What Was Life Really Like for Women in Medieval Times
TLDRThe video script delves into the various roles and professions medieval women undertook, focusing on the importance of dairy work, baking, and brewing. It highlights the Dairy Maid's role, contrasting it with the Milkmaid's, emphasizing the former's cleanliness and better wages. The process of making butter and cheese is explained, showcasing the skills and resources needed to turn dairy into a profitable cottage industry. The video also explores the significance of baking, where women could either bake bread at home or provide a baking service, and the risks and regulations associated with it. Brewing, another largely feminized profession, is discussed, noting the dangers and the involvement of nobility in this lucrative trade. The summary provides a snapshot of the multifaceted work medieval women were engaged in, revealing the economic and social significance of their contributions.
Takeaways
- 📜 The passage from the Halle Medved is a medieval English document that lists housework expected of women, highlighting the various domestic duties they were responsible for.
- 👗 Most medieval women, about 80%, belonged to the peasant class and had specific jobs that were considered women's work, such as Dairy Maids and bakers.
- 🐄 Dairy Maids had a better reputation and working conditions than milkmaids, who worked in the fields surrounded by men. Dairy Maids worked with clean linens and natural fats, and they earned wages, though less than men.
- 🍞 The process of making butter by hand was simple and involved agitating cream until it thickened and separated into butter and buttermilk.
- 🧀 Cottage cheese production was a typical cash cottage industry where women could be involved, using salt and acid like vinegar to separate cheese curds from whey.
- 🛒 Women often appeared as cheese mongers in medieval records, indicating that some women were involved in trade and commerce.
- 🏺 Professional baking was another skilled profession for medieval women, with some providing a baking service in special bread ovens or making whole loaves from scratch.
- 🚫 Baker's guilds were established to protect the interests of bakers and regulate the price and weight of bread, with severe consequences for those who cheated the system.
- 🔥 Managing a bread oven was a skilled job that came with the perpetual risk of flames getting out of control, as evidenced by historical events like the Great Fire of London.
- 🍻 Brewing was often a female-dominated profession, with many women making their own ale at home or running ale houses and breweries, known as alewives.
- ⚖️ The brewing industry was heavily regulated, and there were serious punishments for those who made mistakes or tried to skimp on ingredients.
- ⚠️ Brewing was a dangerous occupation, with risks such as handling large quantities of boiling water and heavy equipment, which could lead to severe accidents.
Q & A
What is the primary occupation of a Dairy Maid in medieval times?
-A Dairy Maid in medieval times was primarily responsible for working with dairy products, such as milking cows, cleaning and maintaining the dairy, and producing items like butter and cheese.
What were the working conditions like for a milkmaid compared to a Dairy Maid?
-A milkmaid worked outdoors in the fields, often in the company of men, which was considered to have a bad reputation. In contrast, a Dairy Maid worked in a cleaner environment, with soft hands due to the constant contact with milk and cream, and was not surrounded by men.
What was the average wage for women laborers and dairy maids in England in 1388 according to the Statute of Cambridge?
-The average wage for women laborers and dairy maids in England in 1388 was six shillings per year, which was about four shillings less than their male counterparts.
How was butter made by hand in medieval times?
-Butter was made by hand by agitating cream until it thickened and then separating the buttermilk from the solid butter. This process was simple and could be done by anyone with access to fresh cream.
What is the process of making cottage cheese at home in medieval times?
-To make cottage cheese, one would add salt and an acid like vinegar or verjuice to milk, causing it to curdle and separate into curds and whey. The curds would then be placed in a cheese mold, pressed, and left to mature into a hard cheese.
Why were women often involved in the cheese-making and selling business in medieval times?
-Cheese-making was a popular job for women because it was a cottage industry that could be done with the right resources and did not require a large initial investment. Women could sell the cheese at markets, and successful cheese mongers could become wealthy.
What was the role of professional bakers in medieval times?
-Professional bakers, often women, were responsible for making bread either from scratch or by providing a baking service in special bread ovens. They were part of a serious business, as bread was a staple in every household.
How did the Baker's guilds function during the Middle Ages?
-Baker's guilds were introduced to protect the interests of their members and to regulate the controls governing the price and weight of bread. They ensured quality and fairness in the bread industry.
What were the risks associated with managing a bread oven in medieval times?
-Managing a bread oven was a skilled job with the perpetual risk of the flames getting out of hand, which could lead to fires. The Great Fire of London is an example of how a bakery fire could have disastrous consequences.
Why was brewing often a female profession in the Middle Ages?
-Brewing was often a female profession because most women made their own ale at home, and in the professional world, it remained largely feminized work. Ale houses and breweries were often run by women known as alewives.
What were the dangers and risks involved in brewing beer in medieval times?
-Brewing beer involved dealing with large quantities of boiling water and heavy equipment, which posed significant risks. There are records of accidents, such as women being scalded to death after falling into boiling water or being crushed by vats.
Outlines
🧀 Medieval Women's Work: The Dairy Maid
The first paragraph introduces the various tasks a medieval wife would be expected to perform, as listed in the Halle Medved, a medieval English document. It then delves into the profession of a Dairy Maid, contrasting it with that of a milkmaid, and explaining the benefits of the former role, such as softer hands and better wages. The process of making butter by hand is demonstrated, emphasizing the simplicity of the task and the appeal of the final product. The paragraph also touches on the cottage industry of making cottage cheese, the importance of salt and acid in the process, and the potential for women to become cheese mongers and merchants in the medieval period.
🍞 The Business of Dairy and Baking in the Middle Ages
The second paragraph discusses the process of turning cheese curds into a hard cheese by pressing and maturing them in a mold. It highlights the continuous work involved in dairying and the economic benefits it could bring to a woman, especially if she managed a large dairy business. The narrative then shifts to the profession of baking, which was another skilled job frequently undertaken by medieval women. The paragraph outlines the role of Baker's guilds in regulating the bread industry and recounts a story of two bakers, Alistair bright knock and Lucy de Pickering, who were caught stealing dough and were severely punished. The importance of managing a bread oven and the risks associated with it are also mentioned, with a reference to the Great Fire of London.
🍻 Brewing Ale: A Lucrative but Risky Profession for Medieval Women
The third paragraph explores the profession of brewing ale, which was often a female-dominated field. It describes the process of making beer at home and on a larger scale, with a focus on the risks involved, such as handling large quantities of boiling water and heavy equipment. The paragraph recounts a tragic accident involving a brewing maid who died after falling into a vat of boiling water. It also touches on the regulation of the brewing industry and the potential for significant profit, even attracting members of the nobility. The brewing process is detailed, from boiling the malt to fermenting the mixture with yeast, and the waiting period required for the ale to be ready for consumption.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Dairy Maid
💡Cottage Industry
💡Cheese Mongers
💡Baking
💡Brewing
💡Alewives
💡Peasant Class
💡Medieval English Document
💡Statute of Cambridge
💡Guilds
💡Feminized Work
Highlights
A medieval English document, the Halle Medved, provides a list of housework expected from women during the medieval period.
80% of medieval women belonged to the peasant class and had specific job roles such as Dairy Maids, which were considered better than being a milkmaid.
Dairy Maids had softer work, dealing with clean linens and natural fats, and were paid an average wage of six shillings per year in England in 1388.
Making butter by hand is a simple process that can be quickly learned, even by a novice.
A peasant household with a good Dairy Maid could sustain themselves with milk products even if they only had one cow.
Cottage cheese production was a typical cash cottage industry that women could engage in to bring in money.
Women could become cheese mongers and appear in medieval records as merchants, especially if they were businesswomen.
Baking was another skilled profession for medieval women, with some providing a baking service in special bread ovens.
Baker's guilds were established to protect the interests of bakers and regulate the price and weight of bread.
Brewing was often a female-dominated profession, with alewives running ale houses and breweries.
Brewing was a lucrative business, and even members of the nobility sometimes participated in it.
Brewing involved dangerous work with large quantities of boiling water and heavy equipment.
The process of making ale involved boiling, cooling, fermenting, and finally, allowing the yeast to convert sugars into alcohol.
Hops were not commonly used in late medieval England, and there were pamphlets against their use in beer.
Managing a bread oven required skill due to the perpetual risk of flames getting out of control.
The Great Fire of London famously began with a blaze starting at a Baker's in the night, highlighting the risks of baking.
The video provides a comprehensive look at the various jobs and skills of medieval women, emphasizing their importance in sustaining the household and contributing to the economy.
Transcripts
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