Manhood in Early Modern England: Honour, Sex and Marriage

Focusing on the relationships that men formed with their wives in early modern England, Elizabeth Foyster makes an important contribution to social, family, and gender history. By studying men’s personal lives she redresses the balance of research which has largely concentrated on the public lives of prominent men. Looking at youth and courtship before marriage, male fears of their wives’ gossip and sexual betrayal, and male friendships before and after marriage, the importance of sexual reputation is highlighted throughout. Based on both legal records and fictional sources, this is a fascinating insight into the lives of ordinary men and women.