The book of Margery Kempe.

by onavi24

Hi, I'm reading this book as a project for a class at University, where I have the explain differents aspects of medieval ages through it using the book as a historical source. I would like to know what do you guys think about the book and to ask you if you can recommend some complementary bibliography.

Thanks for the help.

sunagainstgold

Here's some reading pointers:

  • Anthony Goodman, Margery Kempe and Her World
  • Raymond Powell, "Margery Kempe: An Exemplar of Late Medieval English Piety," Catholic Historical Review 89, no. 1 (Jan. 2003)
  • Rosalynn Voaden, God's Words, Women's Voices: The Discernment of Spirits in the Writing of Late Medieval Women Visionaries (be sure to read the intro chapters as well as the one on Kempe specifically)
  • John Arnold and Katherine J. Lewis, eds., A Companion to the Book of Margery Kempe (some of these are more "literary", but others are more historical and should prove useful)
  • Depending on the direction you want to go: Nicole Chareyron, Pilgrims to Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, and Judith Bennett, Ale, Beer, and Brewsters: Women's Work in a Changing World, 1350-1600 might prove helpful
  • Gabrielle Geertz-Robinson, "Stepping into the Pulpit? Preaching in the Book of Margery Kempe and Examinations of Anne Askew," in Voices in Dialogue, ed. Linda Olson and Kathryn Kerby-Fulton

Kempe is a blast to read--just let her jumbled narrative and, er, "strong" personality carry you along.

Good luck!