medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
To continue this line of thought, there is also Elisabeth of Schönau. For a summary of what's available on her in English, see:
http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/schonau.html#anchor36398
But to go back to JoAnn McNamara's point (raised obliquely via reference to _The Holy Greyhound_), there is a danger in focussing on "wise women" of high culture at the expense of others whose authority and expertise was more pragmatic, e.g. "witches". We have records of fifteenth-century witchcraft trials which might despite their biases give some insight into traditional late medieval practices. But do we have a later medieval Laura Malipiero, named or anonymous, whose actual collection of charms and remedies has survived? Since Maddy's student is at the stage where she's thinking of dissertation topics, the material in question need not (I hope) be only in English.
Best,
John Dillon
On Saturday, July 28, 2007, at 11:13 am, Kevin Jang wrote:
> Talking about Hrotsvit of Gandersheim as a prototype of the medieval
> 'wise women', there is a recent book published about her. Stephen
> Wailes, _Spirituality and Politics in the Works of Hrotsvit of
> Gandersheim_ (Selinsgrove: Susquehanna University Press, 2006). Also,
> Hildegard von Bingen is another good case in point. There has been
> recent secondary literature published about her by Barbara Newman(she
> is
> one of the few scholars who has published extensively on Hildegard).
> Primary literature by Hildegard would include her "Ordo Virtutuum",
> "Scivias" and her medical treatises.
>
> Kevin Jang
>
>
> > >medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> > culture
> > >
> > >By all means. Read Hroswitha, the Benedictine
> > >abbess of Gandersheim (10th century). She wrote
> > >six Latin plays for her sisters as an
> > >alternative to the plays of Terence who was
> > >widely read for his excellence in style and whom
> > >she admired greatly but also feared due to his
> > >pagan influence on Christian women in her
> > >charge. Cfr. _Oxford Companion to the Theatre_. yrs, tom ault
> > >
> > >
> > >On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:59:00 +0100
> > > Madeleine Gray <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >>medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> > culture
> > >>A bit off topic but it is summer after all ...
> > >>One of my students wants to do a dissertation
> > >>on the debate over the nature of 'wise women'
> > >>in the middle ages. This is a subject I have
> > >>always left severely alone! Can anyone
> > >>recommend some sound starter reading for her?
> > >>I've suggested Gendering the master narrative
> > >><
> >
> > >>: women and power in the Middle Ages / edited
> > >>by Mary C. Erler and Maryanne Kowaleski.
> > >>and The prime of their lives
> > >><
> >
> > >>: wise old women in pre-industrial Europe /
> > >>Anneke B. Mulder-Bakker and Renée Nip.
> > >>(both of which I found on COPAC)
> > >>Cheers
> > >>Maddy
> > >>Dr Madeleine Gray
> > >>Head of History
> > >>School of Education/Ysgol Addysg
> > >>University of Wales, Newport/Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd
> > >>Caerleon Campus/Campws Caerllion, PO /Blwch Post 179
> > >>Newport/Casnewydd NP18 3YG Tel: +44 (0)1633.432675
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