Afterword
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Mary C. Flannery
Abstract
Practising Shame’s afterword begins by revisiting the arguments of the preceding five chapters. As the literature of medieval England makes clear, being an honourable woman is a matter of emotional practice and performance – it requires learning how to ‘feel’ in a specific way. While certain emotions like pity or compassion might be closely associated with ideals of womanhood or womanliness, a very different, more specific, emotional disposition was required to preserve female honour: hypervigilance against the possibility of shame. After considering the complications related to the practice of female shamefastness as it is outlined in later medieval texts, the afterword considers the implications of the study for our understanding of the role played by emotional practices in constructing gendered identities in both the past and the present day, as well as how those emotional practices help to shape our sense of what honour entails.
Abstract
Practising Shame’s afterword begins by revisiting the arguments of the preceding five chapters. As the literature of medieval England makes clear, being an honourable woman is a matter of emotional practice and performance – it requires learning how to ‘feel’ in a specific way. While certain emotions like pity or compassion might be closely associated with ideals of womanhood or womanliness, a very different, more specific, emotional disposition was required to preserve female honour: hypervigilance against the possibility of shame. After considering the complications related to the practice of female shamefastness as it is outlined in later medieval texts, the afterword considers the implications of the study for our understanding of the role played by emotional practices in constructing gendered identities in both the past and the present day, as well as how those emotional practices help to shape our sense of what honour entails.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Preface viii
- Acknowledgements xi
- Abbreviations xiv
- Introduction 1
- 1 Show and tell 34
- 2 Lessons in shame 60
- 3 Shame under suspicion, shame under siege 90
- 4 Death or dishonour 122
- 5 Shamefast Hoccleve and shameless craving 160
- Afterword 186
- Bibliography 192
- Index 210
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Dedication v
- Contents vii
- Preface viii
- Acknowledgements xi
- Abbreviations xiv
- Introduction 1
- 1 Show and tell 34
- 2 Lessons in shame 60
- 3 Shame under suspicion, shame under siege 90
- 4 Death or dishonour 122
- 5 Shamefast Hoccleve and shameless craving 160
- Afterword 186
- Bibliography 192
- Index 210
