Catherine, Called Birdy Essay, Research Paper

In the book, Catherine Called Birdy, Catherine has many limitations being a teenager in Medieval English Society. Not only can she not marry for love, she is forced to marry whomever her father chooses, which is the richest man that will give her father the most money. She cannot escape this destiny in any way, except perhaps by becoming a nun. Catherine is willing to do anything to get away from her beastly father and his manipulative plans- even sew, which she completely detests. Catherine is trying to find herself, and get away from nasty suitors in this whimsical novel. Catherine tries to think of things she could do to escape the fate of marrying hideous men whom she does not love. A Tumbler? But she cannot tumble. A Singer? But she makes people run with her voice. She cannot make worts disappear; she can t make birds talk. What can she do? In this day and age, women would have many more options that are available to both men and women. Being a women in the 13th century, you pretty much could become a nun or get married. Even male saints had many different occupations before they became saints, women saints most of the time just refused to marry pagans. It was not fair in the 13th century that women could not do what they wished to do. We have come a long way with women s liberation, but the women back then had very few choices; especially if you were of a higher class.Peasants and villagers were prohibited to do many things, but in many ways they had more rights than people such as Catherine. Her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man- any rich man, no matter how awful. Being a clever girl, she gets many of the future husbands away, but she is finally stuck with the worst of them all, Shaggy Beard, a hideous pig. While Catherine is pondering this, several people around her are getting married. Meg, the dairy girl, is marrying whom she chooses, Alf, Thomas Baker s son. Catherine wonders about the injustice of the event that the women with fewer land rights get more marriage rights. This happened in the 13th century because it was very important to people that had class, that their offspring maintained their class. Edward, Catherine s brother, is a monk. When Catherine visits him and sees how he gets to write and paint beautiful pictures, Catherine wants that to be her destiny. But alas, you must be a male to be a monk. Catherine, liking guys things better regardless, asks her brother if perhaps she could dress up as a guy to fool the monks. He merely laughs at her, suggesting that not even the most blind priest couldn t see her chest. Our ideas of Being your own person, and being unique did not exist. Family and community and class were what mattered. Even the king was not allowed to do what he wanted. Catherine just wants to be different, because ordinary women s things were not interesting to her. She simply doesn t like what girls are stuck with and their limitations. All in all, it may seem with all the limitations, Catherine s life must have been fairly horrible, but that is not true. She had an average life for a 13th century teenager, and she somewhat expected the constraints. If some girl today was to be treated that way, you know that they would think that was the most extreme measure and would probably end up doing something drastic, such as suing someone. Limitations were expected, and men had their share of issues also. They made all the money, and did most of the hard labor. Women s rights have changed very much, and I am sure if Catherine was alive today she would be very happy, making millions with her creativity and wit.In the book, Catherine Called Birdy, Catherine has many limitations being a teenager in Medieval English Society. Not only can she not marry for love, she is forced to marry whomever her father chooses, which is the richest man that will give her father the most money. She cannot escape this destiny in any way, except perhaps by becoming a nun. Catherine is willing to do anything to get away from her beastly father and his manipulative plans- even sew, which she completely detests. Catherine is trying to find herself, and get away from nasty suitors in this whimsical novel. Catherine tries to think of things she could do to escape the fate of marrying hideous men whom she does not love. A Tumbler? But she cannot tumble. A Singer? But she makes people run with her voice. She cannot make worts disappear; she can t make birds talk. What can she do? In this day and age, women would have many more options that are available to both men and women. Being a women in the 13th century, you pretty much could become a nun or get married. Even male saints had many different occupations before they became saints, women saints most of the time just refused to marry pagans. It was not fair in the 13th century that women could not do what they wished to do. We have come a long way with women s liberation, but the women back then had very few choices; especially if you were of a higher class.Peasants and villagers were prohibited to do many things, but in many ways they had more rights than people such as Catherine. Her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man- any rich man, no matter how awful. Being a clever girl, she gets many of the future husbands away, but she is finally stuck with the worst of them all, Shaggy Beard, a hideous pig. While Catherine is pondering this, several people around her are getting married. Meg, the dairy girl, is marrying whom she chooses, Alf, Thomas Baker s son. Catherine wonders about the injustice of the event that the women with fewer land rights get more marriage rights. This happened in the 13th century because it was very important to people that had class, that their offspring maintained their class.

Edward, Catherine s brother, is a monk. When Catherine visits him and sees how he gets to write and paint beautiful pictures, Catherine wants that to be her destiny. But alas, you must be a male to be a monk. Catherine, liking guys things better regardless, asks her brother if perhaps she could dress up as a guy to fool the monks. He merely laughs at her, suggesting that not even the most blind priest couldn t see her chest. Our ideas of Being your own person, and being unique did not exist. Family and community and class were what mattered. Even the king was not allowed to do what he wanted. Catherine just wants to be different, because ordinary women s things were not interesting to her. She simply doesn t like what girls are stuck with and their limitations. All in all, it may seem with all the limitations, Catherine s life must have been fairly horrible, but that is not true. She had an average life for a 13th century teenager, and she somewhat expected the constraints. If some girl today was to be treated that way, you know that they would think that was the most extreme measure and would probably end up doing something drastic, such as suing someone. Limitations were expected, and men had their share of issues also. They made all the money, and did most of the hard labor. Women s rights have changed very much, and I am sure if Catherine was alive today she would be very happy, making millions with her creativity and wit.In the book, Catherine Called Birdy, Catherine has many limitations being a teenager in Medieval English Society. Not only can she not marry for love, she is forced to marry whomever her father chooses, which is the richest man that will give her father the most money. She cannot escape this destiny in any way, except perhaps by becoming a nun. Catherine is willing to do anything to get away from her beastly father and his manipulative plans- even sew, which she completely detests. Catherine is trying to find herself, and get away from nasty suitors in this whimsical novel. Catherine tries to think of things she could do to escape the fate of marrying hideous men whom she does not love. A Tumbler? But she cannot tumble. A Singer? But she makes people run with her voice. She cannot make worts disappear; she can t make birds talk. What can she do? In this day and age, women would have many more options that are available to both men and women. Being a women in the 13th century, you pretty much could become a nun or get married. Even male saints had many different occupations before they became saints, women saints most of the time just refused to marry pagans. It was not fair in the 13th century that women could not do what they wished to do. We have come a long way with women s liberation, but the women back then had very few choices; especially if you were of a higher class.Peasants and villagers were prohibited to do many things, but in many ways they had more rights than people such as Catherine. Her father is determined to marry her off to a rich man- any rich man, no matter how awful. Being a clever girl, she gets many of the future husbands away, but she is finally stuck with the worst of them all, Shaggy Beard, a hideous pig. While Catherine is pondering this, several people around her are getting married. Meg, the dairy girl, is marrying whom she chooses, Alf, Thomas Baker s son. Catherine wonders about the injustice of the event that the women with fewer land rights get more marriage rights. This happened in the 13th century because it was very important to people that had class, that their offspring maintained their class. Edward, Catherine s brother, is a monk. When Catherine visits him and sees how he gets to write and paint beautiful pictures, Catherine wants that to be her destiny. But alas, you must be a male to be a monk. Catherine, liking guys things better regardless, asks her brother if perhaps she could dress up as a guy to fool the monks. He merely laughs at her, suggesting that not even the most blind priest couldn t see her chest. Our ideas of Being your own person, and being unique did not exist. Family and community and class were what mattered. Even the king was not allowed to do what he wanted. Catherine just wants to be different, because ordinary women s things were not interesting to her. She simply doesn t like what girls are stuck with and their limitations. All in all, it may seem with all the limitations, Catherine s life must have been fairly horrible, but that is not true. She had an average life for a 13th century teenager, and she somewhat expected the constraints. If some girl today was to be treated that way, you know that they would think that was the most extreme measure and would probably end up doing something drastic, such as suing someone. Limitations were expected, and men had their share of issues also. They made all the money, and did most of the hard labor. Women s rights have changed very much, and I am sure if Catherine was alive today she would be very happy, making millions with her creativity and wit.