Medieval Mystical Women in the West: Growing in the Height of Love

The book explores the mystical writings of medieval and early modern women across Western Europe, highlighting their significant impact on spiritual and mystical literature. It includes contributions by established and emerging scholars and focuses on the Low Countries and Italy, where many female mystics originated. The figures discussed range from well-known figures like Hildegard of Bingen and Julian of Norwich to lesser-known women like Agnes Blannbekin and Maria Maddalena de Pazzi. The chapters address various topics, including the body, pain, desire, ecstasy, stigmata, annihilation, virtue, visions, and the nature of mystical union.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 18 July 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the rich and diverse mystical writings by and about medieval and early modern women across Western Europe, shedding light on their profound impact on the development of spiritual and mystical literature. Through their own writing and the hagiographical texts that they inspired, women played a significant role in shaping the mystical traditions of the time. The volume brings together contributions from established and emerging scholars, offering a comprehensive overview of medieval mystical women, with a particular focus on the Low Countries and Italy, regions that produced a disproportionately high number of female mystics. The figures discussed range from well-known figures like Hildegard of Bingen, Hadewijch, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Marguerite Porete, Angela of Foligno, Julian of Norwich, and Beatrice of Nazareth to lesser-known women such as Agnes Blannbekin, Christina of Hane, and Maria Maddalena de Pazzi. The chapters explore various themes, including the body, pain, desire, ecstasy, stigmata, annihilation, virtue, visions, the tension between exterior and interior experience, and the nature of mystical union itself.

Weight: 578g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032123493