Medieval Writings on Female Spirituality

This wide-ranging collection of writings by and about religious women presents some of the most original and compelling literature of the Middle Ages: biographies, poetic compositions, works that are mystical, prophetic, visionary, or meditative. All of the writings here reflect the developments in medieval piety, particularly in the link between female spirituality and the body. Among the selections are the dramatic visionary writings of Hildegard of Bingen; letters and poems by Hadewijch expressing passionate love for God; Marguerite Porete's allegorical "The Mirror of Simple Souls, " essentially a dialogue between Love and the Soul that was condemned as heretical; biographies written by male ecclesiatics of women such as Christine the Astonishing, whose extraordinary behaviour included being resurrected at her own funeral; revelations received by Bridget of Sweden, the first woman to found a religious order; and excerpts from The Book of Margery Kempe, in which Margery recounts her intense physical and spiritual experiences of religious devotion.

Elizabeth Spearing holds a D.Phil. from the University of York. Her previous publications include articles on the Amadis cycle and on Aphra Behn. She translated Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love for Penguin Classics.