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Widows : A Global History
Widows have always far outnumbered widowers (who quickly remarry, usually
younger women). War, hunting and the uncertainties of long travel ensured
that most husbands died before their wives did. Mineke Schipper’s cultural
history of widows examines how these husband-less women have, throughout
history and mythology, been portrayed as helpless damsels, easy pickings for
men outside the family or clan, or as cunning witches who are suspected of
murder. In every case, the motive has been to exclude them and control them.
Schipper traverses the world, travelling across time, to collect and analyse
stories about widows and their treatment—the loss of status they face after
their husband’s death; the harsh rituals of mourning they are forced to perform;
the often brutal controls on attire, mobility and sexuality that they must submit
to. It is a global legacy of cruelty and shame—as also, occasionally, of resilience
and defiance—that has rarely been studied as deeply and thoroughly as in
this extraordinary work. Widows draws upon sources from Ancient Egypt and
Greece, medieval India and modern-day Europe, Africa and the Americas—
examining folk and real-life stories of communities in Fiji, Papua New Guinea,
Ghana, China, France, and several other countries and regions, as also stories
and images from comics and fashion magazines.
Impressively researched and entertainingly narrated, this book—its information
made distinctive by Schipper’s sharp insight and her humour—is an important
document that helps us understand our past and, through it, our present.
younger women). War, hunting and the uncertainties of long travel ensured
that most husbands died before their wives did. Mineke Schipper’s cultural
history of widows examines how these husband-less women have, throughout
history and mythology, been portrayed as helpless damsels, easy pickings for
men outside the family or clan, or as cunning witches who are suspected of
murder. In every case, the motive has been to exclude them and control them.
Schipper traverses the world, travelling across time, to collect and analyse
stories about widows and their treatment—the loss of status they face after
their husband’s death; the harsh rituals of mourning they are forced to perform;
the often brutal controls on attire, mobility and sexuality that they must submit
to. It is a global legacy of cruelty and shame—as also, occasionally, of resilience
and defiance—that has rarely been studied as deeply and thoroughly as in
this extraordinary work. Widows draws upon sources from Ancient Egypt and
Greece, medieval India and modern-day Europe, Africa and the Americas—
examining folk and real-life stories of communities in Fiji, Papua New Guinea,
Ghana, China, France, and several other countries and regions, as also stories
and images from comics and fashion magazines.
Impressively researched and entertainingly narrated, this book—its information
made distinctive by Schipper’s sharp insight and her humour—is an important
document that helps us understand our past and, through it, our present.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2024
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Mineke Schipper
47 books26 followersMineke Schipper is a Dutch author of non-fiction and fiction. As a scholar she is best known for her work on comparative literature mythologies and intercultural studies.
Mineke Schipper studied French and Philosophy at Amsterdam Free University and Literary Theory, followed by Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Utrecht. She started her career teaching French and African Literature at the Université Libre du Congo (between 1964 and 1972). She received her PhD in Amsterdam in 1973, writing the first thesis in the Netherlands on African literature) and dedicated herself to developing the field of intercultural literary studies. In 1988 she became the first Professor of Intercultural Literary Studies in the Netherlands, at the Free University of Amsterdam. In 1993 she moved to Leiden University where she played a dynamic role in building intercultural bridges in researching and lecturing comparative literature in a global context.
In 1999 she received an honorary doctorate from Chengdu University (Sichuan Province) in China. Since 2000 she has been regularly invited by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) where she collaborates with colleagues on projects about epics and creation myths. In December 2008 she gave her farewell address at the University of Leiden.
Mineke Schipper lives in Amsterdam.
Mineke Schipper studied French and Philosophy at Amsterdam Free University and Literary Theory, followed by Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Utrecht. She started her career teaching French and African Literature at the Université Libre du Congo (between 1964 and 1972). She received her PhD in Amsterdam in 1973, writing the first thesis in the Netherlands on African literature) and dedicated herself to developing the field of intercultural literary studies. In 1988 she became the first Professor of Intercultural Literary Studies in the Netherlands, at the Free University of Amsterdam. In 1993 she moved to Leiden University where she played a dynamic role in building intercultural bridges in researching and lecturing comparative literature in a global context.
In 1999 she received an honorary doctorate from Chengdu University (Sichuan Province) in China. Since 2000 she has been regularly invited by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) where she collaborates with colleagues on projects about epics and creation myths. In December 2008 she gave her farewell address at the University of Leiden.
Mineke Schipper lives in Amsterdam.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 1, 2025
يتقاطع العام مع الخاص في كتاب "الأرامل...التاريخ المسكوت عنه" للباحثة الهولندية المخضرمة مينيكه شيبر. بدأت صاحبته جمع مادة الكتاب مباشرة بعد وفاة زوجها الذي قضت معه أكثر من نصف عمرها، ليتحول حزنها عليه إلى سردية تجمع كل الأرامل. الكتاب يستكمل مشروعها الطويل الذي تقع المرأة في جوهره، مع أعمال مثل "إياك والزواج من كبيرة القدمين"، و"تلال الفردوس... تاريخ الجسد الأنثوي بين السلطة والعجز"، و"من بعدنا الطوفان... حكاية نهاية البشرية"، و"المكشوف والمحجوب... من خيط بسيط إلى بدلة بثلاث قطع".
هنا مقال وحوار طويل مع الكاتبة:
https://www.majalla.com/node/325363/%...
هنا مقال وحوار طويل مع الكاتبة:
https://www.majalla.com/node/325363/%...
August 20, 2025
الكتاب هو مجموعة من الدراسات عن فئة من النساء قليل جدا ما يتم الحديث عنها وعن معاناتها، وهي الأرامل.
تقدم لنا الكاتبة صورة تاريخية قديمة وايضا في التاريخ المعاصر عن الأرامل وحياتهن في العديد من الشعوب والثقافات والدول المختلفة دينيا واجتماعيا، وتناقش مظاهرهن المميزة ومعاناتهن مع المسكوت عنه من مواضيع الجنس والأرث والسحر والنظرة الدونية اللواتي كن يعاملن بها عبر التاريخ.
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الكتاب استغرقت في قراته أشهر طويلة لكني استمتعت به كثيرا ودهشت أكثر من كم المعلومات المقدمة فيه،
أنصح به كثيرا
تقدم لنا الكاتبة صورة تاريخية قديمة وايضا في التاريخ المعاصر عن الأرامل وحياتهن في العديد من الشعوب والثقافات والدول المختلفة دينيا واجتماعيا، وتناقش مظاهرهن المميزة ومعاناتهن مع المسكوت عنه من مواضيع الجنس والأرث والسحر والنظرة الدونية اللواتي كن يعاملن بها عبر التاريخ.
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الكتاب استغرقت في قراته أشهر طويلة لكني استمتعت به كثيرا ودهشت أكثر من كم المعلومات المقدمة فيه،
أنصح به كثيرا
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews