...Female Artists during the Medieval Ages Humanities I Spring 2009 In the extremely hierarchical medieval society the social classes differed greatly from each other in their legal rights, economic circumstances and modes of living. Feudal society consisted of three classes, the Worshipers, Warriors, and the Workers. With few exceptions, women were ranked according to their husband’s or father’s status. They rarely achieved any status outside of their relationship with men as wives, mothers, and daughters. For this reason, it is interesting to explore how and why certain women were able to live separately from men in convents and create works of artistic value that survive today. During the Pre-Romanesque (500-1000 AD) and Romanesque (1000-1200) period of the middle ages, most of the art was created in monasteries for religious purposes. This art was primarily in the form of illuminated or illustrated manuscripts. Illuminated manuscripts were hand-written books of religious texts, like a bible, or works by saints or religious leaders. Some illustrated manuscripts were also copies of Roman or Greek works of philosophy. These manuscripts were ornate and beautiful volumes that were expensive and time consuming to produce. It could take months or years to produce an illuminated manuscript. The manuscript included ornamental borders, capital letters and illustrations some in gold and silver leaf. The illustrations themselves used a very rich and vivid palette of colors like rich...
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...In Colonial Latin America, women resignedly occupied inferior roles in the political, economic, and social spheres that dictated the happenings of their daily lives. Society did not view women as equivalent to their male counterparts and thus aimed to restrict and diminish their intellect and political agency. Their most effective manner of perpetuating this oppression was to discourage women from seeking an education. From a colonial mindset, the duty of the woman was to meekly obey the desires of the paternal figures in her life and aspire to become a wife and mother; the only acceptable alternative was to devote her life to Catholicism by entering into a convent with the intent of becoming a nun. Although both options deprived women of their right to self-autonomy, the latter offered lesser societal confinements. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a woman who challenged the social norm that women were not worthy of entering the realm of academia. Her inquisitive nature and desire for knowledge prompted her to...
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...European women in the late Middle Ages did not hold considerable power. They were usually passed from the control of their fathers to the control of their husbands. Certain women, however, did not follow this path, which led to their marginalization in society and often to their turn to prostitution. Since prostitution is widely believed to be the oldest profession in history, one might imagine that it was considered an acceptable profession in society. However, prostitution was an area of great debate during the Middle Ages, as it was a practice which was considered morally repugnant, but its value in society could also be seen. Considering the large influence that Christianity had on medieval European society, the church’s opinion of prostitution was adopted by society at large. Since Christianity valued virginity in women so highly, it would seem natural that the church would be against prostitution and would try to eliminate it as a profession in society. However, in practice, the medieval church did not go to great lengths to punish prostitutes. Considering this fact, what was Christianity’s and more generally society’s attitude toward prostitution? In what ways did the church and the legal authorities face the morally unacceptable practice of prostitution? Based on the laws of the late Medieval period and evidence of the abundance of prostitutes in Europe, it is clear that society had an ambiguous standpoint towards prostitution, denouncing it as immoral while simultaneously...
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...The main characteristics of the role of women in Europe changed for the worst during this period. To what extent do you agree with this view of the role and position of women in the Early Modern period? During the Early Modern period changes involving society and religion began taking place, creating a society that was beneficial to elderly men, whilst restricting women in most aspects of their lives, including life partners and even their ability to become financially independent. This all leads to the conclusion that their role in society ultimately changed for the worst during this period. Although some evidence does point to the fact that men sometimes experienced oppression and a lack of independence over their own lives. During the Early Modern period, women and their sexuality definitely changed for the worst. During this time people believed anatomist Vesalius about how a woman’s genitalia was the same as a man’s except it was outside in, this was presented in a book called De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, 1543. This led to the belief that women weren’t equal to men because as the Bible states Eve was made from Adam’s rib, and because of the fact men were supposedly created first, this implied importance for their role in society. Galen was one of the main people that disagreed with Vesalius and believed that men and women were sexually equal. However it is possible that Galen’s view wasn’t as supported because religion at the time supported Vesalius and...
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...however never uncovering who the white girl is. The novel recounts the account of the tension between the men of Ruby, Oklahoma, and the women who lived in the Convent only outside of town. After the opening part "Ruby", named after the town, the other sections are named after many of the female characters, however they are not just about the ladies. Every section demonstrates their past and gives us knowledge on essential moments from the town's history in spite of the backstory of the main character. Man vs. Man- Between the citizens of Ruby and the residents of the Convent Opens in Oklahoma mid one morning in 1976 Ruby- The name of the town in Oklahoma where the Morgan twins and the others go. Paterson- Where Mavis Albright's mom lives...
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...Vodun is practiced by the Ewe people of eastern and southern Ghana, and southern and central Togo; and the Kabye people, Mina people, and Fon people of southern and central Togo, southern and central Benin. It is also practiced by some Gun people of Lagos and Ogun in southwest Nigeria. It is distinct from the various African traditional religions in the interiors of these countries and is the main source of religions with similar names found among the African Diaspora in the New World such as Haitian Vodou; Puerto Rican Vodú; Cuban Vodú; Dominican Vudú; Brazilian Vodum; and Louisiana Voodoo. All of these closely related faiths are syncretized with Christianity to various degrees and with the traditional beliefs of the Kongo people and Indigenous American traditions. Theology and practice Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The vodun are the center of religious life, similar in many ways to doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels that made Vodun appear compatible with Christianity, especially Catholicism, and produced syncretic religions such as Haitian Vodou. Adherents also emphasize ancestor worship and hold that the spirits of the dead live side by...
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...Saint Teresa of Avila My model of faith is Saint Teresa of Avila. She was a very influential women that spent her time helping to start new monasteries. One of the main reasons Teresa became a nun was because she was scared that she would go to hell, but she wouldn't go to hell if she became a nun. Saint Teresa of Avila is a model of faith because she told stories of her visions, she was a very influential leader, and she spent a lot of her time starting new convents. Saint Teresa of Avila was born on March twenty eighth of 1515 near Avila Spain. She was born on a farm in Gotarrandura, Spain. Saint Teresa was a religious reformer and a Roman Catholic. He father was Alonso (Pina) de Cepeda. He was a secret Jew, also known as a converso....
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...The Catholic Church was an integral part of colonial Mexican life. The Spanish conquest led to the conversion of the indigenous populations, which then led to a blending of the Catholic tradition with that of the indigenous religions. Catholicism became a part of everyday life for the populations of colonial Mexico and because Catholicism is a hierarchal religious tradition, it reinforced the pre-existing social class structure within the Spanish kingdom. The minorities continued to be excluded from certain aspects of society, including religious positions and education. Both of which were greatly influenced areas of colonial society by the Catholic Church. The church was deeply involved in most, if not all aspects of colonial Mexican life including influencing politics, education, and other local social issues. The Spanish conquest of the Americas was one of great expansion in more ways than one. The Spanish crown not only added new areas of the world to their kingdom but simultaneously spread Christianity throughout this New World. The Catholic Church, a powerful institution in its own right, with the dedicated word of European missionaries, the growth of the religion led to the conversion of much of the indigenous populations in the Americas. The missionaries built missions and had haciendas that created environments in which the Catholic religion was a fundamental incorporation of life, so as to convert the indigenous population. The missionaries also built schools and...
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...Mavis Albright was one of the first of the women to go the Convent. Her car had broken down and she needed gas. She ended up at the Convent were Connie help her. In the beginning she was a very weak, isolated and abused woman. She struggles in her marriage and with her children. We learn that she accidently killed her twins because she went into a store and left her children in a hot car with the windows up and her doors are locked. After the twins die we see her slip in to a depression and becomes somewhat deranged. At one point she thinks that her children are trying to kill her: “Sal had Frank’s old shaving razer unfolded by her plate and asked…eliciting peals of laughter from Sal” (24). This highlights the fact that Mavis cannot separate...
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...In the company of grandfather, and a woodcutter settled in the wagon pulled by the horses. Gilbert's grandfather explained to us; we're a family on his way to a nearby village to a funeral. The trip made on routes between farms throughout the region to cross a village which passes through and arrived at a farm where two younger women. There we parted from Gilbert Grandpa to the woodcutter. They told us these persons be responsible and lead us to the following stage. They offer to eat and hid us in the high spot of the barn. One of them called Solange, stayed, the other, she will return to continuing our journey. The sun had not yet raised when Solange woke up us, gave us...
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...Britsh Literature SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Italian Renaissance (1330-1550).” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 12 Dec. 2015. The women of the Renaissance era, like the women of the middle Ages in there time, were denied all political rights and considered legally subject to their husbands. Women of all classes were expected to perform, first and foremost, the duties of housewife. Peasant women worked in the field alongside their husbands and ran the home. The Italian renaissance article shows how the wives of middle class shop owners and merchants often helped run their husbands' businesses as well. Even women of the highest class, though attended by servants, most often engaged in the tasks of the household, sewing, cooking, and entertaining, among others. Women who did not marry were not permitted to live independently. Instead, they lived in the households of their male relatives or, more often, joined a convent. From this article I collected a good bit of information on how and why Lady Macbeth acted the way she did back in the renaissance era BeyondJane , The role of women during the renaissance era , May 20, 2010 Women were often placed in arranged agreements to marry as early as the age of eight years old. A woman in the Renaissance usually got married somewhere between the ages of sixteen and twenty years old. Marriages were arranged not for reasons of romantic love, but for business reasons, in the interest of trade relations, and...
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...living. They were visited by the men of the upper class, including royalty. Because of this the courtesans had to project an image of sophistication and nobility. They had to hold their own with their royal clients and were often admired and considered equals by these men. Unlike the imprisoned and sheltered noble women of the Renaissance (the clients wives and daughters), who were either in an arranged marriage or locked up in a convent, the courtesans were independent and free to do as they wished. Precursors to the modern women, the courtesans of 16th century were intelligent and well read, they earned their living by their beauty and wit, and were prostitutes by choice. To completely understand the life of the courtesans, one must realize why these women choose the life. In the Renaissance at this time, women had very few choices. The only good choices for girls were to become married (arranged in most cases) or enter into a convent, but later in the century, even these choices were not always available. Many Italian women were placed in “moral” positions that compromised their personal freedom and individual beliefs. In fact, the prospects of marriage for women of the upper classes were at times not so good. Primarily because it became very expensive to pay for dowries, so many families among these classes tried to limit marriages to only one or two in each...
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...images about women. Another significant chapter on Morrison’s Paradise is “Jazz and Paradise: Pivotal moments in Black History”, edited by Stave. Shepoints to the use of religious register starting from Morrison’s novel title. According...
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...life changing events. The novel involves three different generations. There are many themes present in this novel that make the story seem more realistic to the reader. The three main themes are that of religion, survival, and Indian heritage. Religion has so many different meanings in this world. It can mean the belief in a godlike controlling power. It can mean the worship of that controlling power. It can also mean a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe. Each person has his or her own belief. Religion plays an important part in this novel. In the chapter titled, “Saint Marie,” readers find out that Marie Kashpaw is a catholic teenage girl trying to join the Sacred Heart Convent. Marie is discriminated by one of the nuns at the convent for being Indian. The nun, named Sister Leopolda, did very bad things to Marie to make her quit the...
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...from ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore to Gloriana from The Revenger’s Tragedy, control of women’s agency through manipulation of their bodies is profoundly evident. Revenge tragedy is a feminine genre in spite of the fact that the revenge protagonists are usually male and female characters appears to play more passive roles (Findlay 49). It is interesting then that the women of these plays brutally die. In this paper, I will exploring these issues of control over women’s bodies in Renaissance tragedy, analyzing how it effects their agency as free-minded individuals, as well as examining the condemnation it presents of female sexuality. To begin with, in ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (1633) by John Ford, the female protagonist, Annabella, has an incestuous sexual relationship with her brother, Giovanni. After Giovanni and Annabella make love for the first time, Giovanni reflects on why the losing of one’s virginity is so important (2.1. 1922). Annabella justifies that it is not important to him because he is a man. Here in lies one of the first instances of the sexual double-standard in the play, as emphasis on virginity for women- virginity being directly correlated with social status, and hence possible grounds for punishment if proven otherwise. Giovanni refers to them as a “double soul” (1.2. 1919). He builds her up almost as divine, as his twin by fate. She becomes an object of worship for him, and by doing so he gives her power. However, the power that is given to her is due to...
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