Slovenska Literatura (Dec 2014)
The Motifs of Sexual Abstinence and Virginity in Medieval Hungarian Legends
Abstract
The goal of the study is to interpret the motifs of pudicity, sexual abstinence and virginity in the texts of chosen medieval legends written in Latin on the interdisciplinary level as otherwise they would hardly be understandable. These ideals originated in the antique era and were adopted by Christianity. Medieval texts prefer the spiritual world to the material one as well as virginity to marriage and sexual life and this motif also emerges in baroque literature. Medieval legends were written to strengthen the cult of saints and certain religious practice. They stress the suppression of body and the virginity of married saints to strengthen the practice and honour of celibacy which was established as mandatory for all the priests, monks and nuns in the Western Church of that era.
