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How To Be a Medieval Woman
And then he, completely astonished at her words, left off his lewdness, saying to her as many a man had done before, "Either you are a truly good woman or else a truly wicked woman."
Brave, outspoken and guaranteed to annoy people wherever she went - including exasperated fellow pilgrims in Jerusalem and her long-suffering husband - Margery Kempe was one of the most vivid and unforgettable voices of the Middle Ages. Whether travelling alone, getting herself arrested or having visions of marrying Jesus, Margery repeatedly defied feminine convention - and also managed to compose the first autobiography in English, despite being unable to read or write.
Brave, outspoken and guaranteed to annoy people wherever she went - including exasperated fellow pilgrims in Jerusalem and her long-suffering husband - Margery Kempe was one of the most vivid and unforgettable voices of the Middle Ages. Whether travelling alone, getting herself arrested or having visions of marrying Jesus, Margery repeatedly defied feminine convention - and also managed to compose the first autobiography in English, despite being unable to read or write.
125 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1438
37 people are currently reading
784 people want to read
About the author
Margery Kempe
14 books40 followersThe following biography information provides basic facts and information about the life and history of Margery Kempe, a famous Medieval character:
Nationality: English
Lifespan: c1373 - c1438
Time Reference: Lived during the reign of the English kings Edward III, Richard II and Henry IV
Date of Birth: She was born Margery Brunham at King's Lynn, Norfolk (then called Bishop's Lynn) in approximately 1373
Family connections : She was the daughter of John Brunham, a wealthy merchant in King's Lynn who was involved in local politics and achieved the position of mayor and Member of Parliament
Education: Margery Kempe was unable to read or write but had people read to her. She dictated her memoirs which were transcribed as 'The Book of Margery Kempe'
Married: Margery Kempe married John Kempe at the age of twenty in 1393. Hence the assumption that she was born in 1373.
Children: Margery and John Kempe produced 14 children
When the "visions" of Margery Kempe began: She experienced her first Christian vision c1394 following the delivery of her first child
What provoked the visions of Margery Kempe? She was suffering from a disturbed state of mind caused by any number of events including depression (post natal), feelings of guilt, an over-imaginative mind, a spiritual crisis and an unsympathetic confessor
She suffered the equivalent of a nervous breakdown. Her condition was so severe that she had to be constrained. It was punctuated by loud and unrestrained crying
She then experienced a vision and emerged calm and 'came to her senses'
Unclear of how she should respond to the visions she continued everyday life with her husband and produced many more children. This was seen as an impossible way of life for a "spiritual woman" and she was strongly criticised and even rebuked for attempting to live a life totally devoted to Christ but as a married woman
In 1403 she and her husband took vows of chastity before the Bishop of Lincoln
She then took to wearing white - which brought more criticism as the normal color for a woman of her age and station would have been black
She annoyed people further by her uncontrollable weeping and wailing at holy sites and during mass
Margery Kempe was accused of being a Lollard but cleared of this by the Archbishop of Canterbury
She undertook pilgrimages to sacred places in England including Canterbury, Norwich and York
Margery Kempe was a contemporary of the Medieval anchoress, Julian of Norwich, who she visited
In the autumn of 1414 she undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land via Venice
She reached Jerusalem and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and travelled on to Bethlehem
She returned to England in May 1415
Further pilgrimages took her to Rome, Germany, Norway and Spain
In 1433 she undertook a pilgrimage to Danzig
Margery Kempe dictated the content of 'The Book of Margery Kempe' to men hired as scribes
'The Book of Margery Kempe' was recopied by a travelling priest
The manuscript containing the 'The Book of Margery Kempe' was lost for many years and only rediscovered in 1934 by Miss Hope Emily Allen, although its existence and some of its contents were known from references and quotations in other medieval books
Miss Hope Emily Allen identified the manuscript copy of 'The Book of Margery Kempe' in the library of Colonel Butler-Bowdon of Pleasington Old Hall in Lancashire, England
Date of Death: The last known reference to Margery Kempe was at King's Lynn in 1438 although her exact date of death is unknown
Margery Kempe
The story and biography of Margery Kempe contains interesting information, facts & the history about the life of this Medieval woman of historical importance.
Nationality: English
Lifespan: c1373 - c1438
Time Reference: Lived during the reign of the English kings Edward III, Richard II and Henry IV
Date of Birth: She was born Margery Brunham at King's Lynn, Norfolk (then called Bishop's Lynn) in approximately 1373
Family connections : She was the daughter of John Brunham, a wealthy merchant in King's Lynn who was involved in local politics and achieved the position of mayor and Member of Parliament
Education: Margery Kempe was unable to read or write but had people read to her. She dictated her memoirs which were transcribed as 'The Book of Margery Kempe'
Married: Margery Kempe married John Kempe at the age of twenty in 1393. Hence the assumption that she was born in 1373.
Children: Margery and John Kempe produced 14 children
When the "visions" of Margery Kempe began: She experienced her first Christian vision c1394 following the delivery of her first child
What provoked the visions of Margery Kempe? She was suffering from a disturbed state of mind caused by any number of events including depression (post natal), feelings of guilt, an over-imaginative mind, a spiritual crisis and an unsympathetic confessor
She suffered the equivalent of a nervous breakdown. Her condition was so severe that she had to be constrained. It was punctuated by loud and unrestrained crying
She then experienced a vision and emerged calm and 'came to her senses'
Unclear of how she should respond to the visions she continued everyday life with her husband and produced many more children. This was seen as an impossible way of life for a "spiritual woman" and she was strongly criticised and even rebuked for attempting to live a life totally devoted to Christ but as a married woman
In 1403 she and her husband took vows of chastity before the Bishop of Lincoln
She then took to wearing white - which brought more criticism as the normal color for a woman of her age and station would have been black
She annoyed people further by her uncontrollable weeping and wailing at holy sites and during mass
Margery Kempe was accused of being a Lollard but cleared of this by the Archbishop of Canterbury
She undertook pilgrimages to sacred places in England including Canterbury, Norwich and York
Margery Kempe was a contemporary of the Medieval anchoress, Julian of Norwich, who she visited
In the autumn of 1414 she undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land via Venice
She reached Jerusalem and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and travelled on to Bethlehem
She returned to England in May 1415
Further pilgrimages took her to Rome, Germany, Norway and Spain
In 1433 she undertook a pilgrimage to Danzig
Margery Kempe dictated the content of 'The Book of Margery Kempe' to men hired as scribes
'The Book of Margery Kempe' was recopied by a travelling priest
The manuscript containing the 'The Book of Margery Kempe' was lost for many years and only rediscovered in 1934 by Miss Hope Emily Allen, although its existence and some of its contents were known from references and quotations in other medieval books
Miss Hope Emily Allen identified the manuscript copy of 'The Book of Margery Kempe' in the library of Colonel Butler-Bowdon of Pleasington Old Hall in Lancashire, England
Date of Death: The last known reference to Margery Kempe was at King's Lynn in 1438 although her exact date of death is unknown
Margery Kempe
The story and biography of Margery Kempe contains interesting information, facts & the history about the life of this Medieval woman of historical importance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 11, 2016
I feel cheated by this Little Black Classic. On the back it says "Advice on marriage, foreign travel and much more from the irrepressible Margery Kempe: medieval pilgrim, visionary and creator of the first autobiography".
I knew nothing of Margery Kempe, who she was, what she did, so I thought, based on that description, that this was a book of, well, advice. I thought it was Margery giving advice on life, based on her own experiences. Obviously, that's not what this is at all. It's a biography of her life with religion. Had I known that, I would not have bought it, because I don't find that interesting at all, I personally just don't care for it. So the rating for this is not because the book itself is bad, it's because it's 1) not what I expected, and 2) not something I'd have ever read otherwise, because I know I find it dull.
And this was unbelievably dull for me to read. The stories themselves are slightly interesting, and there were moments I found compelling, but ultimately I can't relate to her experiences at all, and found little of use for me in this small excerpt. Of course it has historical significance, but to me, personally, it had no interest. And something about the way it's written was just too tedious for me. I mean, some of that is probably that it's one of the first autobiographies ever written so style wouldn't have factored in the way it does now, plus it's an account of a religious life, so there are limits to the way you can tell a story like that. If you were medieval, that is. Well, I assume, I don't know much about it.
And the fact that it's the (possibly true) biography of a woman who was shunned and ridiculed for her religious beliefs and the way she communed with God makes it interesting in itself. It's just not interestingly written. At all. I'd say you'd have to have an explicit interest in the subject to find this book enjoyable, but at least now I know it's not for me to read the full book, so that's something.
I knew nothing of Margery Kempe, who she was, what she did, so I thought, based on that description, that this was a book of, well, advice. I thought it was Margery giving advice on life, based on her own experiences. Obviously, that's not what this is at all. It's a biography of her life with religion. Had I known that, I would not have bought it, because I don't find that interesting at all, I personally just don't care for it. So the rating for this is not because the book itself is bad, it's because it's 1) not what I expected, and 2) not something I'd have ever read otherwise, because I know I find it dull.
And this was unbelievably dull for me to read. The stories themselves are slightly interesting, and there were moments I found compelling, but ultimately I can't relate to her experiences at all, and found little of use for me in this small excerpt. Of course it has historical significance, but to me, personally, it had no interest. And something about the way it's written was just too tedious for me. I mean, some of that is probably that it's one of the first autobiographies ever written so style wouldn't have factored in the way it does now, plus it's an account of a religious life, so there are limits to the way you can tell a story like that. If you were medieval, that is. Well, I assume, I don't know much about it.
And the fact that it's the (possibly true) biography of a woman who was shunned and ridiculed for her religious beliefs and the way she communed with God makes it interesting in itself. It's just not interestingly written. At all. I'd say you'd have to have an explicit interest in the subject to find this book enjoyable, but at least now I know it's not for me to read the full book, so that's something.
July 3, 2019
Albeit not being the reading material this wretch would usually select for herself, this treatise does hold great (literary) historical significance.
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November 16, 2023The things I would do to have a cup of coffee with Margery Kempe
March 16, 2022
STOP CRYING MARGERY!!!!!
April 14, 2017
GARBAGE! Review to follow.
February 13, 2018
Excerpt from Kempe's memoirs, part of Penguin's Little Black Classics series. Some of it was absolutely fascinating but the religious aspects got a bit tedious. I would be interested to read the full book though.
January 12, 2020
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
How To Be a Medieval Woman was like the polar opposite to last week's Little Black Classic: The Suffragettes, and it was a terrible read.
Maybe if the main character was not called 'said creature' the entire time, THIS creature would have somewhat enjoyed reading it. This was what put me off right from the start but it was also heavily repetitive and Margery main skill seems to be weeping, which she does a lot and at everything.
I still gave it two stars. Not because I enjoyed reading it, I did not. However, this is still the biography of a woman who managed to convince men to write it for her (as she was illiterate) in a society which would just as easily (more easily perhaps) have burned her at the stake for not submitting to their rules.
~Little Black Classics #95~
How To Be a Medieval Woman was like the polar opposite to last week's Little Black Classic: The Suffragettes, and it was a terrible read.
Maybe if the main character was not called 'said creature' the entire time, THIS creature would have somewhat enjoyed reading it. This was what put me off right from the start but it was also heavily repetitive and Margery main skill seems to be weeping, which she does a lot and at everything.
I still gave it two stars. Not because I enjoyed reading it, I did not. However, this is still the biography of a woman who managed to convince men to write it for her (as she was illiterate) in a society which would just as easily (more easily perhaps) have burned her at the stake for not submitting to their rules.
~Little Black Classics #95~
March 2, 2021
Studying medieval history in Norwich it was inevitable that I would read the writings of Margery Kempe. So I have read her work in full, nonetheless it was nice to dip back into her story in this selection from Penguin Little Black Books.
The work is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a middle class woman in 14th century England, and a lot of social and religious history can be gleaned from reading this work. Margery was a well travelled, opinionated and strong minded woman even if she seems to have suffered from, what today would undoubtedly be considered, pretty severe mental illness. In her lifetime, her religious visions, evident depression, mood swings, and insistence on chastity in marriage, all while continuously weeping and generally rubbing everyone around her up the wrong way saw her labelled holy, mad and possessed by devils. Her life was full of hardships and trials but still she did something pretty unique- she coerced her husband into giving her a marriage on her own terms, she ran multiple businesses as her own woman, she travelled widely, and she arranged for her words and story to be recorded for posterity.
Annoying as she probably was, she was also a remarkable woman.
The work is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a middle class woman in 14th century England, and a lot of social and religious history can be gleaned from reading this work. Margery was a well travelled, opinionated and strong minded woman even if she seems to have suffered from, what today would undoubtedly be considered, pretty severe mental illness. In her lifetime, her religious visions, evident depression, mood swings, and insistence on chastity in marriage, all while continuously weeping and generally rubbing everyone around her up the wrong way saw her labelled holy, mad and possessed by devils. Her life was full of hardships and trials but still she did something pretty unique- she coerced her husband into giving her a marriage on her own terms, she ran multiple businesses as her own woman, she travelled widely, and she arranged for her words and story to be recorded for posterity.
Annoying as she probably was, she was also a remarkable woman.
February 26, 2024
Girl could cry. Thinks about Jesus, cries. Talks about Jesus, cries. Goes in a church, cries. At one point she just starts weeping uncontrollably every time she sees a handsome man in the street. No wonder so many people were like, yeah, you can’t hang out with us any more.
August 20, 2018
This was a very unusual read. It was heavy going and the way it is written at times makes it difficult to understand. The text definitely doesn't really match the blurb which is a shame. Everything is linked in some ways to religion and when I say linked I don't think there is one sentence in the whole book which doesn't mention something religious in some way.
I give it two because there were parts which I did enjoy and it was a curious insight into a medieval women's mind. But, the heavy religious text let's it down for me.
I give it two because there were parts which I did enjoy and it was a curious insight into a medieval women's mind. But, the heavy religious text let's it down for me.
June 25, 2021
as much as margery bothered me, the mistreatment she got, no one deserves that. also im disappointed but not surprised that misogyny hasnt changed much in 600+ years
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May 12, 2024It's okay Margery, I also cry all the time
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January 29, 2025N/A
It feels weird to give a star rating to this book as it’s more of a historical account than anything else. If I knew more about various translations or the original text itself, perhaps I could better rate this edition. Maybe I’ll come back and amend later.
I enjoyed this, though at times the weeping and repeated accounts of religious fervour were extremely grating and repetitive, perhaps just as Margery herself was to those who frowned on her in her own day.
I think this edition is best when Margery is defending herself against her discreditors. The chapters around her imprisonment and trial, and her observations on her fellow pilgrims are very entertaining on the lack of account she gives for their arguments.
I feel she tries to leave the reader under the impression that her detractors are scared of the truth and zeal of her faith; which is certainly one interpretation. Perhaps the modern reader would look into these gaps to highlight the fact we have a woman who lives and travels without her husband, who is outspoken on her beliefs, who is unshakeable in her faith, who has visions, public displays of great emotion, and hears things. Perhaps we build up a picture not simply of a religious woman, but a headstrong, passionate, possibly neurodivergent, biographer?
I think she must have been quite annoying and difficult to be around. I think this may in great or lesser part be due to her visions and passions and weeping, which may well be described in the modern day as mental illness. Certainly throughout the text she has more negative associations with her visions which do cause her great distress for extended periods of time. I think she also likely spoke her mind even when it may not have befitted a woman to do so. I can certainly see why she does get locked up.
However, I do find myself rooting for her, and found myself especially rooting for her in those chapters “Margery on Trial” &c. Is this the mark of a successful biography?
She is likeable, and her account is fascinating and, at times, humorous - even if inadvertently so. My favourite example is when she describes the sight of men’s genitals as “such abominations”.
Forever obsessed with her only ever referring to herself as “this creature”.
Worth a read, perhaps I’ll look into this more closely through Treharne.
It feels weird to give a star rating to this book as it’s more of a historical account than anything else. If I knew more about various translations or the original text itself, perhaps I could better rate this edition. Maybe I’ll come back and amend later.
I enjoyed this, though at times the weeping and repeated accounts of religious fervour were extremely grating and repetitive, perhaps just as Margery herself was to those who frowned on her in her own day.
I think this edition is best when Margery is defending herself against her discreditors. The chapters around her imprisonment and trial, and her observations on her fellow pilgrims are very entertaining on the lack of account she gives for their arguments.
I feel she tries to leave the reader under the impression that her detractors are scared of the truth and zeal of her faith; which is certainly one interpretation. Perhaps the modern reader would look into these gaps to highlight the fact we have a woman who lives and travels without her husband, who is outspoken on her beliefs, who is unshakeable in her faith, who has visions, public displays of great emotion, and hears things. Perhaps we build up a picture not simply of a religious woman, but a headstrong, passionate, possibly neurodivergent, biographer?
I think she must have been quite annoying and difficult to be around. I think this may in great or lesser part be due to her visions and passions and weeping, which may well be described in the modern day as mental illness. Certainly throughout the text she has more negative associations with her visions which do cause her great distress for extended periods of time. I think she also likely spoke her mind even when it may not have befitted a woman to do so. I can certainly see why she does get locked up.
However, I do find myself rooting for her, and found myself especially rooting for her in those chapters “Margery on Trial” &c. Is this the mark of a successful biography?
She is likeable, and her account is fascinating and, at times, humorous - even if inadvertently so. My favourite example is when she describes the sight of men’s genitals as “such abominations”.
Forever obsessed with her only ever referring to herself as “this creature”.
Worth a read, perhaps I’ll look into this more closely through Treharne.
March 18, 2020
not my tempo
April 3, 2025
Oh Margerie.
This novel was a course requirement for one of my uni classes: Dreams and Visions in Literature and Film. This book is about a medieval woman named Margerie Kempe, she believed she could communicate with Jesus and pledged her life to him, relaying his messages to the public. But holy fuckkk was she annoying, oh my days. She was so completely infatuated with him that she drove all of her friends and even her husband away. She was always crying, always praying. She would even cry at the sight of a baby boy because he reminded her of Jesus. She's a funny thing but this book was so repetitive and had hardly any plot. Just her crying and being told to go away (you can't play with us!) I didn't enjoy it but I could laugh at her, and the reviews on this book are the funniest I have read. In saying this, I am writing an essay on her right now so we'll see how that goes.
This novel was a course requirement for one of my uni classes: Dreams and Visions in Literature and Film. This book is about a medieval woman named Margerie Kempe, she believed she could communicate with Jesus and pledged her life to him, relaying his messages to the public. But holy fuckkk was she annoying, oh my days. She was so completely infatuated with him that she drove all of her friends and even her husband away. She was always crying, always praying. She would even cry at the sight of a baby boy because he reminded her of Jesus. She's a funny thing but this book was so repetitive and had hardly any plot. Just her crying and being told to go away (you can't play with us!) I didn't enjoy it but I could laugh at her, and the reviews on this book are the funniest I have read. In saying this, I am writing an essay on her right now so we'll see how that goes.
February 23, 2025
Margery Kempe the woman that you were
May 5, 2019
Margery Kempe was an incredibly pious woman in medieval times, and believed she had a higher personal connection to God than other people. Despite being unable to read or write, she compiled an autobiography entirely through diction on her spiritual experiences. It is from this book that Penguin have taken excerpts to comprise How To Be a Medieval Woman.
Being entirely without religion, something of a cynic, and in desperate need of something to get my teeth into, I couldn’t connect whatsoever with Kempe and her spiritual ramblings. Her narrative is extremely heavy and tedious, her superiority irking, and her deep devotion (which I imagine is supposed to be inspiring) feels like a telling off.
The blurb and title very much portray this little book as being filled with social commentary on how medieval women spent their days. I’m convinced Kempe was one of few medieval women with a speed dial to heaven, so Penguin has yet again failed in this collection for me.
Another little black slog.
Being entirely without religion, something of a cynic, and in desperate need of something to get my teeth into, I couldn’t connect whatsoever with Kempe and her spiritual ramblings. Her narrative is extremely heavy and tedious, her superiority irking, and her deep devotion (which I imagine is supposed to be inspiring) feels like a telling off.
The blurb and title very much portray this little book as being filled with social commentary on how medieval women spent their days. I’m convinced Kempe was one of few medieval women with a speed dial to heaven, so Penguin has yet again failed in this collection for me.
Another little black slog.
June 1, 2018
How To Be A Medieval Woman contains excerpts from Margery Kempe’s autobiography, which is considered significant because it is the first (known) English autobiography in history. This ‘little black book’ is perhaps mistitled. This is not a collection of advice on how one should be behave, and there is little in the contents about daily life for medieval woman. In fact, one gets the view that Kempe liked to see herself as utterly unique and far more special than anyone else.
Setting that to the side, however, this is an intriguing little book. At first, I felt sad for Kempe (who refers to herself throughout as ‘that creature’) – the limitations she was faced with, the very religious, very patriarchal society she was living in. Then I started wondering if she was the full quid as she began having visions and conversations with Jesus Christ. Then I started sympathising with most of the people who would get angry and upset with her – she didn’t seem easy to be around!
Setting that to the side, however, this is an intriguing little book. At first, I felt sad for Kempe (who refers to herself throughout as ‘that creature’) – the limitations she was faced with, the very religious, very patriarchal society she was living in. Then I started wondering if she was the full quid as she began having visions and conversations with Jesus Christ. Then I started sympathising with most of the people who would get angry and upset with her – she didn’t seem easy to be around!
December 16, 2020
Penguin should be charged with deception. The title is totally misleading. It's back cover states that it offers "Advice on marriage, foreign travel and much more from the irrepressible Marjorie Kempe." It does not. Instead, it's the tiresome lamentations of a mentally disturbed woman obsessed with Christ and her own spiritual concerns.
The one interesting facet of this short account was that she had the means to travel not only to Jerusalem but also to Santiago in Spain and did so often with little help, given how annoying her companions felt about her behaviour.
The one interesting facet of this short account was that she had the means to travel not only to Jerusalem but also to Santiago in Spain and did so often with little help, given how annoying her companions felt about her behaviour.
March 12, 2017
I think the blurb is very misleading. The book is only about Margery and how she experiences her religion. There isn't really any advise or insight into how an everyday woman in this age would have lived. There is also a lot of repetition (most used word is probably sobbing or sorrow or something) which made it a bit dull to read. I think that Penguin should have picked a different book to fill up this spot really...
October 16, 2022
Lots of crying and wailing. Lots of religion. Not much about being an actual medieval woman, unless I missed something.
It was on my kindle. Less than 200 pages. It was hard going, so I stopped and started a lot when reading it, to the point that it took me over a year to get to the end. I probably should have abandoned it but I didn't because it was a book club recommendation and also because I don't like a book of less than 200 pages to defeat me but definitely not one of my favourites.
It was on my kindle. Less than 200 pages. It was hard going, so I stopped and started a lot when reading it, to the point that it took me over a year to get to the end. I probably should have abandoned it but I didn't because it was a book club recommendation and also because I don't like a book of less than 200 pages to defeat me but definitely not one of my favourites.
December 8, 2021
Wow, this woman could cry!
March 4, 2023
I really hoped this book would be about the everyday life of a woman of her era, but it is 80% focused on her devout religion and pilgrimages.
July 11, 2024
take a shot every time she cries
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January 12, 2025Girl stop crying
March 22, 2020
How to be a Medieval Woman by Margery Kemp is a fantastic literary text that covers so many interesting and important ideas. The book is an autobiography and manages to express so much in such a small book. The book itself is a popular Penguin Little Black Classic that many are familiar with, but l would certainly question the title. Initially, when picking up the book, an individual may expect ‘a guide’ or see the text as a ‘tool’. When a title involves the words ‘How to’, the assumption is that the text will provide some instruction or insight to the reader, yet this is not the case for short book. Additionally, the back of the book sways the reader further with the blurb “Advice on marriage, foreign travel and much more…”. Essentially, the text is extremely interesting and contains insightful content in terms of the concepts of ‘dreams’ and ‘visions’, however, because of its cover and blurb, one could argue that it would potentially cause the reader to have a certain predisposition before reading the text, affecting the overall reading experience.
Despite the above, the text is extremely engaging, it takes the reader through the experiences of the protagonist, Margery Kempe, and provides an insight or opportunity to visualise what life was like for ‘the medieval woman’. However, although the text is insightful, it is subjective, and l would argue that it cannot act as an introductory text to express ‘how to be a medieval woman’, the fundamentals of medieval womanhood, marriage and devotion. What is being expressed is the views, opinions and thoughts of one woman, it would be problematic to assume that other woman in the medieval era had similar lifestyles or experiences. Thus, due to its misleading title, blurb and subjective nature, l was inclined to give it a three out of five-star rating.
Nevertheless, the text is a key driver for certain notions such as philosophical theories, faith, self-hood, self-identity, feminism, medieval culture and psychoanalysis. Although the text can appear convoluted and perplexing, what is noteworthy is the narration and language utilised. For example, instead of the use of personal pronouns, the word ‘creature’ is used, and the protagonist refers to herself in a way which is quite eccentric but also builds on the mystical and spiritual nature of Kempe’s life and the book as a whole . The book is definitely bizarre but explores the important concept of ‘dream visions’, which is according to Wellesley, “an experience of the divine, perhaps it is a prophetic dream and it certainly enigmatic”. It takes on board the significance of subjective experience and potential meanings behind the dreams or visions of a woman in the medieval era. It will have you feeling puzzled and wondering about Kempe’s true persona as you read on and try to decipher whether she is, “a truly good woman or else a truly wicked woman”.
Despite the above, the text is extremely engaging, it takes the reader through the experiences of the protagonist, Margery Kempe, and provides an insight or opportunity to visualise what life was like for ‘the medieval woman’. However, although the text is insightful, it is subjective, and l would argue that it cannot act as an introductory text to express ‘how to be a medieval woman’, the fundamentals of medieval womanhood, marriage and devotion. What is being expressed is the views, opinions and thoughts of one woman, it would be problematic to assume that other woman in the medieval era had similar lifestyles or experiences. Thus, due to its misleading title, blurb and subjective nature, l was inclined to give it a three out of five-star rating.
Nevertheless, the text is a key driver for certain notions such as philosophical theories, faith, self-hood, self-identity, feminism, medieval culture and psychoanalysis. Although the text can appear convoluted and perplexing, what is noteworthy is the narration and language utilised. For example, instead of the use of personal pronouns, the word ‘creature’ is used, and the protagonist refers to herself in a way which is quite eccentric but also builds on the mystical and spiritual nature of Kempe’s life and the book as a whole . The book is definitely bizarre but explores the important concept of ‘dream visions’, which is according to Wellesley, “an experience of the divine, perhaps it is a prophetic dream and it certainly enigmatic”. It takes on board the significance of subjective experience and potential meanings behind the dreams or visions of a woman in the medieval era. It will have you feeling puzzled and wondering about Kempe’s true persona as you read on and try to decipher whether she is, “a truly good woman or else a truly wicked woman”.
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September 21, 2021Mentiría si dijese que ha sido una lectura entretenida y que no tenía ganas de terminarlo.
Sí, me parece admirable que Margery Kempe lograse, a pesar de apenas saber leer y escribir, escribir su autobiografía pero ha sido bastante aburrido porque no era lo que esperaba.
Esperaba encontrar consejos algo avanzados para su tiempo sobre "cómo ser una mujer medieval" y me he encontrado con que todo el libro (que es un extracto de la obra completa) trata sobre la devoción religiosa de Kempe. En este sentido, no he podido conectar con la historia porque no es algo con lo que yo me sienta identificada.
Sí, me parece admirable que Margery Kempe lograse, a pesar de apenas saber leer y escribir, escribir su autobiografía pero ha sido bastante aburrido porque no era lo que esperaba.
Esperaba encontrar consejos algo avanzados para su tiempo sobre "cómo ser una mujer medieval" y me he encontrado con que todo el libro (que es un extracto de la obra completa) trata sobre la devoción religiosa de Kempe. En este sentido, no he podido conectar con la historia porque no es algo con lo que yo me sienta identificada.
August 13, 2021
I don't think this is particularly helped by the title, as I don't think Margery Kempe was particularly a typical medieval woman! I knew who she was and about The Book of Margery Kempe, and this is a slimed down version of that translated into modern English.
I think in a secular society the religious obsession will always seen a bit odd, but I think Margery took things to rather an extreme. You also have to wonder what the story would have been if other people in her tale could have had their say!
I think in a secular society the religious obsession will always seen a bit odd, but I think Margery took things to rather an extreme. You also have to wonder what the story would have been if other people in her tale could have had their say!
March 7, 2022
This is an autobiographical memoir of a Medieval women purported to be the first of its kind in English; written as told to a priest. She traveled extensively and had several businesses, not common for women of the day. She seemed to be half mad with visions and conversations with Jesus, Mary and the Holy Spirit. She's continually crying and arguing with her husband and many people in authority getting thrown in jail or kicked out of places. The text was continual run-on sentences. I did not enjoy this at all.
December 22, 2024
DNF at page 35.
I believe the main problem were my expectations, hence the 2 starts instead of 1.
I was excited to read the alleged first biography, however, I didn't count for the context of what a life of a woman in the 15th century would be, which for a 20th century woman, it's boring as hell. Not to mention it's mainly about her relationship with God, which is a topic that doesn't interest me at all.
And the fact that she constantly refers to herself as "the creature" gives me the creeps.
This book is most definitely not for me.
I believe the main problem were my expectations, hence the 2 starts instead of 1.
I was excited to read the alleged first biography, however, I didn't count for the context of what a life of a woman in the 15th century would be, which for a 20th century woman, it's boring as hell. Not to mention it's mainly about her relationship with God, which is a topic that doesn't interest me at all.
And the fact that she constantly refers to herself as "the creature" gives me the creeps.
This book is most definitely not for me.
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