Women's Roles in the Middle AgesInformation about women in this truly fascinating period from 500 to 1500 is in great demand and has been a challenge for historians to uncover. Bardsley has mined a wide range of primary sources, from noblewomen's writing, court rolls, chivalric literature, laws and legal documents, to archeology and artwork. This fresh survey provides readers with an excellent understanding of how women high and low fared in terms of religion, work, family, law, culture, and politics and public life. Even though medieval women were divided by social class, religion, age, marital status, place and period, they were all subject to an overarching patriarchal structure and sometimes could transcend their inferior status. Numerous examples of these exceptional women and their words are included. |
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... JEWISH WOMEN In terms of their role in religion , Jewish women faced many of the same limitations as Christian women . Like Christian women , they were excluded from holding official religious positions , such as Rabbi , and they were ...
... Jews looked back to Biblical women as important examples : one hoped that the new wife of a family member would be like Rachel and Leah , “ who both built the house of Israel . " 26 The expected role for a medieval Jewish woman was one ...
... Jewish communities in the twelfth century . As time went on , however , their role tended to be downplayed by Jewish authors . Rather than being seen as active and heroic , later writers tended to depict Jewish women martyrs as passive ...
Contents
Medieval Women | 1 |
Women and Religion | 27 |
Women and Work | 59 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown