<i>Ordering Women's Lives: Penitentials and Nunnery Rules in the Early Medieval West</i> (review)
Janice Pinder
Reviews 219 Parergon 21.1 (2004) Celia Chazelle discusses a miniature Carolingian crucifixion image from the Drogo Sacramentary, c. 850. There is general agreement amongst scholars as to identity of all figures, with exception seated man white hair and beard. The set within an O belonging Palm Sunday Prayer, draws attention liturgy for Good Friday culmination week reflection on crucified Christ, use John gospel lection. suggests Nicodemus who acclaims Jesus his master at same time he waits body. In 3 took teacher, in 19 came help prepare body burial after had died. Augustine’s tractates explain significance serpent foot image, well being probable source other features such prominence Mary. arguments contributors are finely drawn make analogous artworks medieval documents secondary literature. Students new visual art Middle Ages will find careful practice accretion detail, rather than lessons. Max Staples School Humanities Social Sciences Charles Sturt University Smith, Julie Ann, Ordering Women’s Lives: Penitentials Nunnery Rules Early Medieval West, Aldershot, Ashgate, 2001; cloth; pp. x, 246; RRP US$74.95; ISBN 1859282385. This book sets out examine expectations women’s behaviour that expressed two texts, which it argues only sources period can be shown have impinged directly lives: penitential manuals sixth twelfth century, nunnery rules fourth eleventh. Ann Smith acknowledges disparities between groups texts. penitentials were addressed part women specifically, while sub-group women; restricted what went cloister, applied much wider spatial context. These presented certain extent complementary. narrower audience 220 compensated by penitentials’ reach into classes, although note should taken caution sounded Allen Frantzen least early they probably used quite (The Literature Penance Anglo-Saxon England, Rutgers Press, 1983, 95, 201). More importantly, sees texts related shared clerical assumptions about nature, intention control their behaviour. not seen simply question patriarchy, but project Christianisation Western Europe. It participation this project, common ‘intention overlaying existing behavioural patterns those Christian Church’ (p. 3) (perhaps easier see case rules), advanced major reason bringing these together joint study. spite overarching unity purpose argued differences audience, function contexts produced impose separate treatment results two-part structure book, undermines its claims thematic unity. Each section begins chapter establish historical social texts’ production. followed each chapters divide analysis content thematically; division different (into sexuality work magic penitentials, enclosure abstinence rules) tends underline disparity. Within analysis, which...
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