Men in Black: Performing masculinity in 17th- and 18th-century Iceland

Abstract

Studies in masculinity have lagged behind in the field of gender studies though recent scholarship is making up for this disparity. In this paper, we tackle the question of masculinity and modernity in early modern Iceland through an analysis of archaeological material relating to dress from the site of an Icelandic bishopric and school, Skálholt, during the late 17th and 18th centuries. We explore both the symbolic and performative dimensions of dress in relation to masculinity as it is traversed by other facets of identity including status, nationalism, and calling. An important focus of our study is to unravel the subtle negotiations that are evident in dress and linked to the performative construction of different and sometimes competing masculinities. Tensions between Lutheran ideals, nationalistic pride in homespun and elite status, and more generally between clerical and nonclerical masculinities can all be seen in the way dress and dress accessories are made to work.