Original scientific paper

Marijan Valković ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

This article is about the difficult question of woman's role in the history of European Civilization. The difficulty arises from the fact that the historical reality is partly unknown and partly biased by ideologies.
The article handles the matter limiting itself to Western Europe and beginning with Early Middle Ages. Without omitting the biblical and patristic influence it focuse mainly on such sources as the Penitential Books and the Germanic Common Law Codes as our chief information with regard to the role of die woman in that historic period. The author goes on to explain the standpoints of the main representatives of High Middle Ages, both ecclesiastical and secular. In this context is stressed the revived cult of the Virgin Mary and, especially, a new concept of love very common among the poets and the nobility (l'amour courtois). Quoting such historians as Duby, Borst and Bumke, the author concludes that notwithstanding some positive aspects and approaches the role of the woman in Middle Ages was pretty poor. There are exceptions with regard to some noble ladies and abbesses.
The author shows the development in the new and modern history. The situation remains mostly the same, with rare exceptions. Therefore the appearance of the modem feministic movement is a logical and historical development and, to a certain degree, »a sign of the times«. The fight for more equality with men was quite necessary but at this moment of European history a futher step seems to be extremely needed, namely to imbue the prevalently masculine nature of our civilization with qualities symbolized and largely lived by women, at least by the better part of them.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

36459

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/36459

Publication date:

9.5.1991.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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