Product Description

Throughout her career as a medieval historian, Eileen Power was engaged on a book on women in the Middle Ages. She did not live to write the book but some of the material she collected found its way into her popular lectures on medieval women. These lectures are now brought together, edited by M. M. Postan, and reveal the world in which women lived, were educated, worked, and worshipped. Power gives a vivid account of the worlds of the lady, the peasant, the townswoman, and the nun. The result is a historical yet intimate picture of a period gone by yet with resonances for today. For this edition, Maxine Berg is also included, offering an intimate portrait of the writer and social historian.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #159883 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

Review
‘A delightful book, beautifully illustrated with over 40 illustrations. It provides insights into some of the historical contingencies that have been responsible for moulding subsequent images of women.’ The Times Educational Supplement

‘Agreeably written, but formidably incisive.’ New Statesman & Society

‘The book, elegantly produced and lavishly illustrated, may be warmly commended to the historian and general reader alike.’ British Book News

Customer Reviews

A good basic summary of the status of medieval women
Although Power's work has dated slightly, her review of the position of women within medieval England remains an excellent introduction to the topic. The fate of aristocratic women and wealthy widows are covered particularly well, and readers obtain a good understanding of their day-to-day worries and concerns. The emphasis placed on marriage and land in women's lives is a fair assessment. There is less coverage of female peasants, reflecting the fewer sources available in Power's lifetime. The chapters on educational opportunities makes clear the limited options for women of the time, and the section on nunneries is useful. Use of medieval illustrations and extracts from literature make this read even more worthwhile.