Medieval women paid money to be locked up!

Medieval women really did pay (or were sponsored) to be sealed into small rooms attached to churches—and in this solo video I’m talking about why, how it worked, and what it meant to become an anchoress.

This video starts as a recently-read review of Poet Mystic Widow Wife and quickly turns into a deep-dive into the world the book opens up: medieval female spirituality, enclosure, independence (of a kind), and the strange logic of choosing—or negotiating—a life lived behind a wall.

In this video:

My review of Poet Mystic Widow Wife (what I loved, what surprised me, and who it’s for)

What an anchoress / anchorite was and why the role existed

The process of being “enclosed” (yes, sometimes literally sealed in)

Why families, patrons, or communities would fund an anchoress

How anchoresses fit into medieval society: prayer, counsel, reputation, and power

What this reveals about medieval women’s lives, religion, and agency

If you’re into medieval history, women’s history, religious life in the Middle Ages, or you’ve ever wondered how someone could voluntarily choose enclosure, you’ll probably find this fascinating (and maybe unsettling).

👇 Question for you:
Would you ever choose a life like this—why or why not? And have you read Poet Mystic Widow Wife?

Music:
Inspire
Music: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-f...
License code: HYO47XLVVNEY4KRK
Artist: : Benjamin Tissot