Wayward Nuns in Medieval LiteratureTwo of the most fascinating religious figures in medieval literature are Chaucer's Prioress, Madame Eglentyne, and the Archpriest of Hita's Dona Garoza, from his Libro de Buen Amor. Over the years literary critics have interpreted these characters in a variety of ways: from gentle, mildly sinning creatures, to religious failures, to purposefully ambiguous figures with both characteristics. Daichman begins her discussion by focusing on the medieval nunnery as a social institution and finds abundant historical evidence of indecorous behavior among the nuns. Who were the women most likely to transgress their vows? What were the most common transgressions? Why did these women choose convent life in the first place? What we learn is that many women were sent to the convent against their will, or they chose to go there for reasons unrelated to religious vocation. What Daichman has done is trace the pattern of a long-forgotten literary convention, the profligate nun, reviewing first the works of the medieval moralists and satirists on the subject, and then the popular literature of the time with special emphasis on the "chanson de nonne" and the fabliau. She proves the stock character of the Wayward Nun to be as traditional as that of the Gluttonous Monk, the Disobedient Wife, or the Cuckolded Husband. In developing her premise that the profligate nun of the Middle Ages is not an isolated literary occurrence, but the reflection of the woman in the nunnery, Daichman also provides us with a deepened understanding of two well-known literary figures, Dona Garoza and Madame Eglentyne. |
Contents
The Nunnery as a Social Institution | 3 |
Moral and Satirical Literature | 31 |
Chanson de Nonne and Fabliau | 65 |
Doña Garoza and Madame Eglentyne | 115 |
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Common terms and phrases
abbess Agnes Alnwick Archbishop Archpriest Archpriest of Hita Arcipreste de Hita become behavior bien Bishop Book Buen Amor Cambridge Canterbury Canterbury Tales Cent Nouvelles nouvelles chansons de nonne chansons populaires Chapter Chaucer's Chaucer's Prioress Church Cited by Power cloister convent coral Coulton critics Dalderby Dame daughters Diocese Dios Doña Garoza Editorial Gredos Eglentyne's episcopal fabliaux Five Centuries fourteenth century French G. G. Coulton girl hire History Ibid injunctions Joan Corominas John John Gower lady Latin Libro de Buen literary London lover Madame Eglentyne Madrid medieval literature Medieval Women Middle Ages monastery monastic monialis monja monks nonnains nun's nunnery Oxford Paris poem poet portrait priest Prioress quod reader Religious Houses religious women Remiremont Romsey Abbey Rutebeuf satire secular sisters song spiritual stanza thirteenth-century tone Trans Trotaconventos University Press veil visitation reports Visitations of Religious wayward nuns wear woman York young