Fertility and its Failure: An exploration of the early-modern animal and human contexts

This project will explore the topic of early-modern fertility cultures in England. It will examine both human and animal fertility and its failure during the period 1560-1700. Using cultural history methodologies in combination with medical and gender history approaches, the student plans to examine a wide-ranging variety of primary sources. This will be necessary to establish a broad ranging account which assesses English (in)fertility as a whole with particular focus the spread of knowledge. management of problems, experience of emotions and cultural portrayal.
This project will examine key aspects of human and animal fertility cultures in England between c.1560 and 1700. It will therefore ask a series of questions: How did medical practitioners and veterinarians (both formal and informal) learn about fertility and its management, and what were the methods by which this information was disseminated? What level of knowledge about human and animal fertility existed among the general population and how was it acquired? How did individuals manage their own experiences of (in)fertility, and that of their animals? What were the underlying beliefs and assumptions which shaped understandings of human and animal (in)fertility? How were the emotions experienced in relation to fertility and its failure? How were human and animal (in)fertility represented culturally and how did this vary in literary, visual and musical sources? In what ways was the representation of human (in)fertility gendered?
Fertility and its failure are keystones of life yet have only received limited attention from early-modern historians. The importance of the subject has been understood by demographers like Wrigley and Schofield (1981), whose seminal studies identified fertility as the most significant factor underlying population change in the period. Political historians are also aware of its importance; seven of the ten Tudor and Stuart monarchs struggled or failed to conceive heirs. More...