Perceptions of Femininity in Early Irish Society

233 Pages·2016·4.076 MB·English

by  Helen Oxenham

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Was femininity in early Irish society perceived as weak and sinful, innately x
Perceptions of
inferior to masculinity? Was it seen as powerful and dangerous, a threat to e
the peace and tranquility of male society? Or was there a more nuanced n
Femininity
view, an understanding that femininity, or femininities, could be presented in h
a variety of ways according to the pragmatic concerns of the writer?
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in Early Irish Society
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This book examines the sources surviving from fifth- to ninth-century
Ireland, aiming to offer a fresh view of authorial perceptions of the period.
It seeks to highlight the complexities of those perceptions, the significance
of authorial aims and purposes in the construction of femininity, and the
potential disjunction between societal “reality” and the images presented to
us in the sources. This careful analysis of a broad range of early Irish sources
demonstrates how fluid constructions of gender could be, and presents a
new interpretation of the position of femininity in the thought world of
early Irish authors. P
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Helen Oxenham worked at the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and nc 2
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Celtic in Cambridge as supervisor and researcher on the Mapping Miracles e 4
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project. She now works for The English Heritage Trust. Ep 6
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Cover image: Virgin and Child in The Book of Kells. Dublin, Trinity College Library, o
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MS 58, fol. 7v. By kind permission of The Board of Trinity College Dublin. n

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Studies in Celtic History o
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GENERAL EDITORS: Dauvit Broun, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Huw Pryce h F

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Helen Oxenham
Studies in Celtic History XXXVI
PerCePtIonS of femInInIty
In early IrISH SoCIety
StUDIeS In CeltIC HIStory
ISSn 0261-9865
General editors
Dauvit Broun
máire ní mhaonaigh
Huw Pryce
Studies in Celtic History aims to provide a forum for new research into all aspects of
the history of Celtic-speaking peoples throughout the whole of the medieval period.
the term ‘history’ is understood broadly: any study, regardless of discipline, which
advances our knowledge and understanding of the history of Celtic-speaking peoples
will be considered. Studies of primary sources, and of new methods of exploiting
such sources, are encouraged.
founded by Professor David Dumville, the series was relaunched under new
editorship in 1997. Proposals or queries may be sent directly to the editors at
the addresses given below; all submissions will receive prompt and informed
consideration before being sent to expert readers.
Professor Dauvit Broun, Department of History (Scottish), University of Glasgow, 9
University Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QH
Professor máire ní mhaonaigh, St John’s College, Cambridge CB2 1tP
Professor Huw Pryce, School of History, Welsh History and archaeology, Bangor
University, Gwynedd ll57 2DG
for titles already published in this series
see the end of this volume
PerCePtIonS of femInInIty
In early IrISH SoCIety
Helen oXenHam
tHe BoyDell PreSS
© Helen oxenham 2016
all rights reserved. except as permitted under current legislation
no part of this work may be photocopied, stored in a retrieval system,
published, performed in public, adapted, broadcast,
transmitted, recorded or reproduced in any form or by any means,
without the prior permission of the copyright owner
The right of Helen Oxenham to be identified
as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents act 1988
first published 2016
the Boydell Press, Woodbridge
ISBn 978-1-78327-116-0
the Boydell Press is an imprint of Boydell & Brewer ltd
Po Box 9, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3Df, UK
and of Boydell & Brewer Inc.
668 mt Hope avenue, rochester, ny 14620-2731, USa
website: www.boydellandbrewer.com
a catalogue record of this publication is available
from the British library
the publisher has no responsibility for the continued existence or accuracy of Urls for
external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that
any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate
this publication is printed on acid-free paper
to my beloved husband, who has spent many evenings at home to support me
when he could have been having much more fun, I can say at last:
surge amice mi speciose mi et veni

ContentS
List of Tables viii
Acknowledgements ix
Abbreviations x
1. Perceptions of femininity in early Irish Society: an Introduction 1
2. the feminine norm 41
3. the Powerful feminine 83
4. the Saintly feminine 125
5. the Sinful feminine 155
6. Conclusions 185
Bibliography 191
Index 213
vii
taBleS
1.1. Penitentials and related texts 32
1.2. Prose saints’ lives 33
1.3. Poetic texts related to saints 34
1.4. Wisdom texts 35
1.5. Vernacular prose literature 36
1.6. Vernacular poetic literature 38
1.7. rules of life 39
3.1. religious women in the Irish annals to 600 90
3.2. religious women in the Irish annals 600–900 91
3.3. Secular women in the Irish annals to 600 92
3.4. Secular women in the Irish annals 600–900 93
4.1. miracle types in the early Irish saints’ lives 134
4.2. Saintly interactions with men and women in the early Irish saints’ lives 141
5.1. Sexual sins in the penitentials 163
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aCKnoWleDGementS
In the writing of this book, I have accrued a large number of debts to people and
institutions without whom it would never have been completed. King’s College,
Cambridge, provided me with a wonderful environment in which to work, as well
as to sing and socialise, for many years. thanks go to the faculty of History and
Department of anglo-Saxon, norse and Celtic of the University of Cambridge for
their facilities and friendships. for the use of their books, and their friendly and
helpful staff, I would like to thank also the Cambridge University library, which I
have come to know extremely well.
moving onto individuals, I would like to extend my very warmest thanks to máire
ní mhaonaigh, who helped me to develop my analytical skills, encouraged me to
publish, taught me old Irish, and has always been there to advise and chat wherever
needed. for helpful feedback and fascinating discussions, I would like to mention
the organisers and delegates of the Gender and transgression conferences at the St
andrews Institute of medieval Studies. finally, I would like to thank rosamond
mcKitterick, tessa Webber, and elisabeth van Houts, all of whom have nurtured my
love of the early medieval period, and encouraged all my efforts over time.
on a more personal level, I would like to thank all of my friends and family for
their support, both in the library and in the pub, on-stage and off-stage, singing and in
conversation. most especially I would like to thank my husband alex, to whom this
book is dedicated, for his constant love and kindness, and for all the fun we have.
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