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Ignacio Arana English 203 Section 1 November 24th 2009 Society has portrayed women as compliant selves that serve a purpose in ones community and establish order in correspondence to family values, choices, and behaviors. Although, history has provided the basis for such a premise, there have also been exceptional female characters that have transcended womens stereotypical characteristics. The important historical shifts that occurred during the middle ages makes of this point in time, worthy of analyzing the role of women in society and their contributions to future generations. Medieval Female contributions include literary works that portray essential female characteristics. It is through the works of female writers such as, Marie de France, Cassandra Fedele, and Julian of Norwich that one may understand the importance of medieval female literature, and the service these literary pieces convey as basis for social understanding. As a basis for social understanding, Mary de France revolutionized medieval romantic stories and became one of the first exceptional medieval women in questioning religious and social ethics. As stated by Dr. Rupert T Pickens, Head of the Division of French and Italian Department at the university of Kentucky, Marie de Francess superficially simple and straightforward writing reveals itself to be an extraordinarily complex narrative that is at the same time quintessentially medieval, of course, and surprisingly modern (Pickens 1). It is these modern characteristics what one may embrace from Marie de France as possible contributions to todays twenty first century woman. Her understanding of female characteristics transcends her own experience as a noble French woman. On the contrary, through her writings as stated by Dr. Pickens she discloses the nature of writing and in particular the nature of womanly writing (Pickens 1). Maries attention to detail in correspondence to female perspective seems to convey the need of female voices in medieval literature and the importance of their roles in society. An example of such a female voice is portrayed in one of Maries most famous writings, Eliduc. The characteristics of the abandoned wife portrayed in Eliduc may be questionable, yet the importance of the story relies in the ability of her existence as a female, to be able to decide her religious destiny beyond the stereotypical behavior one may have encountered. Although many female medieval writers as Mary de France envisioned women understanding through their wirting, not all were able to sustain the importance of their work as literary female voices. Prominent writers as Cassandra Fedele, one acclaimed as the most renowned woman scholar in Italy, portrayed the ambiguity of such social quotas in respect towards women. Fedele achieved fame through her writing, oratorical abilities, and simple elegance. In addition to her letters and orations, it is believed that she also wrote Latin poetry, although none has been found. She participated with influential humanists in public debates on philosophical and theological issues and was asked to speak in front of the Italian magistrate Agostino Barbarigo and the Venetian Senate on the subject of higher education for women. Regardless of such advances Fedeles success was short lived. The high points of her scholarly activities occurred between the ages of twenty-two and thirtythree, just prior to her marriage at age thirty-four. Some historians argue that Fedele abandoned her intellectual pursuits when she got married, as was the case for most learned

women of her day who married and assumed full-time management of an entire household. Fedele may have also been discouraged by strong social forces that opposed the scholarly participation of married women. While one may not know for certain why Fedele stopped writing, a statement she made implies that she believed a woman could not be married and pursue rigorous studies at the same time. In a letter to Alessandra Scala, who wrote Fedele asking whether she should get married or devote her life to study, Fedele encouraged her to "choose the path for which nature has suited you" (translation in Robin 31). Just as Cassandra Fedele confronted the limitations of women, other prominent medieval writes took a different perspective in relation to scholarly writing. Serving through the religious life granted women more freedom of thought and pursuit of knowledge. An example of this type of medieval female writers was Julian of Norwich, a Benedictine nun of the house at Carrow, near Norwich. During her lifetime she experienced a series of visions of Christs sufferings, and of the blessed mother. It is these experiences what Norwich uses as a basis to her literary works, being Revelations the most important of her writings. Unparalleled in English religious literature, Revelations spans the most profound mysteries of the Christian faith, such as the problems of predestination, the foreknowledge of God, and the existence of evil. The clarity and depth of her perception, the precision of her theological presentation, and the sincerity and beauty of her expression reveal a mind and personality of exceptional strength and charm.