Medieval Women and

Poetry

By Lindsey Bell

Looking At: 

o Authorship  

o Medieval Court  

o Floencia Pinar  

o Marie de France

Medieval Authorship

Modern concept of Authorship did not exists at

this time

Male dominated field

•

 Female literacy is more common

than assumed due to the Medieval

term of literacy

Rise of Court

•Began in early 12th century with the end of the Crusades •The crusades brought contact with the East

•Life originating outside the Church

Three Forms of Love in Poetry• Fin’ Amors ( Adulterous love)

•Passionate love/ Tristian love (Tragic Love)

•Conjugal Courtly Love ( Love inside marriage)

Fall of Secular Court

• Decline in late 12th century to the early 13th century

• Occurred during the beginning of theAlbigensian Crusade

Florencia Pinar

•15th century Spanish Love poet

•Connected to the court of Ferdinan and Issabelle

Work in 3 Collections (Concioners)

Uses Female voice

Poems are written with concrete language

Florencia Pinar’s Poetry

Marie de France  Not much is known about her

life though many guess.

Composed writings between 1160-1215

Wrote in French Vernacular

Wrote three different genres:Brenton Tale Animal FablesSpiritual voyages

Lais• About men and women suffering in

love• The female characters launch the story

and resolve the crises• Critique on feudal courtly society• These lais brought Marie de France to

the 21st century

Cheverefoil/ The Lai of the Honeysuckle

• Shortest Lai

•Rewrite of an old myth

•Shows the joy of love and

the pain of separation.

King Author Known Today

Lai Lavnal

• Only rewrite of an

Arthurian tale

• Most copied Lai

• A criticism of feudal

society

Fables

• Most popular in Marie de France’s time.

• First to bring fables to a divers audience

• 102 fables in all