I love this topic of imagining what these women’s actual lives were like versus how they were portrayed. I also feel very humble because I have no idea if I’m getting any of the biblical female lives accurate but that’s where my fictional imagination is coming in to imagine how powerful they actually could be. AnyWho, just wanted to throw another reminder up here that on my YouTube channel Deconstructing Patriarchy I have several episodes that started a couple weeks back in regards to how history is made, and the interwoven between history and myth that I think your
Thanks Holly! (love your name :-)!) So people can subscribe to my Substack at hollimccormick.substack.com for all my work. I share "teasers" of the Friday release videos and links over to YT (aiming to get monetized over there so Patriarchy pays to deconstruct it haha). If they wish to support and invest in the work on Substack they get the videos on here as well as my biblical historical novel about Mary Magdalene as the Christ (The Sacred Tryst).
This bit, 'But to explore that gap between what women might actually have been like and the way they’ve been portrayed', made me wonder about how we will be perceived in the future and the gap between the perspective on women from a male vs. female point of view
Do you really believe feminism didn’t exist in medieval times?because i think it might not have a name or be the same force as it is right now but resistance is always there.
Resistance absolutely was there, a point that I tried to make at the start of this post. Many women absolutely fought against the patriarchal structures in place during the medieval world, but the organised movement that we know as feminism, with action designed to improve the situation for women generally, just wasn’t there until much later periods.
I thought about these issues so much when I was writing my novel, Ordinary Devotion, given that it focuses on a girl enclosed with an anchoress in 14th-century England. I wanted them both to have some degree of self-agency, but of course any agency they could possibly have would be constrained by not only the lack of feminism as a concept or worldview, but also by the complete and overarching presence of Christianity--I was continually reminding myself that, for these characters, religion was simply the air they breathed, there was no other option for living. But finding those moments of action and assertiveness that felt both realistic and meaningful--well, that was the fun part that (hopefully) made my characters come alive. I wasn't aware of the novel by Brooks, I will check it out!
I love this topic of imagining what these women’s actual lives were like versus how they were portrayed. I also feel very humble because I have no idea if I’m getting any of the biblical female lives accurate but that’s where my fictional imagination is coming in to imagine how powerful they actually could be. AnyWho, just wanted to throw another reminder up here that on my YouTube channel Deconstructing Patriarchy I have several episodes that started a couple weeks back in regards to how history is made, and the interwoven between history and myth that I think your
Readers would also enjoy
Thanks Holli! Feel free to drop a few links in here and I’ll happily share them to Notes for you 🥰
Thanks Holly! (love your name :-)!) So people can subscribe to my Substack at hollimccormick.substack.com for all my work. I share "teasers" of the Friday release videos and links over to YT (aiming to get monetized over there so Patriarchy pays to deconstruct it haha). If they wish to support and invest in the work on Substack they get the videos on here as well as my biblical historical novel about Mary Magdalene as the Christ (The Sacred Tryst).
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@deconstructingpatriarchy?sub_confirmation=1
This bit, 'But to explore that gap between what women might actually have been like and the way they’ve been portrayed', made me wonder about how we will be perceived in the future and the gap between the perspective on women from a male vs. female point of view
Such a great question!
I am adding this book to my list, Holly. There are so many good essays and books out now regarding medieval women.
Aren’t there! It’s so great to see.
Do you really believe feminism didn’t exist in medieval times?because i think it might not have a name or be the same force as it is right now but resistance is always there.
Resistance absolutely was there, a point that I tried to make at the start of this post. Many women absolutely fought against the patriarchal structures in place during the medieval world, but the organised movement that we know as feminism, with action designed to improve the situation for women generally, just wasn’t there until much later periods.
Immediately adding The Good Wife of Bath to my reading list. Also, that cover is gorgeous!
Isn’t it beautiful! I’ve really enjoyed it, and hope you do too.
I noticed you used my short take on "Alison".
I did! The responses to the Note were so interesting, as I mentioned in the article.
I thought about these issues so much when I was writing my novel, Ordinary Devotion, given that it focuses on a girl enclosed with an anchoress in 14th-century England. I wanted them both to have some degree of self-agency, but of course any agency they could possibly have would be constrained by not only the lack of feminism as a concept or worldview, but also by the complete and overarching presence of Christianity--I was continually reminding myself that, for these characters, religion was simply the air they breathed, there was no other option for living. But finding those moments of action and assertiveness that felt both realistic and meaningful--well, that was the fun part that (hopefully) made my characters come alive. I wasn't aware of the novel by Brooks, I will check it out!