Menstruation in Early Modern England

Not Just the Tudors

History Hit

History

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2023

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today we know that menstruation is a biological process. There’s a great deal of scientific research that explains the menstrual cycle. But how was menstruation perceived and understood in Early Modern England? Was it talked about by women and men in the same way? How did it influence attitudes towards women? And how did women manage their menstrual cycles physically and mentally?

In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb explores these questions with Dr. Sara Read.

**WARNING: This podcast contains descriptions of, and discussions about, female blood loss**

This episode was edited by Stuart Beckwith and produced by Rob Weinberg.

For more Not Just The Tudors content, subscribe to our Tudor Tuesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Today we know that menstruation is a biological process in which the lining of the uterus is
0:08.2	shared and that this is a part of a regular menstrual cycle.
0:12.8	We know that beginning one's menstrual cycle is part of the process of puberty for cis women
0:17.0	and we have a word for when it ceases, menopause.
0:19.6	There's a great deal of scientific research and advice which helps us make sense of our
0:24.2	cycles.
0:25.2	But what about 500 years ago?
0:27.4	How was menstruation understood in early modern England?
0:31.1	Was it perceived and talked about by women and men in the same way?
0:35.2	What was the relationship between menstruation and attitudes towards women?
0:39.3	And how did women manage their monthly cycles, physically and mentally?
0:44.1	To explore these questions I'm very pleased to welcome Dr Sarah Reed,
0:48.3	Senior Lecturer in English from Loftbury University.
0:51.2	Dr Reed is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society as well as an organising member of the
0:55.6	Women's Studies Group.
0:57.1	She specialises in early modern culture, literature and medicine with a specific focus on women's
1:02.4	reproductive health.
1:04.3	She's here today to talk about her book, Menstruation and the Female Body in Early Modern England
1:09.5	published by Powergrave in 2013.
1:13.0	But I should also tell you she has turned her research into fiction.
1:16.9	Her second novel, The Midwife's Truth, The Sequel to the Gossip's Choice, is published
1:21.6	in April 2023.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from History Hit, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of History Hit and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.