Hildegard Women's Role

The reading from this week all to focus on aspects of a women’s role in society. In the reading from Hildegard centers to the church of the injustice from the Clergy of Mainz who restricted the convent from singing and receiving communion after the burial of a man. Throughout the letter she exploits the harsh injustice of them restricting her from singing which she says, “You must be especially certain that you are drawn to this action out of zeal for God’s justice, rather than out of indignation, unjust emotions, or a desire for revenge, and you must always be on your guard not to be circumvented in your decisions by Satan, who drove man for celestial harmony and the delights of paradise”(pg. 296) This shows how Hildegard was unafraid to share

The reading, on the other hand, focused on the marriage and how men view the fault of women being, “shrewish, vengeful nagging” leading to men being unhappy in marriage. Furthermore, she quotes Theophrastus who claims that men should not marry for women are trouble, only gossip, and lack affection. She goes against this opinion by claiming that it is men who dominate women and what has been written about wives are false. However, she still says that marriage is good because there are men who are kind and love each other thus, women should be grateful.

In the other reading, Lancelot by Chretien de Troys is an Arthurian poem about the story of Lancelot expressing knightly rightness to free the Queen from Melegant. They both do battle which ends with Lancelot almost defending Melegant but he calls for a rematch in king Arthurs court. This story also shows the love Lancelot has for the Queen. These tales were in collaboration between women like Marie de France. The Arthurian tales contain interests and concerns of women this includes, “threats to women’s independence, enforced or unhappy marriages, disputed inheritance, fashion, and romance” (pg.