Consent in Songs in European Narrative Traditions

CONSENT examines the theme of sexual consent in European narrative traditions as represented in late medieval songtexts (c.1300-1550). It investigates the new and empowering narratives that were performed to engage in conversations about consent. Since songs were part of oral culture, circulating among various social classes and voicing contemporary views on societal affairs, they offer an indispensable gateway to medieval understandings of this timeless topic. The project will bring forth methodological innovation by making sexual consent (not: coercion or forced sex) its main lens for analysis. By introducing a consent-based approach to historical literature, CONSENT will showcase consent as a rich medieval literary theme and investigate how songtexts helped medieval people to explore positive scenarios for behaviour in sexual relationships. These aims are crucial to balance previous scholarship, that has focused on medieval narratives about rape. CONSENT, however, posits that current societal debates prompt a different, more positive perspective, unravelling a consent-oriented part of late medieval culture. First, CONSENT will trace WHERE consent-themed songtexts circulated. While rape-themed song seems to have flourished throughout Southern Europe, France and England, CONSENT will shift focus to Germanic traditions, hypothesizing that these lend a stronger voice to consent. Second, CONSENT will analyse HOW these songtexts represented ideas about sexual consent and mutuality, by applying a novel close-reading method that studies intersections of gender, social status and narrative space. The project hypothesizes that medieval songtexts adopted recognizable narrative patterns to express sexual consent and to contradict and destabilize rape narratives. Third, CONSENT will investigate WHY these songs were collected and sung, hypothesizing that consent narratives in songs promoted female agency in the domain of sexuality by fostering mutuality and equality.