Date of Award
7-1980
Degree Type
Master's Essay - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Abstract
During the period 1100-1500, English nunneries offered an alternative to women who did not marry. The nunneries were more than just a last resort for disappointed women; they offered a more active and stimulating life for the average woman than she was likely to find in marriage. The medieval nun participated in a community that had little to do with male-orientated demands. The rigid and obedient code of behavior that her sex was to abide by proved to be virtually nonexistent in the daily lives of the nuns. Instead, through a communal life a nun experienced the pleasure of friendship, the satisfaction of achievement, and at times the anger of betrayal. In addition, medieval nuns were granted a large measure of responsibility in educational and financial matters. Nunneries, with certain reservations, served as learning centers for many young girls and boys. Large estates also came under the supervision of these religious women's houses.
Recommended Citation
Windels, Patricia M., "An Alternative to Marriage: The Role of English Nunneries in the Later Middle Ages" (1980). Master's Essays (1922 - ). 2206.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/essays/2206
Comments
An Essay submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Milwaukee, Wisconsin