Papers by Jes Battis
This discussion focuses on the unique role of language--particularly slang--within the formation ... more This discussion focuses on the unique role of language--particularly slang--within the formation of the eighteenth-century molly subculture. In particular, I analyze the ways in which molly speakers were able to refashion slang that was circulating in the criminal world, using it to their own purpose while crafting a singular language to describe their own specific culture. I go on to discuss how terms specific to molly culture also appeared in print, and suggest that we treat a group of popular texts as forming a "molly canon" which reveals how their communication occurred at the intersection between oral tradition and print production. I conclude by examining the terms from this eighteenth-century vernacular which still circulate in contemporary queer dialect, and add to critical discussion of the mollies by focusing on the importance of their linguistic contributions to queer subcultures, in response to critics who have focused primarily on their role as legal subjects or ironic performers.
Teaching Documents by Jes Battis
The Middle Ages loom large within our fantasies: a world full of castles and courtly intrigue, kn... more The Middle Ages loom large within our fantasies: a world full of castles and courtly intrigue, knights and clever queens. But how did medieval writers reflect this era? How did they balance reason, faith, and magic in their work? Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" will provide us with answers. His work deals with gender and sexuality, religion, warfare, and imperialism. He exposes the fantasies that drive the medieval world, and challenges us to question our own fantasies about medieval culture. We'll trace the journey from medieval literature to "Game of Thrones" and other adaptations.
Book Chapters by Jes Battis
This book chapter examines queer performance within the work of Golden Age Spanish actor Cosme Pé... more This book chapter examines queer performance within the work of Golden Age Spanish actor Cosme Pérez (better known as Juan Rana), who coyly performed his own sexuality within the comedic entremés tradition. Rana positioned himself as a "frog, neither fish nor fowl," exploring queer in-between spaces on stage while narrowly avoiding prosecution for sodomy in his public life. By reading his performance alongside other examples of dramatic queerness, including the work of María de Zayas, this chapter illuminates Golden Age attitudes towards sexual diversity.
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Papers by Jes Battis
Teaching Documents by Jes Battis
Book Chapters by Jes Battis