HISTORY: MEDIEVAL WOMEN

JUDE KENNEDY

What is known of women and their roles in society throughout the Middle Ages is vague and self-contradictory. Women then were looked upon as being very much controlled by men. However in more recent times historians have argued that medieval women seemed to have much more freedom in their lives than what was previously believed.

Women were largely ignored in many aspects of the records kept of that time and, until more recently, were overlooked in the majority of history books. The reasons for this are most likely the fact that during medieval times it was the men who would keep the records and, until fairly recently, write the history books - which has more often than not paid attention to the upper ranks of society, who were also usually male.

Another feature of medieval times was that society of that time was largely controlled by the Church. This produced a rather misogynistic view in general as according to Christianity, women were immoral and sinful due to Eve causing Adam to sin. Further investigation into the roles of women and the part they played in the society of the Middle Ages has tended to give a more balanced idea of how they lived compared to the traditional view of life for women in medieval times. This essay will be discussing and comparing the two sides of the picture regarding the views of medieval women and their circumstances with reference to their roles, rights and general attitudes towards them.

The traditional view among the majority of historians for a long period of time regarding medieval women was that they were very much dependent on men and rather helpless without either the male dominated political, clerical and economic aspects of society at these times. Their role was seen as being purely domestic with the exception of those who became a nun, as women were expected to stay at home tending to all the required duties of the household. One source which gives an idea of how medieval women were trapped in this helpless, domestic ideal is a famous poem written by Lord Tennyson called, ’The Lady of Shalott’. In this poem it generally sums up the popular view that women of medieval times were stuck indoors, passive, lovesick, and were unable to handle life in the outside world. It tells the tale of lady weaving in a tower on the island of Shalott. If she ventures outside from the tower then the lady shall be cursed with death. However, she notices Sir Lancelot through a mirror and immediately falls in love with him. Abandoning her duties of weaving due to the overpowering feeling of love towards her knight, she follows Sir Lancelot to Camelot. In a boat on the lady’s way, the curse sets in and she dies before she can reach Sir Lancelot. This Victorian poem typifies the view that many held and still hold concerning women of the Middle Ages.

Women were also required to give themselves completely to their husband. It was expected of her to obey her husband just as she had obeyed her father. The wife was also expected to regularly reproduce to continue the family lineage and for a wife under the age of 40 almost half her married life was spent with child. Pregnancy in these days was also a hazardous time for a women, “Overall, one mother out of seven or eight in otherwise well-protected families fell victim to her procreative duties” (Christine Klapisch-Zuber, Women and the Family; 1987). Not only was it a dangerous time for the expecting mother but 45% of upper class children did not survive to the age of 20 years old. These figures available only give an indication to how it was for the upper class families but it was doubtless worse for those further down the social hierarchy although as records were not kept it is just logical assumption to believe this was the case. As a wife it was also expected for the woman to take care of all the domestic chores such as the upkeep of the house; organise food and water for the family; see to the clothing; deal with the agriculture duties. “Keeping women inside the house and keeping them busy was the male ideal… Her husband came first, and he expected to find in the warmth of his home rest and the pleasures of a hot bath, a well-laid table, and a ready bed when he returned, harassed by his tribulations in the outside world” (Christine Klapisch-Zuber, Women and the Family; 1987). This gives an indication of how men dominated women in the home throughout the Middle Ages.

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Other than choosing the role of a wife, a woman could become a nun. However, as the entrance fee cost around £2000 in today’s money, this tended to be an occupation for the upper classes. The nun was also expected to buy her habitat and furnishings for her living quarters in the convent. Just as a monks day was divided into seven monastic offices, the nuns was the same. These stages of the day were; Matins; Prime; Tierce; Sext; None; Vespers; Compline. These duties were a way for the nun to unswervingly commit themselves to God. A nun was also expected to remain silent the majority of the time and was not allowed outside of the convent without license, “… the pope published a Bull ordering that nuns should never, save in very exceptional circumstances, leave their convents and that no secular person should be allowed to go in and visit them, without a special license and a good reason” (Eileen Power, Medieval People; 1924). The medieval Church disapproved of women as the Church blamed all women for the temptations of Adam. They believed that without the seduction and temptation of women then would remain pure. This is best summed up by the views of an 11th century cardinal named Peter Damien who is quoted as saying, “Women are: Satan’s bait, poison for men’s souls… Do you not know you are Eve?… You are the devils gateway” (Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003). Peter Damian’s opinions of women is typical of the views shared by those of the Church in this period of time.

Medieval women suffered greatly by legal discrimination during these times as well. The law, set by men of course, varied from place to place and time by time but it nevertheless greatly limited the freedom of women. These wide ranging laws stated generally that women were not allowed to marry without their parents consent; married women lost their right to dispose of their possessions; a married woman was seen as the husbands property; the husband had power over all his wife’s assets; a husband was at liberty to beat his wife; a wife was not allowed to divorce her husband; a woman could not inherit land if they had any surviving brothers; a nun was seen as being dead to the world and could not inherit property or money; senior positions were closed to women - with the exception of becoming Queen. Even within a village where woman would do much of the same tasks men did on the land, albeit on top of her domestic duties, women were paid much less (if at all) than their male counterparts for doing the same jobs. Even though documents regarding the common person from medieval society are rare, some do exist concerning how villages of these times operated, “For reaping, a man could get 8 pence a day. For the same task, women would get 5 pence. For hay making, men would earn 6 pence a day while women got 4 pence. In a male dominated society, no women would openly complain about this disparity” (www.historylearningsite.co.uk). This shows how the laws concerning pay discriminated against medieval women as much as the more conventional laws regarding marriage and inheritance.

However, this traditionalist view certainly paints a rather bleak picture of life for women in the Middle Ages, whereas in more recent times historians have looked more deeply into the lives of medieval women and given a revisionist idea of women’s roles in these times. These studies have shown women had a greater amount of freedom than had been originally portrayed. Through further examination there has been plenty of evidence to support the fact women did participate fully in these times, and it must also be noted women repeatedly disobeyed these man-made laws.

During these male dominated times the men of medieval society certainly liked to believe they had full reign over women. But this alleged control was certainly far from complete. In the household, although women undoubtedly had many chores, they were not as trapped as many believed they were. “Women were not quite as confined to the house and submissive to their husbands on all levels of the social scale as the husbands and the theoreticians of ‘saintly domesticity’ (santa masserizia) might have wished” (Christine Klapisch-Zuber, Women and the Family; 1987). As medieval women reached middle-age they also had much greater independence than previous historians have suggested. The fact that medieval women had a greater life expectancy than men may well have had an influence in their improved freedom. “Women were often widowed by the age of 30 and it gave them greater freedom” (www.uktv.co.uk/history, Dr. Sue Niebrzydowski,

University of Bangor). The Victorian poem by Lord Tennyson, The Lady of Shalott, gives the traditional image of a helpless woman whereas the poem originates from a genuine medieval tale which Lord Tennyson has fabricated to coincide with the views of that period in time. The lady in the original story was not feeble at all, she was actually a strong-minded and stubborn who boldly stated her love of Sir Lancelot but her misfortune was that he never returned her love, “…the Lady of Shalott was portrayed as a real, flesh and blood woman whose declaration of love was unashamed… and who wrote to Lancelot as an equal” (Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003).

Women also had to take up male trades in these times. During the times of the Crusades many husbands and sons would be absent for as long as ten years, many never even returning. This would leave the property and wealth in the hands of the woman to administer and protect. It was common during this period in time for armed troops to raid these properties, which in return forced the women into militant roles to defend their homes or castles. A statement written by Lady Alice Knynet most likely reflects the views women of this time held, “I would not leave possession of this castle to die therefore; and if you begin to break the peace or make war to get the place of me, I shall defend me. For rather I in such wish to die than be slain when my husband cometh home, for he charged me to keep it” (www.womeninworldhistory.com; 2007).

Apart from having to take up these militant roles during this period of time, more and more women were taking up male trades in the absence of men fighting in the Crusades. Occupations which were opening for women were roles such as: business woman, estate manageress, craftswomen, merchants. Although it was mainly men who set off on the Crusades, many women did actually accompany the men but after the failures of the Crusades in 1096 Pope Urban II banned women, old people and children from taking part in the following Crusades. Despite this ban though, some women accompanied their husbands anyway. Perhaps the best known female adventurer of these ages was Queen Eleanor of Acquitaine. Eleanor offered the Church a thousand of her fighting vassals, which certainly pleased the Church, but the Church was less than happy to hear Eleanor also planned to defiantly join the Crusades, along with 300 of her ladies. Eleanor became Queen of England when she married Henry of Anjou (later Henry II) with whom she bore 8 children, including Richard the Lionheart. Eleanor had such a fascinating personality, with great wealth and power that it was said she was an influential patron of troubadours (poets, songwriters), “A vast inheritance (the Duchy of Acquitaine), a formidable personality and a long life made her the most powerful woman of her age” (Juliet Gardiner and Neil Wenborn, The History Today Companion to British History). One example of how Eleanor was looked upon in these times by troubadours, and the public alike, is the following poem:

“Were the world all mine

From the sea to the Rhine

I’d give it all away

If the English Queen

Would be mine for a day”

(John Gillingham, The Life and Times of Richard I). It must be noted that it was unusual in this period of time for a woman to be so highly regarded by the common public in general.

After the Black Death during the second half of the 14th century woman made up the labour shortage by taking on roles which were, until then, dominated by men. The Black Death caused a devastating effect on the population, with almost one third of the population dying.

“The Black Death, oddly enough, contributed significantly to this: it created such a shortage of people that women had to take on tasks in many spheres that had previously been restricted to men” (Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003).

Women also had a fair amount of sexual power and were much more sexually forward than traditionalists believe. If a husband did not perform in the marital bedroom then the wife was entitled to complain publicly about it. Following this public humiliation the husband would then have his genitals examined by wise matrons and then these wise matrons would observe the husband and wife’s sexual activities for a few nights to see how the man would perform. If satisfied that the husband greatly ‘underperformed’ for his wife then it was perfectly fine for the couple to divorce, “A man and a woman are to be placed together in one bed and wise women are to be summoned around the bed for many nights. And if the mans member is always found useless and as if dead, the couple are well able to be separated” (Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003).

Medieval women should not be regarded as uneducated in these times. For Women of the upper classes it was more common that the wives were far greater readers and more educated than their husbands. A number of women actually used their talents to assert themselves as writers, poets, composers and artists. Probably the most remarkable educated female of these times is the poet Christine de Pisan. Not only was she able to earn her living as a writer but due to her arguments with the clergymen on the rights of women, it is said she was the first feminist. As such an educated woman, her views were hard to discard, “She had strong opinions about what she read, and decided it was necessary to challenge the way men were writing about women” (Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003).

It must be concluded after examining the evidence for both the traditional and revisionist views of medieval woman that there is plenty of evidence to back up both opinions concerning women of these times. However, it must be noted that just as in society today, from time to time and place to place women’s roles varied widely.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Lord Tennyson, The Lady of Shalott.

Christine Klapisch-Zuber, Women and the Family; 1987.

Eileen Power, Medieval People; 1924.

Terry Jones, The Middle Ages; 2003.

Juliet Gardiner and Neil Wenborn, The History Today Companion to British History.

John Gillingham, The Life and Times of Richard I