"Of heveneriche sely gate" : the spiritual significance of women in Medieval literature.

In her work on medieval women's religious symbols, historian Caroline Walker Bynum provides a paradigm for the positive interpretation of women's functions and positions in medieval literature. When examined through Bynum's paradigm—and especially her description of the maternal functions of carrying/enfleshing, feeding/nurturing, and bleeding/suffering—the feminine presence in medieval literature takes on a critical mediating role between the earthly and spiritual realms, and the women in the literature may rightly be understood as spiritually significant. Some literature, including Chaucer's Clerk's Tale and Malory's Morte D'Arthur, may even be redeemed from widespread charges of misogyny when read in light of Bynum's works. Thus, a reading of the literature that intentionally engages the medieval mindset (including its theology) and strives to understand the literature on its own terms will unearth meanings that are otherwise inaccessible to the twenty-first century reader.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Barry, Melissa D.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Allman, Wendy W.

• Chaucer, Geoffrey, -1400 -- Criticism and interpretation.
• Malory, Thomas, Sir, active 15th century -- Criticism and interpretation.
• Women in literature.
• Sex role in literature.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14806

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14806