The Role of Women in Medieval European Society
According to The Bible
A virtuous woman:
Proverbs
12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh
ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the
LORD, she shall be praised.
31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in
the gates.
31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands
to the needy.
31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to
come.
31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of
kindness.
31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of
idleness.
31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he
praiseth her.
An inferior person, a woman
Proverbs
31:3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which
destroyeth kings.
31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have
no need of spoil.
31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are
clothed with scarlet.
31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the
land.
31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the
merchant.
EPISTLES OF ST PAUL
Ephesians
5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body.
5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in every thing.
5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined
unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
The tasks expected of a woman
Proverbs
31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly
with her hands.
31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household,
and a portion to her maidens.
31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she
planteth a vineyard.
31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by
night.
31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
The Code of Chivalry and Women
The Ten Commandments of the Code of Chivalry
From Chivalry by Leon Gautier
The Code of Chivalry
From the Rifts: England Supplement (abridged)
Rules of Courtly Love
The Twelve Chief Rules in Love (abridged)
From The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capellanus