For centuries, we have wondered what makes the ideal woman. Our modern ideal of what a woman should be has changed slightly over recent years, but how much have our ideas changed over time? The best way to see how our ideas have evolved over time is to examine how other eras of history viewed women. Take, for example, the Medieval era. What was it like to be an ideal medieval woman? How should women love, and how should they appear to men? In other words, how were medieval women supposed to be in a very male-dominated world? Eleanor Janega examines these questions in her book, “The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society.”
I have been following Eleanor Janega online for a few years now, and I have heard about this particular book, but I had yet to read it. I decided to give it a shot because I wanted to see what new information Janega would provide on the subject of medieval women.
As Janega explains in her introduction, this book is broken down into five sections: the ancient philosophy that influenced how medieval scholars viewed women, how men looked at women, how women were expected to love, women’s working roles in society, and why understanding how medieval women were viewed matters for the modern world. We begin with the philosophy of Greece and Rome, as well as ancient Christian theology, to better understand what medieval scholars thought of men and women and the opposite sex. We then look at different examples of women throughout history, like Eve, the Virgin Mary, and Helen of Troy, to show what the ideal standard of beauty was and what medieval motherhood was idolized.
We get to see how women were expected to make love and to express love towards their husbands in order to have children. But women did more than get married and have children. They had jobs, so Janega takes the time to explore different occupations women could do outside of the household for any class, from commoners to queens to even nuns. Finally, we explore how our views on women have changed and how, by studying medieval women, we can strive to build a better future for the women who come after us.
I found this a rather enjoyable read, full of tons of information that I did not know. It gave me a better appreciation for the women of the past. If you want to study more about medieval women, I highly recommend you read “The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society” by Eleanor Janega.
Today, I am pleased to welcome J. P. Reedman to my blog to share a spotlight for her novel “Bride of the Devil.” I would like to thank The Coffee Pot Book Club and J.P. Reedman for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.
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Author Bio
In English history, there have been some legendary warrior kings, but none have captured the imagination of the general public quite like Henry V. He was the King who won a great victory at Agincourt, almost captured France, but died young and never got to see his son become king of both England and France, albeit for a short time. For the English, Henry V was seen as a hero to the nation, but is his legacy much darker? Desmond Seward dives into the archives to find a much more ruthless king for his biography, “Henry V: The Scourge of God.”
When a medieval princess married, most of the time, she had to take an arduous journey to their new country. For many of these royal ladies, they had an idea that this would be their fate at a young age, but for others, it would come as a complete surprise. Take, for example, Blanca (Blanche) of Castile. She was the granddaughter of the indomitable Eleanor of Aquitaine. When it is time to create a marriage alliance between Castile and France, Blanca believes that her sister Urraca will be the one who will become Queen of France. However, Eleanor has other plans. How will the journey change Blanca and get her ready to rule a nation? Diane Zahler tells the tale of Blanca’s journey to the throne in her middle grade novel, “The Queen’s Granddaughter.”
We all believe we know the story of Joan of Arc, one of the patron Saints of France. A young peasant woman who God called to lead the dauphin to the altar to be crowned King Charles VII of France in a time of civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians, as well as the continuation of the war between England and France. It was a political quagmire, but somehow, as the story goes, Joan of Arc resolved the civil war and gave France a fighting chance against the English. But what did Joan of Arc actually accomplish during her short life? Helen Castor examines the life of this extraordinary young woman in her book “Joan of Arc: A History.”