A Small Sound of the Trumpet: Women in Medieval Life

by Margaret Wade Labarge

Describes the daily life of noblewomen, nuns, and peasants in feudal England and Europe, looks at the treatment of lepers, begars, prostitutes, and criminals, and offers brief profiles of prominent medieval women

Genres: History, Medieval, Womens, Nonfiction, Womens Studies, Feminism, Medieval History

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 1986

About the author

Margaret Wade Labarge, CM (July 18, 1916 – August 31, 2009) was a Canadian historian and author specializing in the role of women in the Middle Ages. She was adjunct professor of history at Carleton University.

Labarge attended Harvard and Oxford Universities, and taught at the University of Ottawa before her move to Carleton. In 1982, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada. In 1988, she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She authored nine books about history.

Reviews

[Andrea Haverland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Put in perspective - not all male dominnation, and economics is the key. If feisty women are your thing, LaBarge digs out the shopping lists and tax records that prove we worked and earned and made a mark in medieval northern europe. Italy was a more open society, and that is dealt with briefly.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 238 pages before notes, the author is trying to cover feudal societies of England, France,the low countries, and southern Germany.
These sovereign countries each had indigenous customs, laws, language, and costume.

Without doubt, there are very interesting, well researched facts through the book, but I found it much too compressed. A few meager black and white photos of manuscripts. Each chapter would require a book unto itself.

The font chosen was small,
making the read a slog to get through.
A basic overview.

[Albaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teniendo en cuenta que es uno de los pocos libros que existen respecto al tema de la mujer en la edad media no le voy a quitar mérito. Describe de una forma extraordinaria la vida de muchas mujeres (unas más conocidas que otras) y toda su vida detallada fruto del trabajo de investigadores. En él hay desde reinas hasta cenobitas y prostitutas. Mujeres tan conocidas como Juana de Arco y Leonor de Aquitania, pero también Inés la Chauvelle

Lo que he echado en falta son mujeres españolas porque solo han nombrado a Blanca. También es verdad que la labor de recuperación en España es bastante más atrasada con respecto a Francia e Inglaterra que es donde se centra.

[Pancha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with queens (about whom there is the most information), and works its way down the hierarchy to noble ladies, townswomen, peasants, and women on the margins (like leapers and prostitutes). Lots of information packed into a short book.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

La gracia de este libro es que abarca todos los niveles sociales posibles en la edad media, revisando la forma de vivir y las actividades de las mujeres en cada uno. Es tambien un libro que deja claro de donde obtiene su información. Me hicieron falta conclusiones propias de la autora sobre algunos temas, en general, la autora expone las teorías más aceptadas por la doctrina (en el año de escritura) sobre ciertos temas pero nunca expone ideas propias.
Por último, en algunas partes, el libro más parecía una lista de mujeres que un análisis, ya que empezaba a enumerar ejemplos y saltaba a otra clase de actividad sin cerrar la idea de a que apuntaba con los ejemplos

Como un todo, el libro es interesante y muy informactivo de la vida de las mujeres en esa época.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable and informative read, but rather heavily concentrated on France & England.

[Margarita Lozano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es uno de mis básicos en el trabajo. Este libro es lo último para conocer la figura de las mujeres en la Edad Media.

[Joseph Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look at women from all walks of life and their contributions to the Medieval Society.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A grand parade of medieval women, all sorts-from pious to prostitute. Labarge sheds light on some surprising facts concerning these women within their societal context. The examination is wide though, not too deep. It is a good starter to further research.