Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Stories of Women in the Middle Ages by Maria Teresa Brolis - Available

Stories of Women in the Middle Ages

by Maria Teresa Brolis
Franco Cardini
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available
Between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries in Europe, not all women fit the stereotype of passive housewife and mother. Many led bold and dynamic lives. In this collection of historical portraits, Maria Teresa Brolis tells the fascinating tales of fashion icons, art clients, businesswomen, saints, healers, lovers, and pilgrims—both famous and little known—who challenge conventional understandings of the medieval female experience. Drawing on evidence from literary works and archival documents that include letters, chronicles, trials, testimonials, notary registers, contracts, and wills, Brolis pieces together an intricate overview of sixteen women's lives. With zest and compassion, she describes the mysterious visionary Hildegard of Bingen, the cultured Heloisa, the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, Saint Clare of Assisi, the rebel Joan of Arc, as well as lesser-known women such as Flora, the penitent moneylender, Bettina the healer, and Belfiore the pilgrim, among others. Following the trajectories and divergences of their lives from wealth to poverty, from conjugal love to the love of community, from the bedroom to life on the streets of Paris, London, Mainz, Rome, and Bergamo, each portrait offers a riveting glimpse into the often complex and surprising world of the medieval woman. Combining the rigor of research with the thrill and empathy of narrative, Stories of Women in the Middle Ages is a provocative investigation into the biographies of sixteen incredible medieval heroines.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    December 25, 2018

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781977318183
      • File size: 180109 KB
      • Duration: 06:15:13

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Narrator Elizabeth Wiley transforms the English-language version of Italian historian Maria Teresa Brolis's medieval biographies into an engaging audiobook production centered on the lives of 16 women. Brolis's extensive scholarship draws from archives in Bergamo, Italy, to portray women of varying occupations and social class. Wiley distinguishes between quoted legal documents, wills, and other primary source material to illuminate the experiences of ordinary European citizens alongside luminaries such as the German Benedictine abbess Hildegard of Bingen and Joan of Arc. Fascinating figures emerge among the lesser known women, including an adventurous Florentine nun and a defiant purveyor of medicinal remedies. While this work does not contain revelatory information for listeners with a keen appreciation of the Middle Ages, Brolis's engaging writing style pairs well with Wiley's attuned narration for a tantalizing introduction. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading