Page 43 - Alfred the Great And His Legacy
P. 43
The Role of Women in Anglo-Saxon Society
• Women who became nuns had opportunities for self-development & social
responsibility, which women are still fighting for today.
• For example, uniquely where male & female monasteries were co-located
but segregated, the female abbot assumed responsibility for headship of
the institution. Abbesses were responsible for the finances & management
of property; but this level of authority did not survive into later ages.
• But we need to recognise that these opportunities were given to women
by men who held the most important roles of authority in the church &
there is evidence of anti-feminism in homilies.
