5/5 Werner probably had access to free spirit thought in books and was also in contact with beghards (the male version of a beguine), among which this movement was widespread.

I personally find his open and pragmatic approach to sexuality and relationship to be very wholesome.

4/5 The movement was considered heretic by the church and heavily persecuted, because its teachings questionned the need for a church itself. If you are one with god and your will is his will, you can not commit a sin and you don't need the church to find your way to spiritual perfection.

3/5 This movement held the belief that humans already reached spiritual perfection. That the soul of humans was one with god, their free will was erased in him and that therefor, whatever they did, must be the will of god and free of sin (don't come at me, theologists, I am doing my best 😅).

2/5 This case, the teacher Werner from 1434 Konstanz hints towards a certain school of thought that we know today as the "Free Spirit" movement. It was not really an organised sect, but rather a collection of ideas held by different people, especially in western Europe of the 14th and 15th century.

Not even the boldest one on that building 😅😅😅

4/4 He describes a toxic relationship and a very common form of sex work in the middle ages. I consulted different translations of the poem in old french and primarily tried to get the meaning across, which made the poem form suffer a bit. Hope you enjoy it nevertheless.

3/4 His work allows for glimpses into the lifes at the fringes of society in the middle ages that are truly unique. In this poem about his girlfriend, the fat Madge/Margot (a nickname chosen after a talkative kind of bird) speaks to several of the readers emotions.

2/4 He was highly educated but involved with organised crime, sex work and a life of sin and drinking. He spent time in prison and escaped the death penalty at least twice.
And btw., he was also a poet :-D

#livinghistory #reenactment

The answer is: A butterchurn!

5/ But in particular the old woman's story in the Roman de la Rose is a very worthwhile lecture about women's lives, (unusual) approaches to sexuality, relationships and gender identity in the middle ages.

4/ I encourage you to read the whole thing chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/romanc... , the Romance of the Rose is some very important reading for women's history and about sexuality and relationships (beware of the heavy misogyny).

3/ And while these texts are made up by usually male writers from higher classes, they give a unique glimpse into a marginalised life without social security. The descriptions of toxic relationships, domestic violence and poverty in these stories hit really close to home for many women today.

2/ Often, the old women in these poems and stories are former sex workers, unmarried or otherwise outcasts of society and tell the stories of their life and how they feel about their bodies ageing and their access to income dwindling with it, their human value based on the youth of their bodies.

3/ And while these texts are made up by usually male writers from higher classes, they give a unique glimpse into a marginalised life without social security. The descriptions of toxic relationships, domestic violence and poverty in these stories hit really close to home for many women today.

2/ Often, the old women in these poems and stories are former sex workers, unmarried or otherwise outcasts of society and tell the stories of their life and how they feel about their bodies ageing and their access to income dwindling with it, their human value based on the youth of their bodies.

5/5 In her hands, she is holding two little dwarfs with a pope crown and a kings crown on their heads, symbolising the secret power of women over world history and the double morals of the ruling classes.