Book Review #2
Mary Fissell’s book Vernacular Bodies: The Politics of Reproduction in Early Modern England is a collection of readings and scientific interpretations of the female body during Medieval Europe. The main argument that Fissell tries to make is; while women were beginning to stand up for their religious rights, men still harbored the same feelings they had during the 15th and 16th centuries; women were beneath them. Using midwife manuals, and other books dedicated to pregnancy and the birthing process, Fissell takes the reader back in time, to show how women were treated in the Medieval England. Fissell’s major argument is that (during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, religious movements like the Reformation helped to lay the groundwork for women’s rights while at the same time disputing typical stereotypes that men had of women. Fissell’s major contribution to women’s history is due to her analysis of the female body and how the female body was related to gender relations of Medieval Europe.
In chapter 1, Fissell talks about a …show more content…
Fissell’s book talks about how men were often in control of everything; even how women viewed their own bodies. As a result of this, women were thought of as mere vassals for the future generation; they had no rights and they were forced into doing whatever the men told them to do. The Reformation of the 17th Century was starting to change the previous conceptions of women. Women were no longer remaining quiet; they were standing up for themselves through preaching Gods word, writing books about their own bodies, and holding meetings where they talked about issues concerning women. Fissell incorporates women from all social classes to prove her point; gender relations were often impacted by the biology of the human
Mary Fissell’s book Vernacular Bodies: The Politics of Reproduction in Early Modern England is a collection of readings and scientific interpretations of the female body during Medieval Europe. The main argument that Fissell tries to make is; while women were beginning to stand up for their religious rights, men still harbored the same feelings they had during the 15th and 16th centuries; women were beneath them. Using midwife manuals, and other books dedicated to pregnancy and the birthing process, Fissell takes the reader back in time, to show how women were treated in the Medieval England. Fissell’s major argument is that (during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, religious movements like the Reformation helped to lay the groundwork for women’s rights while at the same time disputing typical stereotypes that men had of women. Fissell’s major contribution to women’s history is due to her analysis of the female body and how the female body was related to gender relations of Medieval Europe.
In chapter 1, Fissell talks about a …show more content…
Fissell’s book talks about how men were often in control of everything; even how women viewed their own bodies. As a result of this, women were thought of as mere vassals for the future generation; they had no rights and they were forced into doing whatever the men told them to do. The Reformation of the 17th Century was starting to change the previous conceptions of women. Women were no longer remaining quiet; they were standing up for themselves through preaching Gods word, writing books about their own bodies, and holding meetings where they talked about issues concerning women. Fissell incorporates women from all social classes to prove her point; gender relations were often impacted by the biology of the human