Lady Godiva: A Literary History of the Legend

Posterity remembers Lady Godiva for her naked horseback ride through the city of Coventry, but that is only part of her story. This book investigates who Lady Godiva really was and traces the evolution of the Godiva legend from its first appearance in the thirteenth century through to the present day.

Two recurring themes to emerge from the many retellings and reinterpretations of the legend are voyeurism and medievalism the projection of contemporary desires back onto the Middle Ages. These form touchstones for discussion in each chapter. The book proceeds in chronological order, each chapter exploring an aspect of the legend which carried special significance for the period in question.By combining history, literature, art and folklore, this book makes a memorable contribution to our understanding of cultural history, medievalism and the history of sexuality.

Acknowledgements.

List of Illustrations.

List of Abbreviations.

Introduction.

1. Godgifu of Mercia.

2. Godiva Emerges.

3. Godiva′s Progress.

4. Peeping Tom.

5. Godiva Domesticated.

6. Godiva Displayed.

Notes.

Bibliography.

Index.

Daniel G. Donoghue is Professor of English at Harvard University. He is the author of Style in Old English Poetry (1987) and co–editor, with Seamus Heaney, of Beowulf: A Verse Translation (2002). He is also the author of the chapter on Lady Godiva in Literary Appropriations of the Anglo–Saxons from the Thirteenth to the Twentieth Century (eds Donald Scragg and Carole Weinberg, 2000).

"There is much of interest in this unpretenious, historically grounded and thoughtful book[...]For those seeking ways of exploring the new discipline of medievalism, that is, how the medieval past is viewed, guiltily or otherwise, by successive eras – Daniel Donoghue′s study offers an inspiring model of clarity and cogency." Times Literary Supplement

"Intelligent yet entertaining, this text will appeal to readers interested in folklore, literature, history, and pop culture. [...] Highly recommended." Choice

"Donoghue′s history of Lady Godiva is a luxurious, gratifying read – one feels upon finishing it that one has become quite the expert on this slightly naughty topic![...] Donoghue′s writing style is upbeat and enjoyably irreverent, conveying hs personal enthusiasm for a subject which he has obviously researched exhaustively and conscientiously." Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies