Motherhood and Mothering in Anglo-Saxon England (The New Middle Ages)

Motherhood and Mothering in Anglo-Saxon England sifts through the historical evidence to describe and analyze a world of violence and intrigue, where mothers needed to devise their own systems to protect, nurture, and teach their children. Mary Dockray-Miller casts a maternal eye on Bede, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and Beowulf to reveal mothers who created rituals, genealogies, and institutions for their children and themselves. Little-known historical figures -- queens, abbesses, and other noblewomen -- used their power in court and convent to provide education, medical care, and safety for their children, showing us that mothers of a thousand years ago and mothers of today had many of the same goals and aspirations. Motherhood And Mothering In Anglo-saxon England Sifts Through The Historical Evidence To Describe And Analyze A World Of Violence And Intrigue, Where Mothers Needed To Devise Their Own System To Protect, Nurture, And Teach Their Children. Little-known Historical Figures - Queens, Abbesses, And Other Noblewomen - Used Their Power In Court And Convent To Provide Education, Medical Care, And Safety For Their Children, Showing Us That Mothers Of A Thousand Years Ago And Mothers Of Today Had Many Of The Same Goals And Aspirations.--jacket. Preface: Looking For Anglo-saxon Mothers -- 1. Maternal Performers -- 2. Matrilineal Genealogy And Mildrio's Maternal Legacy -- 3. The Material Genealogy Of Aeoelflaed, Lady Of The Mercians -- 4. The Mother Of Beowulf -- Afterword: The Politics Of Motherhood -- App. Family Trees. Mary Dockray-miller. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [149]-157) And Index. This study sifts through the historical evidence to describe and analyze a world of violence and intrigue, where mothers needed to devise their own systems to protect, nurture and teach their children. The author casts a maternal eye on Bede, the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" and "Beowulf", to reveal mothers who created rituals, genealogies and institutions for their children and themselves. Little-known historical figures - queens, abbesses and other noblewomen - used their power in court and convent to provide education, medical care and safety for their children, showing us that mothers of a thousand years ago and mothers of today had many of the same goals and aspirations "Motherhood and Mothering in Anglo-Saxon England sifts through the historical evidence to describe and analyze a world of violence and intrigue, where mothers needed to devise their own system to protect, nurture, and teach their children. Little-known historical figures - queens, abbesses, and other noblewomen - used their power in court and convent to provide education, medical care, and safety for their children, showing us that mothers of a thousand years ago and mothers of today had many of the same goals and aspirations."--BOOK JACKET. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Maternal Performers....Pages 1-8 Matrilineal Genealogy and MildriĐ’s Maternal Legacy....Pages 9-41 The Maternal Genealogy of ÆĐelflÆd, Lady of The Mercians....Pages 43-76 The Mothers of Beowulf....Pages 77-115 Afterword The Politics of Motherhood....Pages 117-124 Back Matter....Pages 125-161 Motherhood is becoming respectable, finally, in feminist circles.