Chastity
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Chastity refers to sexual behaviour of a man or woman acceptable to the ethical norms and guidelines of a certain culture, civilisation or religion.
In the western world, the term has become closely associated (and is often used interchangeably) with sexual abstinence, especially before marriage, due to the restriction of sexual relations to marriage deriving from the Ten Commandments. However, the term remains applicable to persons in all states, single or married, clerical or lay, and has implications beyond sexual temperance.
Placed opposite the deadly sin of lust, Chastity has been classified as one of Seven virtues.
Etymology
The words "chaste" and "chastity" stem from the Latin adjective castus meaning "pure". The words entered the English language around the middle of the 13th century; at that time they meant slightly different things. "Chaste" meant "virtuous or pure from unlawful sexual intercourse" (referring to extramarital sex), while "chastity" meant "virginity". It was not until the late 16th century that the two words came to have the same basic meaning as a related adjective and noun.
In art
- Allegory of Chastity, painting by Hans Memling
- The temptation of St. Anthony in visual arts
See also