Date of Graduation
2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
History
Committee Chair
Kathryn Staples
Committee Co-Chair
Lara Farina
Committee Member
Matthew Vester
Abstract
This thesis analyzes the Life of Christina of Markyate to illustrate how the pages of Christina's manuscript contain keys to a better understanding of issues of sex, gender, and religion in the Middle Ages, especially in regards of how space, enclosure, and spiritual guidance were used by medieval religious people to further their devotional practices. By explicating the nature of Christina's enclosure experiences, we see how her life serves as an example of the importance of spiritual guidance in medieval lives. Christina's recorded experience of enclosure can help us grasp the significant role that space played in helping advance opportunities for spiritual guidance. By studying Christina's vita, we can further our knowledge about the experiences of twelfth-century religious women.
Recommended Citation
Weaver, Courtney, "All the Single Ladies: Christina of Markyate and the Importance of Spiritual Guidance in Medieval England" (2017). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 6927.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/6927