Ancrene_Riwle

Ancrene Riwle It would be hard for our modern day world to imagine withdrawing from the comfortable surroundings we enjoy every day to dedicate our lives to trying to become closer to God, but during the middle ages this path in life was not so uncommon. Religious groups themselves were copious, and more organized groups, such as different sects of nuns and monks, outnumbered the informal groups of hermits and anchorites. The later group chose a more rigorous path to find God, embracing the severity of stark and uncomfortable surroundings to carry on their spiritual battles. While both men and women participated in the anchorite devotion, women far outnumbered the men in any given century (Hasenfratz). Deliberately seeking seclusion, anchoresses felt that their figurative death to the outside world would allow them to seek God in an undisturbed environment, and carry on a spiritual war within their confines. The “Ancrene Riwle” was written as a handbook for anchoresses and was originally intended for three sisters who chose at a young age to become anchoresses. Written sometime in the thirteenth century, probably between 1225 and 1240 (Hasenfratz), the author of the “Ancrene Riwle” is unknown, but historians have made cases for Simon of anchoress, rules, god, outer, maidservant, inner, anchoresses, life, self, riwle, maid, hasenfratz, author, ancrene, between, while, though, serve, rule, one, important, even, daily, world, spiritual, soul, should, religious, received, middle, lady, keep, anchor, written, window, viewed