What Status Did Women Have in Early Medieval England
The status of women in the medieval period was mostly that of subjugation, very few options were open to women, and those that were are often resulted in a harsh treatment, of backbreaking labor. However even with such ill treatment, women were the integral part to societal growth and stability thus a women’s role was often narrowed and marginalized. To areas thought befitting woman, Such as child rearing, manual labor, the convent, or as a wife. This system of casting not only served to maintain the male status quo but also served to further the archetypal roles for women in medieval English society.
Women were valued in the middle Ages, but only as an economic commodity. They served two main functions within medieval society: child bearer and manual laborer. Because women represented a large source of cheap labor, they quickly became the mainstay of the medieval economy. In many cases they would work along side men in the fields. However, women were paid less than children's wages for their work. The Church would not allow women to hold jobs that required literacy. In fact, aside from hard labor the only occupation open to women was midwifery. "In hospital work women were almost as important as men" . The textile industry was dominated by women, especially the woolen and silk industries. Though women enjoyed virtual domination in these crafts, they were still paid next to nothing. In addition to the intense labor, women had household duties to fulfill, especially if a woman was married. The invention of the flour mill brought women a time and labor saving device. With the flour mills, however, came taxes.
As the guilds began to assert their control over the bulk of skilled labor, wealthy aristocrats started hiring individual women and paying them in advance. The textile industry provided the largest amount of individual patronage. High skill was thus rewarded with economic improvement.
Aside from laboring, a women's main responsibility was to bear
Women were valued in the middle Ages, but only as an economic commodity. They served two main functions within medieval society: child bearer and manual laborer. Because women represented a large source of cheap labor, they quickly became the mainstay of the medieval economy. In many cases they would work along side men in the fields. However, women were paid less than children's wages for their work. The Church would not allow women to hold jobs that required literacy. In fact, aside from hard labor the only occupation open to women was midwifery. "In hospital work women were almost as important as men" . The textile industry was dominated by women, especially the woolen and silk industries. Though women enjoyed virtual domination in these crafts, they were still paid next to nothing. In addition to the intense labor, women had household duties to fulfill, especially if a woman was married. The invention of the flour mill brought women a time and labor saving device. With the flour mills, however, came taxes.
As the guilds began to assert their control over the bulk of skilled labor, wealthy aristocrats started hiring individual women and paying them in advance. The textile industry provided the largest amount of individual patronage. High skill was thus rewarded with economic improvement.
Aside from laboring, a women's main responsibility was to bear
Bibliography: Coul ton, G. G. Medieval Panorama. Cambridge:University Press,1938.p.615,617,636. Mundy, John H. Europe in the High Middle Ages. London: Longman Group Ltd., 1980. p.207-223. Power, Eileen. Medieval People. Suffolk: Methuen & Co., 1970. p. 77-79,81,86,91,96,97,99,100-103,117. Wood, Charles T. The Age of Chivalry. London: Weidenfield and Nicholson, 1970. p.56,lO7,121.