Gender and the Middle Ages

Paper Summary:

This paper uses literature to examine the way in which women were viewed during the Middle Ages and the conflicting nature of those perceptions. Through a review of Chretien de Troyes' "The Knight with the Lion", Judith Bennett's "Medieval Life: Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock", and Jean Joinville's "Life of Saint Louis", the paper demonstrates that women of that era were viewed as either the embodiment of the mother of Jesus or the embodiment of Eve's sin.

From the Paper:

"The act of the knights recounting their tales of valor began at the "invitation of ladies, damsels, or maidens." Thus, the acts of masculine and knightly valor shown are evidently inspired by a female-centered audience and for female approval rather than the male-centered universe of the court. Even the evident leader of the Arthurian court in Yvain's world is not that of Arthur himself, but Arthur's queen, who feels quite confident from her position of title to rebuke a "seneschal" as she is above Kay in the court's hierarchy of status, if not of gender. Differences of social status thus could transcend gender. Guinevere is not simply symbolically important, but is an effective political actor."

More papers on Gender and the Middle Ages:

• Essay # 73722 : "Hildeburh and "The Wife's Lament"
• Cause and Effect Essay # 6443 : "Globalization, Gender and Islam: The Case of Egypt"
• Comparison Essay # 6480 : "The Battle of the Sexes in English Literature"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: