Fictions of Fatherhood : Fatherhood in Late Medieval English Gentry and Mercantile Letters and Romances

摘要

This thesis takes a finnly interdisciplinary approach to the subject of late medieyaludfatherhood. It investigates the ideology of fatherhood, as well as the relationshipsudbetween fathers and their sons and daughters, both legitimate and illegitimate, and alsoudtheir stepchildren. In doing this it not only illuminates a previously unexplored aspect ofudfamily life, but also demonstrates the importance of fatherhood in male identityudformation, and so expands the current understanding of medieval masculinities. As itsudsource material this thesis uses Middle English romances and fifteenth-century gentryudand mercantile letters. Rather than attempting a survey of late medieval fatherhood, thisudthesis concentrates on 'fictions' of fatherhood - the constructed worlds of letters andudromances. Whilst letters and romances may reflect reality, and in the case of letters inudparticular may provide details of even the most mundane realities, they are strongly andudself-consciously generic. The narrative of the romance is very important, but the story isudalso the means by which ideas are transmitted. Likewise the fonns of letters, whilst usedudto transmit practical details, are also a way of encapsulating ideological perspectives.udThis thesis is principally about ideas of fatherhood, and thus illuminates late medievaludperceptions of fathers and their functions. The Introduction presents current scholarshipudand the source material. Chapter 1 argues that fatherhood was a defining aspect ofudestablishing an adult male identity. Chapter 2 is concerned with fathers and sons, andudengages closely with the specific vocabulary of fatherhood. Chapter 3 uses the fatherdaughterudrelationship to consider the nature of patriarchal authority. Chapter 4 looks atud'outsiders' - stepchildren and bastards - to consider how far stretched the bonds ofudfatherhood. The Conclusion raises areas for further research.