The Eroticism of Emasculation: Confronting the Baroque Body of the Castrato

Abstract

This study suggests that, against the background of early modern views of sexuality, the castrato appears not as the asexual creature sometimes implied today, but as a super-natural manifestation of a widely-held erotic ideal. Recent work in the history of sexuality has shown the prevalence in the early modern period of the "one-sex" model, in which the distinction between male and female is quantitative (with respect to "vital heat") rather than qualitative. This model provides for a large middle ground, encompassing prepubescent children, castrati, and other unusual figures. And that middle ground, in fact, seems to have been a prime locus of sexual desire: the art, literature, and historical accounts of the period argue that boys especially were often viewed -perhaps by both sexes-as erotic objects. Further evidence suggests that this sexual charge also applied to castrati. The plausibility of such an erotic image is strengthened by investigation into the actual sexual function of these singers, which seems to have fallen somewhere between historical legend and modern skepticism. Finally, a survey of castrato roles in opera, from Monteverdi to Handel, shows how these singers were deployed and suggests that their popularity could not have depended entirely on vocal skills. Instead, I argue that castrati were prized at least in part for their unique physicality, their spectacularly exaggerated embodiment of the ideal lover.

Gender Preference in the Sexual Attractions, Fantasies, and Relationships of Voluntarily Castrated Men

“…Our finding that, for most men, the frequency of sexual activity decreases after castration has been reported in various populations including castrated sex offenders 16 and patients with prostate cancer who are on androgen-deprivation therapy. 17 However, our data also indicate that some men remain sexually active after castration, even those without supplemental hormone therapy, as has been reported in accounts of the sexuality of eunuchs in history, 18 , 19 , 20 patients with prostate cancer, 21 and some sexual offenders. 22 Various factors can influence how sexual one is after castration, including the age at castration, current age, and use of supplemental gonadal hormones.…”

Eunuch as a gender identity after castration

“…Throughout history, depending on the culture and time, eunuchs have been heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, hypersexual, and asexual (Finucci 2003, Freitas 2003, Wassersug 2004, Aucoin and Wassersug 2006. Among modern-day voluntary eunuchs, there is a vast array of sexual presentation and object choice .…”

“…This failure in treatment can be another blow to castrated males' sense of their manhood and can further strain their intimate relationships (Wassersug 2009b). On the other hand, there are both historical and contemporary data showing that sexual performance -even orgasms -are possible for castrated males, especially if they can accept a non-insertive model of sexual behavior (Finucci 2003, Freitas 2003, Aucoin and Wassersug 2006, Warkentin et al 2006, Wassersug and Johnson 2007, Wassersug 2009b. Insofar as such behavior usually constitutes a renegotiation of what was typical for these men prior to their castration, it may prompt self-examination of their gender identity.…”

Castrati Singers—All for Fame: A Commentary

“…Their interests may also broaden, with fewer of them being exclusively heterosexual or homosexual in sexual attraction [11]. The Papal Bull of Pope Sixtus V in 1587 forbade the marriage of eunuchs and castrati, not because they were incapable of sex but because their sexuality was believed to corrupt women [12]. Even the 1707 work by Charles Ancillon, written in opposition to the proposed marriage of a castrato, notes their sexual attractiveness [13].…”

“…In terms of sexuality, there is evidence that castrati could have erections. Lipschütz wrote that in their study of members of the Russian Skoptzy, “Tandler and Gross observed erection in a prepubertally castrated Skopec during the examination”[9] and there are references to erections and even vaginal intercourse by Italian castrati as well [12].…”