Obsessions with Female Purity: The Problem of Royal Saintly Widows
Book Club | June 2026 | Part Three
‘In the view of churchmen, there was only one way in which women could transcend their unfortunate sexuality and free themselves from their corporeal shackles, and this was through a life of virginity, of sexless perfection.’1
Male proscriptions on female sexuality are an uncomfortable facet of medieval history.
With few contemporary texts recording female opinions on the restrictions placed upon them, the discussion is heavily one-sided.
For the early medieval period, women weren’t invited to the table at all. They were simply told.
Hild by Nicola Griffith explores the early life of the woman who would become Abbess Hild of Whitby (d. 680 AD), using the medium of fiction to allow for a little more creative license. Her Hild does not submit quietly to the church’s expectations. Rather, she indulges in the desires that grow as she does, experimenting with her own sexuality.
It might surprise you to know that despite the hard-line restrictions placed upon women in the writings of the early English Church, there were many women like Griffith’s Hild who, prior to the monastery, did not live virginal lives.
WARNING!
This month’s post contains spoilers for the end of Hild, right from the start. If you have not yet finished the book and intend to do so, do consider leaving this discussion for another time.
NOT YET JOINED US?
If you are not yet a member of the Book Club but are curious about the theme of Hild and how the Book Club works, you can find all the details you need in the post linked below. The Book Club is designed to be evergreen, meaning you can join at any time without missing out.
Below the paywall you’ll find a deep-dive essay on this month’s theme: the problem of royal saintly widows for the early church in England. There will also be discussion prompts and a space for you to share your own reflections on the book, plus details of what to read next month.
