Medieval Writings on Secular Women (Penguin Classics)

The first collection to bring together the forgotten female voices of the Middle Ages.

Artfully arranged to follow the life stages of a medieval woman living a secular existence, this remarkable volume collects a host of writings from across different regions and cultures spanning the ninth to the fifteenth centuries. The writings-some by famous figures, but many anonymous-illuminate the life circumstances of their authors, from a woman abandoned as a baby in Italy to a female leader of a synagogue. Featuring many new translations, Medieval Writings on Secular Women is a valuable contribution to the fields of women's and medieval literature.