Sea of Silk: A Textile Geography of Women’s Work in Medieval French Literature by E. Jane Burns
Cristina Stancioiu
REVIEWS 236 tives. To build this consensus, many inconvenient elements of the narrative, particularly shameful actions bishops, were purposefully forgotten, a strategy that Ebbo employed when confessing to his own involvement in events. De Jong and Booker explore similar events texts react same historiography, but it is their differing approaches audiences create two unique monographs interpretations penance Louis Pious. provides straight-forward survey major 820s 830s will engage Carolingian expert while providing an approachable introduction for non-specialist or teaching. By contrast, does not focus on rituals 830s, rather how later reassemblies these accounts have created powerful memories Pious dynasty. Any reader both books however come away with complex nuanced understanding 833 importance Pious’ reign. SARAH WHITTEN, History, UCLA E. Jane Burns, Sea Silk: A Textile Geography Women’s Work Medieval French Literature (Philadelphia: University Pennsylvania Press 2009) 256 pp., ill. Burns established feminist scholar whose contribution study medieval dress goes far beyond inventorying female wardrobe. With her previous publications, has mapped approach analysis social cultural identity women. “listens” voices women, as they speak through Old written largely by men. In analysis, however, pays special attention subversive ways which women authority gained agency using bodies, garments clothed them, main tools. Silk, builds upon earlier research Courtly Love Undressed , where she focused silk clothing marker elite Mediterranean identity. immediately warns Silk “makes no claim provide original historical art research. Its lies bringing together work economic historians, textile historians means reading representations material culture, specifically work, literary texts” (3). Thus, new book shifts from dressed silk, those who “worked” silk—namely, associated fabrics producing, trading, wearing, displaying it. doing so, reads eye local Saracen engaged France, Byzantium, Asia, Muslim world. brilliantly aligns most current investigations, at time “interdisciplinary work” “Mediterranean world” are key phrases studies. At first, connection seems far-fetched based texts. But author convincingly makes case comment home abroad, familiar exotic, bound mobile. Consequently, geography emerges texts, mapping world distant locations came relationship fabrics. Read 237 perspective, gain trans-Mediterranean significance . On sides Mediterranean, mobility exposure, even though remained metaphorical part. Furthermore, Burns’s reveals captured there bridged ideological, ethnic, religious divides so strongly emphasized other sources. Texts dealing then, Christians’ fascination with, appreciation of, Saracens themselves looked dangerous other. The constructed persona marvelous eastern silks traded Constantinople, Alexandria, Damascus, Baghdad. context, denoted power, proclaimed status, enhanced man’s success. Even lavishly fact fathers’ husbands’ wealth prestige. according by...
Comitatus-a Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies