Earlier in the semester an assignment was given to respond to less serious treatments dealing with the medieval period. In Ellis Peters' A Morbid Taste for Bones and Monty Python's Holy Grail themes such as Good versus Evil, feudalism, and the belief in myths and magic were discussed. However there are other themes that are found in two other more serious treatments of the medieval period. In Judith M. Bennett's A Medieval Life, which tells the story of Cecilia Penifader of Brigstock and her family; and Carolly Erickson's The Medieval Vision, a collection of various essays regarding the medieval period. In these works the themes of religion and rituals, the role of women, and the role of Lords will be discussed.
             In Bennett's A Medieval Life, religion and rituals are things that played a large part in the lives of the people during this time. "First, Cecilia's religious world was strikingly homogeneous; she might have heard stories about Jews or heretics, but the world in which she lived offered no alternative religious practices." Coming from a small community as Cecilia did, there was no room for choice in what to believe in. Cecilia lived in a controlled setting. Her beliefs were forced upon her, if her beliefs were to wander she would be considered a heretic, and would have been killed. All that she knew of religion was learned through word of mouth and from watching services. Lent was an example of a holiday ritual that they celebrated.
             The Final week of Lent was Holy Week. On the last Sunday before Easter, the Penifaders brought branches to be blessed, a celebration of spring growth that also remembered the palms strewn before Jesus as he entered Jerusalem.
             From this excerpt, it is obvious that Lent is celebrated much the same way now as it was back then. However, they did not end the week long ritual with the hunting for Easter baskets. People who lived in the Medi...