Reading Memory and Identity in the Texts of Medieval European Holy Women (The New Middle Ages)

Examines a range of texts commemorating European holy women from the ninth through fifteenth centuries. Explores the relationship between memorial practices and identity formation. Draws upon much of the recent scholarly interest in the nature and uses of memory. Drawing upon much of the recent scholarly interest in the nature and uses of memory, this collection of essays examines a range of texts commemorating European holy women from the ninth through fifteenth centuries. The contributors explore the relationship between memorial practices and identity formation in two ways: first, by showing how women drew upon traditions and memories in fashioning their own lived lives; and secondly, by showing how both male and female authors used medieval memory arts to portray those lives for contemporary and future audiences. This book will interest scholars of medieval literature, medieval religious history, feminist scholars, and historians of rhetoric Front Matter....Pages i-xxiv Introduction....Pages 1-11 Nuns on Parade: Memorializing Women in Karolus Magnus et Leo Papa....Pages 13-38 Mnemonic Sanctity and the Ladder of Reading: Notker’s “in Natale Sanctarum Feminarum”....Pages 39-56 Envisioning a Saint: Visions in the Miracles of Saint Margaret of Scotland....Pages 57-79 Secret Designs/Public Shapes: Ekphrastic Tensions in Hildegard’s Scivias....Pages 81-104 Imitating the Imagined: Clemence of Barking’s Life of St. Catherine....Pages 105-134 Memory, Identity, and Women’s Representation in the Portuguese Reception of Vitae Patrum: Winning a Name....Pages 135-164 “In Mei Memoriam Facietis”: Remembering Ritual and Refiguring “Woman” in Gertrud the Great of Helfta’s Exercitia Spiritualia....Pages 165-186 Making a Place: Imitatio Mariae in Julian of Norwich’s Self-Construction....Pages 187-209 Portrait of a Holy Life: Mnemonic Inventiveness in the Book of Margery Kempe....Pages 211-233 Back Matter....Pages 235-264 Cover 1 Title 8 Copyright 9 Dedication 10 Contents 12 Preface 14 Acknowledgments 23 List of Contributors 24 Introduction 26 1. Nuns on Parade: Memorializing Women in Karolus Magnus et Leo Papa 37 2. Mnemonic Sanctity and the Ladder of Reading: Notker’s “In Natale Sanctarum Feminarum” 63 3. Envisioning a Saint: Visions in the Miracles of Saint Margaret of Scotland 81 4. Secret Designs/Public Shapes: Ekphrastic Tensions in Hildegard’s Scivias 104 5. Imitating the Imagined: Clemence of Barking’s Life of St. Catherine 128 6. Memory, Identity, and Women’s Representation in the Portuguese Reception of Vitae Patrum : Winning a Name 158 7. “In mei memoriam facietis”: Remembering Ritual and Refiguring “Woman” in Gertrud the Great of Helfta’s Exercitia spiritualia 188 8. Making a Place: Imitatio Mariae in Julian of Norwich’s Self-Construction 210 9. Portrait of a Holy Life: Mnemonic Inventiveness in The Book of Margery Kempe 233 Master Bibliography 256 Index 276