Medieval Women's Writing

Medieval Women's Writing is a major new contribution to ourunderstanding of women's writing in England, 1100-1500. The mostcomprehensive account to date, it includes writings in Latin andFrench as well as English, and works for as well as by women. Mariede France, Clemence of Barking, Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe,and the Paston women are discussed alongside the Old English livesof women saints, The Life of Christina of Markyate, the St AlbansPsalter, and the legends of women saints by Osbern Bokenham.
Medieval Women's Writing addresses these keyquestions:
* * Who were the first women authors in the English canon?
* * What do we mean by women's writing in the Middle Ages?
* * What do we mean by authorship?
* * How can studying medieval writing contribute to ourunderstanding of women's literary history?
Diane Watt argues that female patrons, audiences, readers, andeven subjects contributed to the production of texts and theirmeanings, whether written by men or women. Only an understanding oftextual production as collaborative enables us to grasp fullywomen's engagement with literary culture. This radical rethinkingof early womens literary history has major implications for allscholars working on medieval literature, on ideas of authorship,and on women's writing in later periods. The book will becomestandard reading for all students of these debates.