Download PDF | Women And Gender In Medieval Europe An Encyclopedia Routledge ( 2006)
986 Pages
INTRODUCTION
Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia reflects the dramatic growth that has taken place in the study of medieval women and gender since the 1970s. Beginning then with essay collections and a handful of pathbreaking journal articles, current research now yields a full scholarly palette ranging from monographs, editions of texts, and research articles to anthologies and introductions. This growth in scholarship has been matched by an increase in student interest and course offerings. Because much of the research in medieval women’s and gender studies is published in journals and specialized volumes, it is time-consuming to access. Women and Gender in Medieval Europe serves as a much needed guide, making innovative scholarship available to a wider audience by explicating topics, providing interpretation, and selecting authoritative sources that will lead readers into the literature and research.
Scope
Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia addresses many areas of medieval women’s activities, including female patronage of the arts and the church, female mysticism and devotional practices, women’s medicine and understandings of the female body, and women’s roles in politics and diplomacy. Gender issues are also of prime importance, and so masculinity is addressed in a variety of medieval contexts, ranging from chivalric tournaments to medieval views of St. Joseph. Identification and analysis of medieval gender roles provide an important context for understanding women’s roles: a discussion of the norms and expectations for men provides the factual information needed to situate and compare the norms and expectations for women.
The entries in Women and Gender in Medieval Europe reflect the daily reality of medieval women from all walks of life. Such entries move beyond descriptions of individual women to address topics such as “‘Asceticism,”’ “Clothing,” ‘“‘Procreation and Ideas of Conception,” and ‘‘Social Status,” providing a comprehensive understanding of medieval women’s lives and experiences.
The individuals profiled in this reference work were chosen either for their historical significance or because they might represent groups of people, such as servants or the disabled. In the first category are such well-known figures as Geoffrey Chaucer, Joan of Arc, Christine de Pizan, and Matilda of Tuscany. In the second and smaller group are the mystic Gertrud of Ortenberg, the saintly servant Zita, and the nun artist Caterina Vigri. This twotiered approach demonstrates the range of women’s activities, unlike past scholarship that sometimes took account only of noble women.
Women and Gender in Medieval Europe takes Europe as its primary area from 450-1500 C. E., roughly the fall of the Roman Empire to the discovery of the Americas. Thus the entries dealing with Islamic topics treat conditions in Iberia or in Europe generally. The entries on Byzantine subjects are an exception geographically, but their inclusion is important both because of connections with Europe, like Theophano’s impact as a Holy Roman empress, and for the comparisons between the two areas in terms of social practices.
This reference work takes a particular interest in historiography, in terms of the history of the field, documentary sources, and methodological approaches. Medieval women’s history is treated at length. Entries cover many types of documents including household accounts, letters, and sister books (collective biographies of nuns). Groups of records are also included for the church, rural areas, and cities. For methodological approaches the volume gives detailed treatments to feminism and postmodernism as well as covering others approaches important to the study of the Middle Ages such as performance theory and queer theory. The aim is to help users develop a critical understanding of the historiography of medieval women and gender.
Authors
The authors of the entries are scholars and researchers in the field. In many cases the authors who contributed entries have published the definitive monograph on the subject in question, bringing their knowledge and analysis to the discussion. Such command of the material allowed authors to offer discussions that put the issues into perspective and help dispel mistaken assumptions, such as the idea that male practitioners did not give medical care to women.
How to Use This Book
Organization
The 563 entries in this volume are arranged in an easily accessible A to Z format, reflected in the alphabetical list of entries. A thematic list of entries has also been provided to assist the reader in easily locating relevant information.
Users may also consult the thorough, analytical index.
Entry Features
The entries range from 250 to over 4500 words in length. They are accompanied by selective bibliographies, which include both primary and secondary sources for further reading and research. Cross-references at the end of an entry direct the reader to related entries in the volume.
Overview Entries
Included are series of entries that together treat broad topics. Country overviews deal with women’s status in a particular region: Burgundian Netherlands, Byzantium, Eastern Europe, England, Flanders, France, Northern, Frankish Lands, Germanic Lands, Iberia, Ireland, Italy, Occitania, Russia, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Wales. These entries are represented in the thematic list under “Countries, Realms, and Regions.”
Literature overviews deal with representations of women in the following literatures: German, Hebrew, Iberian, Irish, Italian, Latin, Middle English, Occitan, Old English, Old French, and Old Norse. These entries appear in the thematic list under “Literature.”
The “Literature” category also includes surveys of female writers in various languages (German, Italian, Latin Middle English, Old French, and Spanish) under articles beginning “Women Authors: German Texts,” as well as coverage of broad literary topics, such as “Ballads,” “Devotional Literature,” and “Ovid: Medieval Reception of.”
For law, there is a series of articles that treat learned and regional legal traditions including “Roman Law,” “Barbarian Law Codes” and entries following ‘““Law” for English, French, German, Islamic, and Jewish practices in regards to women and gender.
Thematic Coverage
In addition to the categories outlined above, the entries in Women and Gender and Medieval Europe address the following themes:
e Art, Architecture, and Archaeology: These entries include examinations of representations of women and gender in art, artistic production by women, and architectural structures such as monasteries and the home.
¢ Documentary Sources: Entries in this category provide coverage of documentation by and about women in a variety of sources including ownership marks on books, convent chronicles, and official records.
¢ Economy and Society: Cultural and social traditions and norms as they affected women, such as cosmetics, guilds, and inheritance, are treated by entries falling in this category.
¢ Education and Learning: These entries examine the types of education available to women as well as female literacy.
¢ Family and Kinship: The medieval status of, and attitudes toward, family members, including spouses, children, and the elderly, is explored in these entries. Articles in this category also look extensively at medieval marriage.
¢ Gender and Sexuality: These entries cover topics including abortion, concubinage, concepts of femininity and masculinity, and virginity, thus providing broad coverage of key gender contexts.
¢ Historiography: Scholarly methodologies and critical theories are considered in relation to the study of medieval women and gender.
¢ Medicine and Science: These entries explore medieval theory and practice, as well as topics in medieval gynecology.
¢ Music and Dance: The roles medieval women played as participants in and audiences of music and dance are explored.
e Persons: These entries include biographies of queens, noble women, authors, and saints, as well as notable medieval thinkers such as Christine de Pizan and Trota of Salerno.
¢ Politics: The actions of queens, empresses, and other women in authority are discussed in these entries, as are such political topics as the Crusades and diplomacy.
¢ Religion and Theology: In addition to biographical sketches of saints and holy women, these entries cover groups such as nuns, Beguines, and religious laywomen. They also analyze key religious topics, such as asceticism, the cult of Mary, and women’s monasticism.
Appendices
Appendix I: Calendar of Female Saints lists the days for female saints observed each month. The calendar is intended to suggest the variety and number of holy women celebrated during the liturgical year.
Appendix IT: Some Milestones in Medieval Women’s History highlights key translations and scholarly works in the field of medieval women’s studies.
Appendix III: Encyclopedia Cited References is a list of those works cited most frequently in the individual bibliographies found at the end of each entry.
Appendix IV: Web Resources for Medieval Women’s and Gender Studies provides readers with a number of websites that present valuable scholarship on medieval women.
Margaret Schaus
Acknowledgments
A volume like this gives new meaning to the term “group effort.’’ Contributors, advisors, student assistants, and publishers have all worked unstintingly. We are grateful to the authors for their interpretations, filled with insights and fascinating examples. From the beginning of this project we benefited from advice and articulate viewpoints generously offered by colleagues, including Judith Bennett, Joan Ferrante, Jo Ann McNamara, Monica Green, and Nancy Partner. Our subject advisors Lisa Bitel, Jane Burns, Amy Hollywood, and Pamela Sheingorn have been invaluable in determining topics to cover, persuading people to write, and contributing major entries in their respective areas. Student assistants at Haverford College have since 2003 maintained databases, recorded queries, and generally kept the project afloat. Our thanks go to Robin Dean, David Fask, Veronica Faust, Sarah Hendry, and Elizabeth Piastra. At Routledge, Kristen Holt and Marie-Claire Antoine have brought their considerable experience to the project. We thank all of the participants who have helped to build this work wherein medieval women’s lives can be known. Margaret Schaus Thomas Izbicki Susan Mosher Stuard.
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