Truely a Saint or Merely a Clever Woman?An Examination of Margery Kempe

It is incredibly difficult to be certain whether Margery Kempe is indeed a saint or simply a terribly clever woman who used her knowledge of Scripture for her own purposes. There are many examples in her “book” that lead us to believe she is truly a saint. Other times, her sainthood is questionable, as she may be using God as an excuse to distance herself from her husband. In a time when women are to be chaste, silent, and obedient, it is tempting to say that both are the same thing.
Without deeply analyzing Kempe’s “book,” one would easily characterize her as a saint, or at least holding saint-like qualities. This became the role she took on once her mental condition was back to normal. She devoted her life to God thinking, “she was bound by (Him) and that she would be His servant” (369). In doing so, she accepted only Christ in her life, rejecting even her own husband as a lover and confidant. The reader, being sinners themselves, easily characterize this as a...