The Master of Arts in Medical Humanities & Bioethics
presents
A Montgomery Lecture
Margery Kempe and the Uses of Illness
Because of her richly-detailed semi-autobiographical treatise, Margery Kempe has been subject to many diagnoses in the years since the rediscovery of her Book in 1934, ranging from hysteria to post-partum psychosis. This talk will examine why Margery has been so attractive to modern diagnosticians, how she herself understood her somatic and psychological experiences, and examine some of the cultural imperatives inherent in diagnosing mental illnesses.
Annalese Duprey, PhD Candidate
English Department, Northwestern University
Medical Humanities and Bioethics Fellowship Program, alumna
Myria Knox
(312) 503-7962
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