Gendered Space and Power Symbol: Imagining the Castle in Middle English Romance.

The subject of this thesis is to analyze the way in which a castle acts as a setting for the action of entrapment within Middle English romances. It is proposed that the castle’s symbolic attributes are both dependent upon as well as help define the nature of entrapment. The literary castle is a social space that is subject to social paradigms, yet its image evokes various symbolisms of power. Gender interactions contribute to the action of entrapment and reconfigure the way in which power is represented by the castle. The concept of the castle is fluid, as its existence is not always evident. However, by deciphering both descriptive and sometimes vague cues as to the nature of the setting within the texts, it is possible to identify this powerful structure. Once identified, the castle setting is analyzed for figurative connotations and how these relate to various modes of gendered interactions.