Margery Kempe Essay

In the autobiography The Book of Margery Kempe, translated by Lynn Stanley, the author, Margery Kempe, struggled with Postpartum psychosis (PPP). In Kempe’s book, evidence of this disorder can be seen in her “visions” from Christ, hyperactivity in her religious observations and pilgrimages, and the rapid mood swings she experiences in her perceptions of her position in Christ's favor/disfavor.
Categorized as a severe mental illness, Postpartum psychosis is a disorder that occurs after a woman gives birth. Its symptoms include extreme confusion, lost touch with reality, paranoia, delusions, a disorganized thought process and hallucinations. (Raza) While many women suffer medical malpractice and neglect presently, because the record of the

In the quote above provides an example of the beginning instances of Kempe’s PPP. “After the birth of her first child at the age of 20 Margery acknowledges she went through a period madness for around eight months. Following the failing of two of her businesses she turned to Jesus to save her from sins such as lust, pride, greed and envy, paying her penance by abstaining from meat, alcohol and, after a protracted negotiation with her husband over a number of years, sex.” (Torn) While it is not clear whether all 14 children, she birthed survived given the high infant mortality rates of the Medieval Era, these births in conjunction with the downfall of her business lead to a psychological crisis. The result of this was the conclusion that God wants something greater for her life and Kempe begins to devote her life to

“If a physician cannot identify the cause of a disease, it means that it is procured by the Devil…the devil is a great expert of human nature and may interfere more effectively with a person susceptible to melancholy or hysteria.” (Tasca) As a result of the misunderstanding of mental illness, while commonly associated with the Devil and should be negatively punished, Margery Kempe interprets the hallucinations to be visions from God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and other saints. As described in the book, she sees things that are not there but because she believes Christ saved her from the demons she experiences, follows where these visions take her, hence the desire to be celibate, to go on pilgrimages and the extensive weeping that typically ensues from these