War was a constant in Anglo-Saxon society, and women were not considered fit to be warriors. They had to be content with the roles that kept them within the confines of the household. The prime duty of the Anglo-Saxon woman was to be loyal and obedient to her husband. As the mistress of the Hall, she presided over mealtimes and had to hand out the drinks at the mead hall. The Anglo-Saxon woman was also the “peace-weaver.” In this role, the woman was married to a man from an enemy camp in the hope of ending bitterness and war between the two tribes. This intention often failed, resulting in the loss of lives on both sides.
Medieval society also saw much warfare and destruction, but changes in the social structure brought changes in the roles of women. In the feudal society, women did not wield any power. Their roles were limited to home and hearth. Spinning flax, weaving, brewing ale, and tending to poultry and the farm were the jobs of the women. Some women ran small businesses from home or assisted their husbands in their trades. Peasant women worked on the fields with their husbands and did everything apart from ploughing. Only women from the upper class had access to education. Sometimes women joined convents and nunneries where they could gain education.
The rising importance of biblical texts in the early medieval period had a negative effect on women as they were considered instruments of evil. Sometimes women seeking emancipation were ostracized or labeled as witches and burned at the stake. The influence of ideas of chivalry and courtly love, originating from France, helped give women a symbolically elevated status in society. In medieval romances, the lady is worshipped by the Knight, who is ready to do anything at her bidding. This was akin to the adoration of Mary, the mother of Christ.
