Getting Medieval Women Wrong

Conversely, Julian of Norwich (ca. 1342-ca. 1416), a genuine late-medieval mystical writer of the first order, gets shuffled up to an earlier chapter that deals mostly with the 12th century. Presumably, this is because Julian was an anchoress, living a solitary religious life in a cell attached to a church, and anchoritism got its start as a widespread medieval phenomenon during the 12th century. An organizational approach with a clearer focus on chronology and the ways in which the passage of time shaped and changed medieval religious culture would help readers better understand the historical context and importance of Hildegard, Julian, and other medieval figures who attract Madigan’s attention. It is jarring, for example, to read a long discussion of the New Testament writers’ varying portrayals of Jesus plunked into the middle of a chapter whose stated topic is St. Francis and the Franciscans.