Archive for August, 2009
Know yourself and know your enemy and in a hundred battles you will be victorious.
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Few people today have not heard Sun Tzuâ??s famous axiom, but how can you know an enemy you have never met before? This is the situation most fighters face when competing in sparring tournaments. Even seasoned veterans of the tournament circuit who know and will have studied the fighting techniques of other regulars, must still face new and unknown fighters. How can you know what type of fighting tactics these will use against you? The answer lies in knowing human behaviour.
In the Far East strategy focuses more on understanding the strengths and weaknesses of human nature than the use of sheer force. Tactics were aimed at taking advantage of an enemyâ??s foibles and character flaws over finding a weakness in a formation or fortress. In the sparring arena we all have certain flaws that we unconsciously reveal through a type of non-verbal communication called telegraphing or Tels for short. Telegraphing is the name given to unconscious body movements that `Telegraph’ a person’s intentions in advance of an attack. The ability to `knowâ?? an opponent is through the observation of his Tels. But this is a two edged sword. Not only do you need to be able to read your opponent, you must prevent your opponent from reading you. This is where the strategies of The King, The Fool, and The Fox come in. But the first thing is to read others. The following are some Tels that are common among martial arts fighters.
Reading Non Verbal Communication
Eyes/Focus
Watch the opponent’s eyes. Most fighters will focus on the intended target briefly before attacking. For example, if the attack is to be to the lower part of the body the eyes will drop just before the attack. If the attack is to be to the upper body, the eyes will look upwards. If the intention is to grapple, the opponentâ??s eyes often focus on your hands or waist. As a rule; where the eyes look, the attack will follow.
Hands and Arms
It is thought that long before man was able to speak he was able to communicate through the use of an extensive hand language. The use of hand gestures to emphasize speech is still an integral part of our modern communication. It thus comes as no surprise that the hands reveal much about what we are thinking. One of the most common Tels among novices is dropping the hands, and chambering the arms. When a fighter drops his hands, it is usually a prelude to a kicking attack. This is often the result of poor training whereby students feels they need to use their hands to counter balance a kick, at other times the fighter drops the hands in order to clear the way, so to speak, for their kick. Professional fighters know this Tel well and will maintain a proper guard position while launching a kick.
The next most common Tel using the arms is a chambering action. Many fighters chamber their arms before launching a hand technique. This is what Bruce Lee was trying to counteract in his students when he taught them the one and three inch punch. A pro just shoots out the punch instantly; the amateur will pull back and chamber the punch first giving the perceptive fighter advance warning.
Breathing
While watching the opponents eyes use your peripheral vision as well as your hearing to note the opponent’s breathing pattern. The breathing rhythm will give away the time of the attack. Before launching an attack, most people will unconsciously perform a mental version of 1 – ready, 2 – get set, 3 – go. This occurs very quickly but will follow the same pattern, regular breathing during the `ready’ stage, a sudden intake of breath during `get set’, and then exhalation during the attack. (Although some will hold their breath during the attack.) Listen to your opponent’s breathing, when you hear the sudden intake of breath the next instant will see the attack. To use the strategy of `Interceptionâ??, attack at the very instant he inhales. Almost no one attacks during the inhale.
Torso
The position of the torso may reveal an opponent’s strategy. A sideways stance with the hips facing 90 degrees to the side favors a kicking attack. If the hips turn, away exposing more of his back, then expect a spinning attack whereas hips turned towards you favors hand and grappling techniques. There is an exception to this interpretation. Most styles and tournaments forbid attacks to the opponentâ??s back. Some fighters turn their backs towards their opponents to hide legitimate targets and to foul out the opponent should they strike their back by accident. This cheap tactic may win a trophy but no points for skill.
Feet/legs
Using peripheral vision one can notice an impending kick by stiffness or delay in one of the opponent’s legs. The most powerful kicks come from the back leg; as a result, the back leg is often a little more tense or stiff just before being thrown. If the opponent is outside of kicking range, he will first need to close the distance, when he steps forward the kicking leg tends to lag or drag behind slightly.
An intellectual grasp of body language and telegraphing is helpful while practicing and learning but, during actual combat, one must be able to have an instinctive perception of body language and this can only be achieved through observation, and endless practice. Eventually you will forget how you are able to see, you just see.
Hiding Non Verbal Communication
Mastering discretion is greater than employing eloquence.
Chinese Proverb
The first rule in the art of war is that all is a deception. To succeed, a strategist must learn to see his opponent’s deception while creating his own. To hide one’s intentions, our inner goals and desires, one must suppress non- verbal leakage. Our attention being limited we cannot manipulate and control every verbal, facial, and bodily expression all the time. While itâ??s not possible to suppress every gesture, we are able to fake and control enough to fool all but the most observant. There are three general strategies to prevent giving oneself away: to suppress, to disguise, and to manipulate non-verbal communication.
The King Strategy
Wait long, strike fast.
Chinese Proverb
One method to suppress non-verbal communication is by making as few physical movements as possible. The face becomes a mask set in a certain attitude such as concentration, or nonchalance. The hands make only the minimal number of actions when needed to carry out attacks and defence. The body is kept still, no movement made without purpose. The idea is to provide so little body language that no one can detect any meaning. This is known as the King Strategy and is based on the observation that in both primates and man the most dominant male exhibits the least body movements. The ability to suppress non verbal leakage is a result of superb body control and self discipline.
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The Fool Strategy
The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life.
Samurai Maxim
The second strategy is the exact opposite of the King strategy, playing the fool. It involves a non-stop display of acting and gesturing. The idea is to provide so much body language that it is impossible for opponents to detect the true mood beneath the surface display, not being able to read the signs because of too much background noise. There are several roles the fool can play. Some use continuous pantomimes, others pretend to be angry and upset, some tell jokes and tease. Playing the fool also serves another advantage; having your opponent underestimate you. The saying you canâ??t judge a book by its cover is never truer than in a sparring ring but not everyone knows this. If you succeeded in having your opponents underestimate you they will tend to drop their guard and their responses will become slower. This tactic only works once though with a smart fighter.
The Fox Strategy
He who is fearless in being bold will meet his death; He who is fearless in being timid will stay alive.
Lao Tze, Tao Te Ching
This is the most difficult strategy of all, since it requires an acute presence of mind to control both verbal and non-verbal communication so as to intersperse true signals with false signals. This is a dangerous device and requires great acting ability. You manipulate the opponent’s perceptions to make it seem that he can read you, but what he sees is only what you’ve allowed them to see. For example, you could affect a Tel such as dropping the hands when kicking. You exhibit this quirk when making inconsequential attacks, so that the opponent easily recognises it as a `Tel’ and will defend low in anticipation of a kick when he sees your hands drop. Then when going in for the kill you exhibit the Tel that acts as a feint. Knowing how your opponent will react by defending low to the feint, you attack his opening.
Conclusion
To win you must know your enemy and know yourself. You can know your enemy by observing his body language. But to know yourself is to know that you also communicate through your body language to others. Use one or more of the above strategies to hide and or confuse your communications and then wait for your opponent to make a mistake. Thatâ??s winning without trying, and Sun Tzu would be proud of you.
Stefan Verstappen
http://www.articlesbase.com/martial-arts-articles/the-king-the-fool-and-the-fox-reading-and-controlling-nonverbal-communication-in-the-sparring-ring-433430.html
10 Ways to Turn Her on and Enhance Her Orgasm
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You’ve tried everything and still can’t get her in the mood? Not to worry. In my duty to provide men with the most accurate information on female sexuality, I decided to conduct a nation wide survey.
Okay, it wasn’t exactly a nation-wide survey. I contacted my female friends (most are straight) and asked them, “What truly turns you on?” So now you’re privy to all their naughtiest secrets.
Below you’ll find the sexiest secrets ever revealed on what gets us hot and oh so horny! Use these tips tonight to get her juices flowing!
1. Give Her Sexy Thoughts
According to the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, researcher Rosemary Basson, MD concludes that women must convince themselves to want sex before their sexual desire kicks in. Many women agree, including myself. Arousal starts first in the mind. Give your woman sexy thoughts throughout the day to stir her sexual desire. Send her sexy text messages or emails while she’s at work. Include little reminders from when you had great sex. Tell her what you want to do to her once she gets home. If your hesitant and are afraid she’ll be offended, start off with a fun flirty text message. My personal favorites are from www.lingo2word.com. There you’ll find hot text messages such as “I love every bone in your body, including mine!” These sexy messages are just what I need to start thinking about sex and becoming aroused throughout my day.
When I get home, I’m so fired up, I jump on my husband! -Susan, NY.
2. Massage for the Booty
For most massage is a solution to stress, for women it’s soo much more; it’s an invitation to sex. Unlike a man’s sex drive which can withstand a lot of outside influences, a women’s sex drive is severely affected by factors like stress and anxiety.
As a women with a lot on my plate (work, kids, husband) my sex drive was at an all time low. In fact, it was to the point that my husband basically gave up trying. One night, I came home with a body ache and asked my husband to give me a massage. Little did we know we were going to be in for a treat!
As my body relaxed and my mind began to drift from stressful thoughts, I began to enjoy how great it felt to be touched. Because there was no pressure for sex, I was able to let my guard down. One thing led to another and soon enough we were both experiencing the hottest steamiest sex ever!
What did it for me was his incredible ass massage. The extra attention to groping, rubbing, and squeezing my ass, got my blood flowing in all the right places. It was just what a needed to experience an intense orgasm later. - Marisa, CT
3. Come Home Dirty and Sweaty
Believe it or not, women love rugged looking men. There’s something secretly sexy about dirty men. Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, and Russel Crowe for instance, are irresistible to women because of their renegade appearance. Not only that, the scent of sweat is an aphrodisiac to women.
According to James V. Kohl, coauthor of “The Scent of Eros,” women are led by their sense of smell when it comes to sexual attraction. They are especially receptive at detecting pheromones, a special aromatic chemical released by humans to sexually attract one another. Another study, conducted by Bern University known as the “Stinky T-shirt Study” concluded that women were attracted to the pheromone chemicals left behind by men’s sweat.
What does this mean? Let yourself get a little dirty and scruffy for your women. Fix her car with your shirt off or get hot and sweaty over a game of basketball. Either way the scent of sweat and the salty taste of your skin will drive her wild!
I’ll never forget the first time I saw my boyfriend sweaty and scruffy; it was just the right opportunity to let him know I can get down and dirty too! - Jessica, FL
4. Talk Dirty
Talking dirty was once intimidating to me, now it’s essential to my sex life. In the past, my girlfriend’s competed with one another about which boyfriend said the freakiest thing during sex. I use to be very jealous and wished my sex life was as exciting as theirs. One day, I asked them how they became comfortable with talking dirty and how it was introduced in their relationship. Based on their advice, here’s what worked for me and what I suggest for couples.
First, fantasize about having sex with your partner and talking dirty to them. Soon enough, your thoughts will be expressed out loud. Start out by describing what feels good during sex. For example, you can say, “I love the way your… feels in my…” Describe what movements feel good to your body or what you’re going to do to your partner. If your at a loss for words, research sexy erotica novels for a list of words. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to talk dirty. Don’t try to imitate movies; be yourself. This will be more comfortable for the both of you. Once you have the right environment to talk dirty, sex is exciting and extremely passionate.
Now, all my girlfriends are jealous of my sex life! - Carolina, SC
5. Listen to Reggaeton
I’m from Puerto Rico, the home of Reggaeton, a new genre of music also hitting the United States. Reggaeton is a mix of Latin reggae and rap. The lyrics and rhythm of reggaeton songs are extremely sexual and erotic. The artists in these songs describe candidly what they want to do to women. Lyrics such as, “Te suelto el pelo, te quito la camisa, tu pantalón y después, te como completa,” describe a scene where a man unties his woman’s hair, takes off her shirt, her pants, and performs oral sex on her. Men should play reggaeton during sex to unleash wild fantasies in a woman’s mind.
Listening to reggaeton stimulates erotic scenes to play out in my mind. I’m left fantasizing about freaky wild sex and become very horny. Even if you’re not Latin and don’t understand the language, bringing a foreign element to the scene such as this is highly erotic to women. After all, Spanish is the language of love! - Raquel, PR
6. Play with Sex Dice
What truly turns me on is sex dice. If you haven’t heard, sex dice is a set of regular dice but with sexual content on each face. For instance, there are sets that have one dice describing action words such as “lick, touch, tickle,” and the other dice naming body parts such as “ass, tits, and lips.” Sex dice come in many variations. There are some that describe a sexual position and a location to perform the act. Others are solely used for anal sex or oral sex. The list is endless. I personally own a set of just about each sex dice out there. I use them with my partners whenever I want to spice up the night. First, I’ll start off slow and use a soft core sex dice. Then, as the night gets steamy, I bring out the freakier sex dice until we’re engaging in the wildest sex ever! Since sex dice come in many variations, couples can find the right one for them. Whether your looking for some light fun or new ideas to spice up your sex life, these sex dice work wonders.
Couples can invent their own games, complete with sexual penalties for losing as well! It’s tantalizing fun! – Adele, Paris
7. Use Blindfolds
Focusing on the senses is extremely arousing. Blindfolds are a great way for women to focus on his every touch and for men to learn exactly what pleases his women.
My boyfriend uses this technique to get me oh so horny! First, he gently lays me on the bed , tells me to relax, and close my eyes. He softly wraps the blindfold over my eyes; then begins to caress my skin with his fingertips. Since, my sense of sight is gone, the rest of my senses are heightened. His every touch feels exciting and erotic. He goes on to remove my clothes, one by one and kisses my bare skin as he moves along. I never know what he is going to do next or where he is going to touch. My favorite is when he when he dips his finger in sensitizing oil and strokes the outside of my vagina softly then firmly. This technique is just what it takes for me to beg him to give it to me! I recommend men using this technique as well. Once your fingers land on the right spot, your women will be throbbing with arousal; she’ll beg you for sex! - Ariana, CO
8. Take her Dancing
Many men aren’t aware of the sexuality in dancing. While, romantic dinners can lead to the bedroom there is nothing more arousing than a night out dancing. When women are dancing, they begin to think of their body as sexy and graceful. Their self confidence increases and are no longer shy to expose it later on during the night. Dancing is like an ego booster for women. A woman can let loose, dress sexy, and feel good about herself. Not to mention, the atmosphere in a club, is less intimidating and proper than a fancy restaurant. I’m not saying to skip the fancy restaurant; in fact it’s crucial to show women that they deserve to be treated with respect and class. However, a night of dancing helps jump start the sexual chemistry between two people.
Once you’ve developed a strong bond with one another, she’ll be looking forward to showing you a sneak peak of her wild side. The club is just the right place for it! - Natalia, Moscow
9. Exercise with her
Did you know that working out increases sexual desire in women? A women’s libido, is affected by the amount of testosterone in her body. As she ages, the levels decrease and her libido (her desire for sex) declines. Exercise works to promote testosterone levels in women and thus play a role in stimulating a woman’s libido. So what does this have to do with turning women on?… Everything! After exercise, my mood is lifted; I feel sexy and confident all day. Men should take women on dates which involve physical exercise like bike riding or rollerblading. Her levels of testosterone should increase about 20 minutes into an exercise session, and will remain elevated for one to three hours after exercise. Through out the date, she will feel energized and pumped. As her testosterone levels rise, she will be open for sexual advances. Believe me, it works.
When my boyfriend and I come home after a day at the gym, we’re so amped up; we have sex as soon as we walk through the door! - Becky, MA
10. Lick it
Nothing, absolutely nothing turns a woman on more than oral sex! It’s a definite must. Oral sex is very important to women. In fact, once we find a man who can please us orally, we rarely let him go! Part of the criteria for women in finding the perfect lover is going down south. Women love men who go down because it’s a sign of experience and confidence. This lets us know that a man is not limited in sex and will be able to please us in multiple ways. What’s more arousing is a man that is open to taking direction. If we can mold our perfect oral sex partner, the better! Be open to pleasing your women orally, even if you don’t like the taste. There are plenty of flavored lubes that will make the experience more pleasurable for you. It doesn’t matter if you lack the expertise; books also help with oral sex techniques. The key is commitment to becoming the ultimate oral sex master.
Do whatever it takes; the work definitely pays off! – Savita, Bombay
On a closing note, I hope that I have delivered a better understanding into female sexuality. As you can see, simple things such as sending sexy text messages or letting yourself get scruffed up is all it takes for women to desire sex. It’s not always about technique but about setting up an inviting atmosphere for sex and pleasure. Give these secrets a try and thank me later!
Gabrielle Moore is author and owner of The Female Orgasm Revealed. She also owns the website http://www.femaleorgasmrevealed.com
Gabrielle
http://www.articlesbase.com/sexuality-articles/10-ways-to-turn-her-on-and-enhance-her-orgasm-86617.html
Body Language
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Body language is a broad term for forms of communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, verbal language, sounds, or other forms of communication. It forms part of the category of paralanguage that describes all forms of human communication that are not verbal language. This includes the most subtle of movements that several people are not aware of, including winking and slight movement of the eyebrows. In addition body language can also include the use of facial expressions. Voluntary body language refers to gestures, movement and poses intentionally made by a person (i.e., conscious smiling, hand movements and imitation). This can apply to many types of soundless communication. Usually, movement made with full or partial intention and an understanding of what it communicates can be considered voluntary.
Involuntary body language quite often takes the form of facial expression, and has therefore been recommended as a means to identify the emotions of a person with whom one is communicating although they are normally not aware of it, many people send and receive non-verbal signals all the time. These signals can show what they are truly feeling. The technique of reading people is used regularly. For example, the idea of mirroring body language to put people at ease is generally used in interviews and sets the person being interviewed at ease. Mirroring the body language of someone else shows that they are understood.
However, few people use and understand body language differently, or not at all. Interpreting their gestures and facial expressions (or lack thereof) in the context of normal body language usually leads to misinterpretations and misunderstandings (especially if body language is given priority over spoken language).
Here are some basic smiles: People like warm smiles. Think of a heartfelt warm-fussy, that maybe your favorite one and smile.
Attention Span / Attitude: Other people can notify what type attitude you have by your attention span and if you quickly lose focus of the other person and what is being said, and if your attention span wanders, this shows through and makes you seem bored, disinterested, possibly even uncaring.
Attention Direction: If you sit or stand so that you are blocking another in the party, say someone is behind you; this can be interpreted as thoughtless or rude. So be positive to turn so that everyone is included in the conversation or angle of view, or turn gently, at ease and slowly, while talking, so that everybody is incorporated, recognized and involved in the conversation. Again some recommend the clockwise movement when working a group.
Arms Folded / Legs Crossed:
The folded arms or legs position can be considered as a defensive position. Therefore have arms hang freely or hold a glass of water, a business card or note taking instruments while communicating with someone and be open with open arms. If you need to cross legs, cross at your ankles and not your knees. Sitting tightly folded up says that you are closed to communications.
Head Shaking: If people are nodding their heads while you speak, they are in conformity. If they are shaking their head sideways then difference reigns in their minds.
Knowing how to interpret body language can give you an edge in dealing with people and even understanding them. It will give a great boost to your personal as well as your official and business life. Learning to interpret body language is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to improve their life to a whole new level.
Michael Teo
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/body-language-110247.html
Speaking Japanese: Learning the Language and the Cultural Etiquette
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The Japanese language is considered by many to be easy to learn. Whether you wish to speak Japanese for personal reasons like travel or for professional reasons, it is important for you to consider that learning Japanese etiquette is as important as learning commonly used words and phrases.
Why is it that learning to speak Japanese is relatively easy? To begin with, there are only 5 vowel sounds:
·A is voiced as “ah,” or the way English speakers pronounce the a in “la;”
·I is pronounced as the English e in words like “need” and “tea;”
·U is vocalized in much the same way as “oo” in words like “cool” and “soon;”
·E is spoken with the same sound of the first e in the word “letter” and the e in “set;”
·O is expressed as it is in the word “told.”
Knowing how each of the vowels sounds phonetically makes speaking the Japanese words less difficult.
In addition, the Japanese language is less complicated than many others because nouns are not tied to gender or number – the same word is used for one tree or many trees – and verb remains the same regardless of the subject. Unlike English, Spanish and French (and other Latin-based languages) in which you must learn different ways to conjugate the verb based on the subject, when learning Japanese, the verb will be either past tense or the present tense (ongoing actions or the suggestion of what may happen in the future are expressed with the present tense verb).
While pronunciations can be simple once you know how the vowels are spoken, and nouns and verbs are relatively easy as well, one way in which you may stumble with the language is word order. While in English sentences are typically in a subject – verb – object format, in Japanese they are presented in the order of subject – object – verb. Of course, just as we have prepositions in English, there are a number of articles in Japanese. One article used often is “ka,” which is used at the end of the sentence to ask a question (which is important because the question mark does not exist in Japanese).
Though challenges like punctuation exist in the written language, learning to speak and understand Japanese can be accomplished. There are many resources available online, books and flashcards, as well as computer software. By finding the one that will be most beneficial to you and practicing often, you will surely be able to learn the language.
Once you have learned the language, and even while you are learning, it is important to keep etiquette in mind because how you act has as much of an impact on how you are received as the words you use to express yourself.
Make sure that you keep the following in mind:
·Unless you are very familiar with the person you are talking with, you should avoid using casual phrasings;
·Avoid being loud to get someone’s attention. It is better to wave or to approach them with a bow and then speak;
·Use a quiet tone when speaking;
·Be cautious with your body language as much of the communication that takes place is unspoken;
·Always show respect for the person with whom you are speaking.
By maintaining respect for the people and cultural etiquette – you will find that beginning to communicate in Japanese is simple and, in time, you will become quite good at it.
How To Master Your Body Language And Seduce Men Easier
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While all of us practice a certain form of body language unwillingly and unconsciously, there is quite a big step from regular to expert body language. You can never hear enough body language tips because, for any woman, pose, gestures and posture are essential in the dating game and in life, in general. The subtleties of body language can help you attract the right guy to a higher extent than any form of talking.
Eye contact
The human body has a central point for focusing actions and intentions – the eyes. In modern society, eye contact is of utmost importance, so many body language tips focus on getting this right. Sidelong glances are a great start for eye contact. A direct look can follow. At this point, the guy you are looking at will probably look back.
Instantly lower your eyes and put on an embarrassed smile – you were looking at him and he caught you doing it. You can take this body language / eye contact tip even further and after a few moments look at him again and this time hold your eyes on him for a few seconds. You can also use eye contact to avoid a guy you don’t like simply look at the opposite direction when he attempts to make eye contact.
First impression
Never overlook this important body language top tip your first impression is essential if you want to attract positive attraction. Whenever you are out and ready to meet a guy, make sure to look your best. If you are not happy with what you see in the mirror before you exit your house, don’t even go out! Your pose, your posture, your dress, the way your hair looks they should all be at the maximum level.
This first impression body language tip also refers to the level of confidence you express through the way you walk, the way you look and talk to people and the way you dominate the room you are in.
Body language tips regarding your hands
The way you hold and move your hands is also a good way to express your intentions. Here are a few interesting body language tips regarding the use of your hands and hand positions in a social encounter:
- Unclenched hands show openness.
- Playing with your hair or caressing the chair or other objects is a definite sign of interest, an almost sensual act.
- Try picking some fluff of his jacket (even if there is none!)
- Accidentally touch his hands when reaching for something.
- Briefly touch him during conversation to make a point or to laugh at a funny remark. This is a very direct and powerful body language gesture
Posture body language tips
The importance of body posture is essential when dating. You can show interest by facing the guy directly and by slightly leaning forward every now and then. Another great tip that outlines the importance of posture concerns the way you keep your back and shoulders.
A straight back with shoulders slightly brought backwards will expose your chest and is a definite sign of interest. Among other interesting posture and body language tips you might also consider crossing and uncrossing your legs during conversation. Movement of the human body as a form of expression
Since the bodylanguage tips mentioned above refer mainly to pose and posture, you should also consider other subtle body language activities. Facial expressions are among the most suggestive unspoken signals you can give to a guy – although we will detail these in a separate article. Your clothing and general visual appearance are also part of your body language mechanism, so pay special attention to them as well.
The human body can emit dozens of signals unconsciously, but if you learn to master your own body language signals and understand the signals transmitted by guys, you will soon be queen of the dating game.
Craig Rad
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/how-to-master-your-body-language-and-seduce-men-easier-107228.html
Male Body Language That Attracts Women
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Male Body Language That Attracts Women
Body Language
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This classic books introduces kinetics, the science of non-verbal communication, which is used to analyze the common gestures we use and observe every day, gestures which reveal our deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to total strangers–if they know how to read them.
Sex & Gender in Medieval/Ren. Text The Latin Tradition
Posted by: | CommentsExamines interrelated topics in Medieval and Renaissance Latin literature: the status of women as writers, the status of women as rhetorical figures, and the status of women in society from the fifth to the early seventeenth century.This collection reclaims a vast body of long-neglected Latin texts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and examines how they represent the feminine and the female body. The authors explore the ideological values explicitly encoded by the feminine in these texts, other, less articulated values implied by the feminine, and the role of the classical tradition in communicating those values. The examination of women both as subjects and as rhetorical constructions in Medieval and Renaissance Latin literature sheds light on the larger dialogue about feminism occurring throughout the humanities. In addition, the inclusion of a new body of texts and the rescue of others from their present isolation will expand the reach of classical and humanist scholarship.Traditional studies of Latin literature end around the beginning of the fifth century C.E. despite the fact that Latin continued to be the dominant literary and intellectual language until at least the latter half of the sixteenth century. Thus most classicists ignore over one thousand years of the Latin literary tradition. Few non-classicists read Latin comfortably and fewer still have a detailed understanding of the history of classical Latin literature. This collection supplies tools to examine more completely the construction and application of gender in both Latin and vernacular texts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.