Flesh in flux

摘要: My dissertation reevaluates medieval concepts of body and identity by analyzing literary depictions metamorphosis in romance. Focusing on examples such as the hagturned-damsel Wife Bath’s Tale, lump-turned-boy The King Tars demon-saint Sir Gowther, I take my starting point fact that while those texts pivot instances physical transformation, they refrain from representing change. This pattern undescribed has broad implications for recent work evolving notions change beginning high Middle Ages. While Caroline Walker Bynum read outpouring tales about werewolves hybrids imaginative responses to social upheavals, consider why writings ironically focused shape-shifters but avoided itself. argue we can understand Chaucer other writers resisted imagining bodies process transforming examining history ideas regarding west. foremost classical writer Ovid, reveled metamorphosis, late Ages a new religious discourse enjoyed prominence, doctrine transubstantiation. In its effort separate substance accidents, Eucharistic theory strove detach exhibited certain level repugnance over images transformation. secular address anxiety bread-turned-God moments close Tale. scene recalls place veiling ritual, hag uses bed curtain first cloak then reveal her newly young beautiful physique. Ultimately, corpus literature change—a engages both Ovidian