Roles Of Women In Anglo Saxon Essay
Roles of Women in Anglo-Saxon and Middle English Literature
From the origins of Old English Literature, poems were brought forth in sung and spoken verses into early Britain from the seafaring, Germanic and Latin, conquering tribes. As these spoken verses become realized in printed form, centered throughout a pivotal shift between Pagan culture and the advent and slow indoctrination of Christianity into the region, the Church becomes the dominant presence in English literature. Enter the roles of women in Old English and Middle English narratives. The patriarchally dominant Catholic Church, since its inception, has not been attributed as a proponent of feminism. Since literacy was societally sparse, the learned monks and scribes were the keepers and transcribers of all written works. For this reason, women have been objectified throughout early literary history, and the importance of their roles …show more content…
The focus of the story is Alison, a lady at the threshold of courtly conflict by two male wooers who exploit her sexual power. “Fil with this Yonge wyf to rage and pleye, Whil that hir housebonde was at Oseneye.” (lines 165-166) This passage explains the promiscuous nature of Alison because of her naïve, and often inattentive, elder husband and her independence as a woman who can decide the course of action to take when choosing a lover to fulfill her needs. Selecting Nicholas and rejecting Absalon is a defining moment in which she has the capacity to decide who she desires for her sexual partner, and not vice versa. Alison exudes an abundance of confidence with her sexual power to the extent that, Absalon compares her to the Virgin Mary by singing, "Now, deere lady, if thy wille be, I pray yow that ye wole thynke on me," (lines 253-254), although Alison turns down his advances without hesitation despite his
From the origins of Old English Literature, poems were brought forth in sung and spoken verses into early Britain from the seafaring, Germanic and Latin, conquering tribes. As these spoken verses become realized in printed form, centered throughout a pivotal shift between Pagan culture and the advent and slow indoctrination of Christianity into the region, the Church becomes the dominant presence in English literature. Enter the roles of women in Old English and Middle English narratives. The patriarchally dominant Catholic Church, since its inception, has not been attributed as a proponent of feminism. Since literacy was societally sparse, the learned monks and scribes were the keepers and transcribers of all written works. For this reason, women have been objectified throughout early literary history, and the importance of their roles …show more content…
The focus of the story is Alison, a lady at the threshold of courtly conflict by two male wooers who exploit her sexual power. “Fil with this Yonge wyf to rage and pleye, Whil that hir housebonde was at Oseneye.” (lines 165-166) This passage explains the promiscuous nature of Alison because of her naïve, and often inattentive, elder husband and her independence as a woman who can decide the course of action to take when choosing a lover to fulfill her needs. Selecting Nicholas and rejecting Absalon is a defining moment in which she has the capacity to decide who she desires for her sexual partner, and not vice versa. Alison exudes an abundance of confidence with her sexual power to the extent that, Absalon compares her to the Virgin Mary by singing, "Now, deere lady, if thy wille be, I pray yow that ye wole thynke on me," (lines 253-254), although Alison turns down his advances without hesitation despite his