and religious texts. Cohen investigates how medieval writers used giant characters to explore questions of identity, masculinity, and the boundaries between civilization and wilderness. Medieval illustrations and artwork depicting giants receive extensive analysis alongside the textual sources. The volume includes reproductions of manuscript illuminations and other period artwork that help visualize how giants were imagined and represented. This scholarly work reveals how medieval giant stories served as vehicles for working through fundamental cultural tensions around embodiment, gender, and the nature of humanity itself. Through the figure of the giant, medieval society confronted its own boundaries and limitations.

Readers note Cohen's detailed analysis of medieval monster mythology and its connections to modern cultural fears. The text resonates with scholars interested in monster theory and medieval literature. Liked: - Clear connections between medieval and contemporary monster narratives - Strong theoretical framework - Examination of giants in both religious and secular contexts - Inclusion of visual analysis from medieval manuscripts Disliked: - Dense academic language makes it challenging for non-specialists - Some sections become repetitive - High price point for academic press publication - Limited coverage of non-Western giant myths Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (6 ratings) One reader on Goodreads wrote: "Cohen brings monster theory into conversation with medieval studies in ways that open new interpretive possibilities." Another noted: "The academic jargon makes parts nearly unreadable for those outside the field."

The Return of the Monster: Middle Ages in Contemporary Culture by Bildhauer Bettina Medieval monsters and their cultural significance serve as a lens to examine how modern society processes fears and social anxieties through monster narratives.

The Monstrous Races in Medieval Art and Thought by John Block Friedman This study traces the genealogy of medieval monster lore through art, literature, and cultural artifacts to reveal connections between monstrosity and medieval concepts of race and otherness.

Monsters, Gender and Sexuality in Medieval English Literature by Dana M. Oswald The text examines how medieval English literature used monsters to explore and challenge gender roles and sexual boundaries in medieval society.

Medieval Bodies: Life, Death and Art in the Middle Ages by Jack Hartnell The book investigates medieval understanding of the human body through medical texts, artwork, and cultural practices to reveal connections between corporeality and monstrosity.

Making a Monster: Jesse Bateman's Stone Child by David Williams This analysis explores medieval concepts of monstrosity and their relationship to human nature through examination of manuscript illustrations and literary sources.

🗸 Jeffrey Jerome Cohen developed the "Seven Theses of Monster Culture," which became a foundational text in the academic field of Monster Studies. 🗸 The book explores how medieval texts used giants as metaphors to process anxieties about sexuality, race, and religious difference during the Middle Ages. 🗸 Many of the giant stories analyzed in the book originated from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic folklore, where giants were often portrayed as the original inhabitants of Britain before human settlement. 🗸 The author connects medieval giant mythology to contemporary issues, showing how ancient monster narratives continue to influence modern discussions about otherness and cultural identity. 🗸 The book examines the Arthurian legend of Giant of Mont Saint Michel, who was said to have kidnapped and eaten children - a story that reflected medieval fears about cannibalism and barbarism.