Throughout out the middle ages people debated whether Margery Kempe was a crazy woman or a mystic. There a lot of evidence that proof that Kempe was a mystic. This essay examines Margery Kempe and other introspective women of the middle ages and find what their beliefs were and how they practiced to those beliefs. Mysticism in not unique to one religion or even is a religion by itself, but rather a facet of many different religions around the world. During their reflection, people who practice mysticism try to become close to god as they can possibly be. The Majority of mystics live their lives in seclusion and practice celibacy in order to minimize any distraction that will stand in the way of their reflection of Jesus’s death. Margery Kempe
…show more content…
Her intense practice of mysticism as part of her Christian faith lead many people to believe that she was crazy. As a matter of fact, Margery admitted that she experienced madness for some period after the birth of her first child. Some readers may believe that if she was crazy once before, maybe all of her later visions were there due to her sickness. Many scholars disagree with this way of thinking regarding Margery’s story because her madness can be attributed to her postpartum hormonal changes, it can also be as result of her faith in Christ and her fear of eternal damnation. She mentioned in her Book of Margery Kempe, that she thought she would die after she gave birth and she requested a confessor. She wanted to confess her sins before she died so she could go to heaven. Furthermore, her faith in Christ and her mystical experience is what cured her from her illness as a madwoman. Margery claims in her book that Jesus appeared to her and talked with her, "and presently the creature [Kempe] grew as calm in her wits as she ever was before .... " (503). Mysticism is not an apparent or form of religion by itself but rather a component of every major religion and traditions around the world. Mystics who follow the Christian faith like Margery Kempe, aimed their attention in thinking about Jesus’s life as a whole so they can experience and get close to God as humanly possible. Furthermore, they observed many acts such as fasting and living a symbol life and seclusion. For those who practice mysticism, it represents way of being close to God and experiencing heaven before one passes
Her intense practice of mysticism as part of her Christian faith lead many people to believe that she was crazy. As a matter of fact, Margery admitted that she experienced madness for some period after the birth of her first child. Some readers may believe that if she was crazy once before, maybe all of her later visions were there due to her sickness. Many scholars disagree with this way of thinking regarding Margery’s story because her madness can be attributed to her postpartum hormonal changes, it can also be as result of her faith in Christ and her fear of eternal damnation. She mentioned in her Book of Margery Kempe, that she thought she would die after she gave birth and she requested a confessor. She wanted to confess her sins before she died so she could go to heaven. Furthermore, her faith in Christ and her mystical experience is what cured her from her illness as a madwoman. Margery claims in her book that Jesus appeared to her and talked with her, "and presently the creature [Kempe] grew as calm in her wits as she ever was before .... " (503). Mysticism is not an apparent or form of religion by itself but rather a component of every major religion and traditions around the world. Mystics who follow the Christian faith like Margery Kempe, aimed their attention in thinking about Jesus’s life as a whole so they can experience and get close to God as humanly possible. Furthermore, they observed many acts such as fasting and living a symbol life and seclusion. For those who practice mysticism, it represents way of being close to God and experiencing heaven before one passes