Love, Sex, and the Sacred

Most Hungarian folksongs are about SEX - according to a widely accepted opinion of ethnographers. But what is SEX about? How is it connected to LOVE, and what does THE SACRED have to do with these? Drawing on Conceptual Metaphor Theory, this book reveals the profound connections between the three concepts, highlighting the spiritual roots of romantic love in a premodern, religious context. Within this framework, we can gain a better understanding of the true role of women in traditional religious societies - a role often misunderstood or perhaps misjudged by contemporary perspectives as unjust, oppressed, exploited, and pathetic. However, such perspectives might overlook valuable lessons that could still resonate today.The volume cuts across linguistics, philosophy, cultural anthropology, and religious studies, by offering a compelling look at how metaphors in folk poetry serve as a window into a worldview where the concept of LOVE and SEXUALITY transcend the physical boundaries of life.