Culinary humour in early 17th century pornographic poetry
Culinary humour in early 17th century pornographic poetry

Summary/Abstract: In the early 17th century, a unique genre of pornographic poetry, termed “satyrique” in French, gained prominence for roughly two decades. Presented in small formats ready for a quick consumption, these collections of poems, while pretending to embody the art of satire, also playfully invoke obscene and sexually charged situations. In defiance of the rising courtly civility, the poets promote raw and unbridled bodily appetites. Intriguingly, these texts rely on a vivid culinary imagination. Based on a dozen poems selected from the most popular lewd collections of the early 17th century, this study delves into the relationships between humour, food and (dis)taste in order to show that, beyond the playful spirit with which food is frequently invoked in these poems, culinary humour outstandingly reflects and reasserts an aggressive masculine dominance upon female bodies.

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