Vidua - Revision history

Bonsall at 16:50, 28 November 2025

2025-11-28T16:50:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:50, 28 November 2025
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
			\|Has Short Description=The Widow
	\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)		\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
	\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation; Marriage; Deceitful woman; Deception; Death of husband; Grief; Violence; Women committing violence		\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation; Marriage; Deceitful woman; Deception; Death of husband; Grief; Violence; Women committing violence
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	A knight loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.		A knight loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.



			From [[Middle English Version A]]

	[Added by Jane Bonsall]		[Added by Jane Bonsall]

Bonsall at 16:14, 6 November 2025

2025-11-06T16:14:25Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:14, 6 November 2025
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)		\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
	\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation; Marriage; Deceitful woman; Deception; Death of husband; Grief		\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation; Marriage; Deceitful woman; Deception; Death of husband; Grief; Violence; Women committing violence
	\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''		\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''

	A knight loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.		A knight loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.


			[Added by Jane Bonsall]
	\|Has Note=A note on different versions: in Latin H, the knight kills the wife; in Welsh, the husband sees the blood spurting from his wife’s hand and stabs himself to death in the chest; in Bohemian, the young knight has had feelings for this wife from long before the story begins.		\|Has Note=A note on different versions: in Latin H, the knight kills the wife; in Welsh, the husband sees the blood spurting from his wife’s hand and stabs himself to death in the chest; in Bohemian, the young knight has had feelings for this wife from long before the story begins.

Bonsall at 16:10, 25 March 2025

2025-03-25T16:10:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:10, 25 March 2025
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)		\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
	\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation		\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation; Marriage; Deceitful woman; Deception; Death of husband; Grief
	\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''		\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''

Noeth: Text replacement - "Has Content Tag=" to "Has Motif="

2025-03-04T19:13:06Z

Text replacement - "Has Content Tag=" to "Has Motif="

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:13, 4 March 2025
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)		\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
	\|Has ~~Content Tag~~=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation		\|Has Motif=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation
	\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''		\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''

Bonsall at 16:50, 22 January 2025

2025-01-22T16:50:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:50, 22 January 2025
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)		\|Has Critical Literature=Nishimura (2001); Clouston (1884); Campbell (1907)
			\|Has Content Tag=Suicide; Blood; Disposal of corpse; Evidence; Punishment for theft; (Threat of) bodily mutilation
	\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''		\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''

Bonsall at 17:10, 21 January 2025

2025-01-21T17:10:52Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Inset Story
 |Has Summary='''The Widow'''
-This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.
+A knight loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.
-As Nishimura points out (2001), this story closely resembles Petronius's narrative of the 'Widow of Ephesus' from the <nowiki>''</nowiki>Satyricon<nowiki>''</nowiki>. The motif of the 'soon-consoled widow' appears throughout European and Middle Eastern medieval literary culture.
+As Nishimura points out, this story closely resembles Petronius's narrative of the 'Widow of Ephesus' from the <nowiki>''</nowiki>Satyricon<nowiki>''</nowiki>. The popular antifeminist motif of the 'soon-consoled widow' appears throughout European and Middle Eastern medieval literary culture.
 }}

Noeth at 18:43, 19 August 2024

2024-08-19T18:43:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:43, 19 August 2024
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has Summary=~~<nowiki>~~'''The Widow'''~~</nowiki>~~		\|Has Summary='''The Widow'''

	This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.		This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.

Noeth: Text replacement - "|Has Description" to "|Has Summary"

2024-06-05T09:33:09Z

Text replacement - "|Has Description" to "|Has Summary"

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:33, 5 June 2024
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	{{Inset Story		{{Inset Story
	\|Has ~~Description~~=<nowiki>'''The Widow'''</nowiki>		\|Has Summary=<nowiki>'''The Widow'''</nowiki>

	This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.		This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.

Noeth at 15:11, 4 June 2024

2024-06-04T15:11:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:11, 4 June 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Inset Story}}		{{Inset Story
	'''The Widow'''		\|Has Description=<nowiki>'''The Widow'''</nowiki>

	This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.		This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.

	As Nishimura points out (2001), this story closely resembles Petronius's narrative of the 'Widow of Ephesus' from the ''Satyricon''. The motif of the 'soon-consoled widow' appears throughout European and Middle Eastern medieval literary culture.		As Nishimura points out (2001), this story closely resembles Petronius's narrative of the 'Widow of Ephesus' from the <nowiki>''</nowiki>Satyricon<nowiki>''</nowiki>. The motif of the 'soon-consoled widow' appears throughout European and Middle Eastern medieval literary culture.
			}}

Bonsall at 11:50, 12 April 2024

2024-04-12T11:50:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:50, 12 April 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Inset Story\|}}		{{Inset Story}}
			'''The Widow'''

			This popular antifeminist tale tells of a knight who loves his wife to distraction, and is so upset when she receives a minor injury (often from a knife he had given her) that he dies of grief (or kills himself). The newly widowed woman refuses leave his gravesite, and builds a fire there to warm herself. A man charged with guarding a nearby gallows, where the bodies of three convicted thieves hang, sees the fire and asks to be allowed to share its warmth. The two speak, then flirt, and the widow is impressed by his honour; in some texts they begin a sexual relationship, in others she asks him to take her to wife. The guardsman checks the gallows and is horrified to discover that the body of one of thieves has been stolen while he was distracted. The widow offers to help: she tells him he may hang the body of her erstwhile husband in place of the missing thief’s corpse. Repulsed, the guard will not do it, so the widow does it herself. To complete the illusion that her husband’s body was that of the missing thief, she then mutilates his head, and knocks out his front teeth. In many versions, this show of faithlessness causes the guardsman to abandon her.

			As Nishimura points out (2001), this story closely resembles Petronius's narrative of the 'Widow of Ephesus' from the ''Satyricon''. The motif of the 'soon-consoled widow' appears throughout European and Middle Eastern medieval literary culture.