Essay On Women AND Religion In The Middle Ages

Introduction

The film anchoress was made in 1993 as a dram film in British. The film was directed by one Chris Newby. The name anchoress refers to a female who resorts into withdrawing from the secular society for reasons that are religious. This is in order to lead an intense prayer-oriented life. Anchorites are usually required to take a vow of staying in one place, opting for an enclosure that is permanent in cells that are attached to their respective churches. The screenplay partly focuses on the events of a female who is an anchorite. At the time the film was being made the world was less modernized with happenings like this looking normal. People took the act of dedicating once life to God as a very noble one(Logan, 2002).

Main messages of the film

The director could not leave out the fact that Christine who became an anchoress isolated in her cell was considered to be wise. This tells us that religion was highly valued in those days and when on dedicates her life to it he or she is treasured in the society. One becomes of value and everyone around appreciates you existence. In the cell flowers and food were brought to Christine and men and women came to her to seek advice on various issues. This clearly shows that the society regarded her as a wise and holy person who could provide solutions to all their problems regardless of what they are facing(Allon, 2001).
Christine happily prefers to be walled up forever into a room that is tiny and adjourns the church. She was contended with the decision which shaped her entire future. Quite satisfied with her decision she saw no problem with it despite not living her life as a person and enjoying her teenage years. Secure life was worth abandoning for her to devote the rest of the life to Virgin Mary. This quite a huge decision that makes her a unique individual Chris clearly puts it out that she doesn’t have to Mary since she decided to abandon the secular life.

Connection between the film and the readings

According to ‘beneath the pulpit’ a woman was considered to play an important role in the church. It is said that Chaucer assigns an old widow called Mabel the spiritual jurisdiction, this is to participate in the nemesis provided by the summoner. Women taking up roles in the church has also been seen in the film of Anchoress where Christine becomes an important and very religious person in the church and a society at large. She is adored and respected being the one who gives direction to the local women and men. They comfortably approach her to their level of trust and faith in her.
In enclosure it is held that every individual is in an enclosure. This was so in the middle ages and it is still so even now. Medieval devotion is described as the arrangement of a person’s everyday activity and though, with an aim of even having a limit to contact of the body with the world. This describes exactly what the film was about. Christine was enclosed in a cell and could not get into contact with the rest of the world, she was in her own world best known to her. This brings out a connection between the film and the reading on enclosure(Bardsley, 2007).

Conclusion

In the middle ages it is evident that women were the most religious people and they would easily dedicate their lives to the religious world. That was good enough for them to enjoy what they do for the rest of their lives. Despite the hurdles they would manage to still stand strong. When compared to the current generation women still are religious but not as much as they were during those days. It clearly brings a picture of the level at which people dedicated to serving their creator is diminishing. The middle ages remain to be more religious and more people used to dedicate their lives to a religious life.

References

Allon, Y. (2001). Contemporary British and Irish film directors: A wallflower critical guide. London [u.a.: Wallflower.
Bardsley, S. (2007). Women's roles in the Middle Ages. Westport: Conn.
Logan, F. D. (2002). Runaway religious in England, c.1240-1540. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.