Of Good and Ill Repute: Gender and Social Control in Medieval England

by Barbara A. Hanawalt

To be labeled "of ill repute" in medieval society implied that the person had committed a violation of accepted standards and had stepped beyond the bounds of permissible behavior. To have the reputation "of good repute", however, was powerful enough to acquit a person suspected of a crime or wrongful act. Gender, class, social statues, wealth, connections, bribes, friends, and even the community all played a role in determining who was of good repute and who was not. Of Good and Ill Repute examines the problems of social control in medieval England in the later Middle Ages. In eleven interrelated essays, including three previously unpublished works, Hanawalt explores how social control was maintained in Medieval England. She examines the complex social regulations and stigmatizations that medieval society used to arrive at decisions about certain individuals. Focusing on gender, criminal behavior, law enforcement, village arbitration, and cultural rituals on inclusion and exclusion, Of Good and Ill Repute reflects the most current scholarship on medieval legal history, cultural history, and women's cultural studies.

Genres: History, Medieval History, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

A specialist in medieval English social history, Barbara Hanawalt is Emeritus Professor of History at Ohio State University. . She received her PhD from University of Michigan in 1970, and taught at Indiana University and the University of Minnesota before moving to Ohio State University in 1999. She has served as President of the Medieval Academy of America and President of the Social Science History Association.

Reviews

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last book I'm going to have to read for gr*d school for a long while, thank GOD!

[saizine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid survey of exactly what the title says: gender and social control in medieval England. There's not a tremendous amount in here which feels revelatory to anyone who's studied the period in any depth before, although there is engaging academic prose and a large number of fascinating sources that underline the arguments. And, like any book of essays, there are some which catch your eye and others that don't; my particular favourites were 'At the Margins of Women's Space in Medieval Europe', 'The Host, the Law, and the Ambiguous Space of Medieval London Taverns', 'Whose Story Was This? Rape Narratives in Medieval English Courts', and 'Men's Games, King's Deer: Poaching in Medieval England'. I did feel that the latter half of the collection was stronger than the first, although that may just reflect my personal research interests rather than really reflect whether or not those earlier essays would appeal to someone else. Overall, a strong collection and a good overview for anyone entering the subject.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

another professor's book. some of the chapters are amazing and others are boring, you have to pick and choose.