The Good Girl Virgin

Abstract

This chapter offers a history of the concept of virginity in Western culture. It argues that what virginity means has varied enormously, noting that at various times it has been imagined as something both physical and/or spiritual. It outlines the ways in which virginity has been imagined in economic and religious contexts, and explores the links between concepts of virginity and virtue. It examines the way virginity loss and notions of romantic love have become entangled, and ultimately argues that consummate virginity can only be embodied retrospectively, by someone who has followed the cultural prescribed romantic narratives for virginity loss.