A Medieval Woman's Companion

Women's Lives in the European Middle Ages

by Susan Signe Morrison

Imprint: Oxbow Books

176 Pages, 147 x 211 mm, black and white illustrations

£16.95
Paperback
9781785700798
November 2015

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UK & Rest of World

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Description
Contents
Authors
Praise

What have a deaf nun, the mother of the first baby born to Europeans in North America, and a condemned heretic to do with one another? They are among the virtuous virgins, marvellous maidens, and fierce feminists of the Middle Ages who trail-blazed paths for women today. Without those first courageous souls who worked in fields dominated by men, women might not have the presence they currently do in professions such as education, the law, and literature.

Focusing on women from Western Europe between c. 300 and 1500 CE in the medieval period and richly carpeted with detail, A Medieval Woman’s Companion offers a wealth of information about real medieval women who are now considered vital for understanding the Middle Ages in a full and nuanced way. Short biographies of 20 medieval women illustrate how they have anticipated and shaped current concerns, including access to education; creative emotional outlets such as art, theatre, romantic fiction, and music; marriage and marital rights; fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, contraception and gynecology; sex trafficing and sexual violence; the balance of work and family; faith; and disability. Their legacy abides until today in attitudes to contemporary women that have their roots in the medieval period. The final chapter suggests how 20th and 21st century feminist and gender theories can be applied to and complicated by medieval women's lives and writings.

Doubly marginalised due to gender and the remoteness of the time period, medieval women’s accomplishments are acknowledged and presented in a way that readers can appreciate and find inspiring. Ideal for high school and college classroom use in courses ranging from history and literature to women's and gender studies, an accompanying website with educational links, images, downloadable curriculum guide, and interactive blog will be made available at the time of publication.

“[Morrison’s] book, so rich in material, serves to challenge any argument that there simply aren’t enough records of medieval women’s writings to merit their inclusion…. Deliberately and artfully smashes every male, medieval argument against the female of the species with a pen as keen as any sword.” ~HETTA HOWES

“Susan Signe Morrison's new general-interest book about medieval women has been deservedly nominated for awards in women's studies, young adult non-fiction, and history. It is a wonderfully illustrated and pleasant read, touring its audience through short biographies of notable women of the Christian, European Middle Ages while simultaneously providing context and historical overview… Morrison succeeds in her project to present an accessible and relevant group of medieval women to her audience… The book as a whole provides a friendly, accessible user experience.”

A Medieval Woman's Companion is—I'm not exaggerating here—the best introduction I know of to the widely-varied lives of medieval women. In this rich, information-filled book, Susan Signe Morrison gives women of the Middle Ages their due as explorers, creators, crusaders, sovereigns, physicians, innovators, lovers, matriarchs, poets, troubadours, reformers, and, yes, feminists. ~Susan Wittig Albert

“Morrison does a superb job of making medieval women accessible to mainstream audiences, and tying in traditional and digital sources.” ~Sandra Alvarez, , Vol. 3, No. 4. Mar 2, 2017

"...Morrison captures the readers' attention [...] a surprising peephole into the everyday life of both medieval women and men for anyone who is interested in the period. It also serves to revise many of our modern preconceptions about the Middle Ages, particularly with regard to gender." ~The Times Literary Supplement