Medieval Writings on Secular Women
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Summary
'Woman, who is equal to the moon in the flower of youth,
Is equal to a little old ape after the onset of old age'
This remarkable collection brings together a host of writings from across different regions and cultures of the Middle Ages, from the ninth to the fifteenth century. They are arranged to follow the life stages of a Medieval woman living a secular existence, from infancy and girlhood, through marriage and motherhood, to widowhood and old age. Some women are famous or captured in exceptional circumstances, many more are anonymous: an abandoned baby in Italy, or an epitaph for the female leader of a Synagogue, speaking across the ages.
This selection contains an introduction discussing the Medieval woman's status, separate introductions to each chapter, notes and a bibliography.
Is equal to a little old ape after the onset of old age'
This remarkable collection brings together a host of writings from across different regions and cultures of the Middle Ages, from the ninth to the fifteenth century. They are arranged to follow the life stages of a Medieval woman living a secular existence, from infancy and girlhood, through marriage and motherhood, to widowhood and old age. Some women are famous or captured in exceptional circumstances, many more are anonymous: an abandoned baby in Italy, or an epitaph for the female leader of a Synagogue, speaking across the ages.
This selection contains an introduction discussing the Medieval woman's status, separate introductions to each chapter, notes and a bibliography.
Reviews
Both medieval historians and feminist historians will be delighted about this extraordinary, long-awaited anthology [...] This volume appears to be the best possible textbook currently available for a seminar on medieval women, covering the entire spectrum from birth to death [...] Anyone interested in the life of women in the premodern era will certainly want to pick up a copy and consult it intensely.
Professor Albrecht Classen, The University of Arizona