Criticism and Praise of Women in Jerome

Abstract

Jerome's image of women is deeply rooted in the patriarchal marginalisation of women in late antiquity and at the same time in his radical ascetic attitude. This leads to a split in his perception of woman: on the one hand, she is devalued in her sexuality, on the other hand, the asexual ascetic is praised as the ideal embodiment of normative virginity. In terms of impact, the enormous success of his writings contributed significantly to the transmission of an ascetically intensified ancient Christian misogyny to the European Middle Ages.