This was an excellent analysis, but it leads me to raise even more questions.
You allude to political factors that have led to more equality between the sexes, but I am not sure of the connection between this and monasticism. It still amazes me how women were able to carve a place for themselves outside the realm of marriage. Maybe there was a perceived surplus of females in society, so the "spares" could feasibly remain virgins? Yet the solution to this, apparently, in the Muslim world, was the proliferation of polygamy and concubinage. Yet there were plenty of mistresses in Europe...
Maybe there is an economic explanation for this phenomenon, too? Industrialization, preceded by extensive international trade? Was there an economic advantage to female monasticism?
Fabio, I have to write an economics/political science paper for Monday, and you have me musing about this!
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Date: 2009-01-24 11:49 pm (UTC)You allude to political factors that have led to more equality between the sexes, but I am not sure of the connection between this and monasticism. It still amazes me how women were able to carve a place for themselves outside the realm of marriage. Maybe there was a perceived surplus of females in society, so the "spares" could feasibly remain virgins? Yet the solution to this, apparently, in the Muslim world, was the proliferation of polygamy and concubinage. Yet there were plenty of mistresses in Europe...
Maybe there is an economic explanation for this phenomenon, too? Industrialization, preceded by extensive international trade? Was there an economic advantage to female monasticism?
Fabio, I have to write an economics/political science paper for Monday, and you have me musing about this!