A clever study of the rooster and its many meanings throughout the Middle Ages.

All hail the medieval cock! Now known euphemistically as the rooster, this simultaneously majestic and scrappy bird has lived side-by-side with humans for millennia. The medieval era abounds with his manifold appearances throughout the cultural record, which allows insights into both avian and human worlds. Among sundry other applications and intentions, the medieval cock spread his wings throughout the English language in a host of words and metaphors; served as a key ingredient in folk medicine and elite cuisine; influenced the symbolism and iconography of Christianity; metaphorically represented the human penis and unrestrained sexual desire; and inspired innumerable fables, literary works, and other artistic masterpieces. Introducing the Medieval Cock explores the ways in which the fowl of the Middle Ages inspired and enlightened their human companions, even when rewarded for their service with an unwarranted twist of the neck.