Hroswitha: the first female

dramatist
By kmschultz

Hroswitha (which has been variously spelled as Roswitha, Hrotswitha, Hrosvitha, Hrotsuit) is
considered to be the first female dramatists and poetesses after the Dark Ages. She was born
between 930 AD and 940 AD (most sources say 935 AD), probably to an aristocratic family of
German and Saxon decent. As can be seen by her various works, she lived up to her name,
which means strong voice. She has also called herself the mighty voice, the strong voice of
Gandersheim forceful testimony of God and the Nightingale of Gandersheim.
The preface of Hroswitha's metrical legends provides clues to her age, educational background
and social status. She writes:
'...I strove according to my ability, scarcely adequate though that was, none the less to complete
a composition from the thoughts in the writing with which I had become acquainted within the
confines of our monastery at Gandersheim; first through the instructive guidance of our learned
and kindly teacher Rikkardis, and of others who taught in her stead; and then through the
gracious consideration of the royal Gerberga, under whose rule as Abbess I am living at
present. Though she is younger than I in years than I am, yet as befits a niece of the Emperor,
she is farther advanced in learning, and she it was who right kindly instructed me in those various
authors from whom she herself studied under the guidance of learned teachers' (Haight 14)
(quoted in Prodigal Daughters Project).
At a young age (some say as early as twelve, others say as old as twenty-three), Hroswitha
entered the convent of Gandersheim, a Benedictine convent founded in 881 AD, which was
known for being a great center of learning in Germany while other countries in Europe suffered
cultural and educational set-backs. Here, she had access to classical texts, intellectuals and royal
communities. The idea of a poor, obscure woman writing poetry from her lonely cell may be the
image that Hroswitha gives through her prefaces; in actuality, she was well-trained and enjoyed
many of the privileges of the royal court. She had a structured education by those at the
convent. She was humble at heart, though, and achieved greatness through the help of those
around her.
Her talents were first cultivated under her teacher, Rikkardis. Hroswitha then went on to study
with Abbess Gerberga, who was a niece of Otto I, an Ottonian princess, and a very accomplished
woman. Hroswitha writes that Gerberga was younger in years. It is therefore assumed, due to
Hroswitha upbringing as an educated woman of noble blood, that she entered the convent at the
age of 20 in 955 AD, under the direction of Abbess Wendelgard. Abbess Gerberga was then
consecrated in 958 or 959 AD and encouraged Hrostwitha's writing, which began around the age
of twenty-four.
Hroswitha was considered a cannoness at Gandersheim, and therefore, was under less strict
guidelines than the nuns. She did not have to take a vow of poverty (and was therefore, allowed
her royal financial privileges) and was allowed more freedom into the world outside of the

convent. She was also protected from the threat of marriage and the limitations it imposed upon
women.And although she had this freedom, she did not use it to abuse her vows to God;on the
contraryher works were used to praise and to glorify God and the Christian saints.
Hroswitha's poems were discovered by Conrad Celtes in 1493 AD in the Benedictine monastery
of St. Emmeram at Ratisbon and were published in 1501 AD There was an epic, two Biblical
poem and six to eight metrical legends that were derived from Latin sources and her own creative
freedom. The basis of Leben Mariens was in the Holy Bible as was her poem Von der
Himmelfahrt des Herrn which dealt with the life of Mary. The themes of the legends come from
the real-life story of a Burgundian prince and martyr, the medieval legend of Faust, and the
legends of St. Basil, St. Dionysus, St. Agnes and St. Ambrose. Her language is described as
being simple but smooth, and frequently even melodious.
Some source say that five of her plays have survived, some say six, with the most famous
being Callimachus . They are based around the theme of sensual love, which she admitted was a
difficult topic to write about, since she was vowed to uphold the vows of religious purity. The
reason she did this was because she saw how the audience loved the comedies of Terrence and
wanted to copy his style.(Other influences include Virgil, Prudentius and Venantius Fortunarus,
Boethius, Horace, Ovid and Plautus.) However, Hroswitha uses the sensual love to focus on a
higher plane of morality and the triumph of virtue. They celebrate chastity and perseverance of
Christian women, which contrasted with the Latin portrayal of women a weak and emotional. Her
plays are episodic in nature, with believable characters and short, to-the-point dialogue. Though
her plays have great production and theatrical value, it was not until 1923 that they were
published in English. Her last two pieces were two epics: one was a eulogy for Otto I (Panagyric
Oddonum) and the other is a celebration of the founding on Gandersheim ( Primordia Coenobii
Gandershemensis) .
Though Hroswitha's forte was writing, she was also known for he skills in science and
mathematics. For example, one of her dramas is about the three daughters of WisdomFaith,
Hope, and Charityand in this drama, they are asked their ages.They answer using the
mathematical language of Boethius, who was a sixth-century scholar in mathematics. Hroswitha
also identified four perfect numbersnumbers that are equal to the sum of their factors (6, 28,
496 and 8128). Most people can only come up with two.
It is said that Hroswitha spent 70 years in Gandersheim, which seems unlikely as her death date
is estimated at 1001 AD, so she would have had to enter the convent at age 2. Other sources say
she died in 973, which would have put her time in Gandersheim around 30 years.
Though it is unlikely that Hroswitha's plays were ever performed in her lifetime, or that she had
much fame beyond the walls of Gandersheim, it is true that she has had an impact on the
dramatists and poets of Middle Ages and modern writers alike.

Hroswitha of Gandersheim 935 - 973 CE

Hroswitha of Gandersheim is considered Germany's first woman literary writer. Among philosophers
she is known as a female 'lover of wisdom' during a time when few Europeans were engaged in the
intellectual life. It should be noted that her name is sometimes spelled Roswith, Roswitha or Hrosuit.

Gandersheim Monastery was founded in 850 CE by Duke Liudolf, his wife Oda and Aeda who was Oda's
mother. It should be noted that although Germany was considered to be amidst the "Dark Ages" during
these years, the monasteries in Saxony were centers of culture and learning. Duke Liudolf founded a
number of convents but the one at Gandersheim became the most famous. It was a political and cultural
center in Germany.
The Abbesses of Gandersheim were generally selected from the Royal House of Saxony and what is
remarkable is that they kept the Benedictine Rule and did not allow the secular court to enter into monastic
daily practices. So the monastery remained a real spiritual center as well a political and cultural one.
Originally the Abbess of Gandersheim did not have full freedom and control of the monastery but by
Hrosewitha of Gandersheim's time the Abbess not only had complete control of the Abbey but she held
political power through a seat in the Imperial Diet. She also had her own court of law, her own army, and a
mint. The Abbess of Gandersheim, like the Abbesses of many monasteries in Europe exerted enormous
power both temporal and spiritual.

Her life and works

We are fairly certain of Hroswitha of Gandersheim's date of birth but know nothing of her early
years. There appears to be no record of the date she entered the Benedictine monastery at Gandersheim .
Since this monastery only accepted novices from noble families, Hroswitha of Gandersheim may have
started her education at home or at the monastery where she was a Cannoness, and not a monastic nun.
It should be noted that when Hroswitha entered this monastery, she entered as a Cannoness and not as a
nun. The practical implication of this is that as a Cannoness, she would have taken vows of chastity and
obedience but not poverty.
As a Cannoness in the Abbey of Gandersheim, Hroswitha would have been "allowed to receive guests, to
come and go with permission, to own books, to own property, and were [sic] permitted to have servants,
although they lived a communal life and took part in the daily recitation of the Divine Office" [Source: Ann
Lyon Haight. Hroswitha of Gandersheim: Her Life, Her Times, Her Works p. 11]
It is clear that she enjoyed an outstanding education and read the Latin classics as well as Christian authors.
The Abbess at Gandersheim during the time that Hroswitha of Gandersheim was there was named
Gerberg, (or Gerberga). She was a neice of Otto I. Gerberg followed in the tradition of Benedictine
scholars and she not only encouraged Hroswitha of Gandersheim but appears to have mentored her in her
studies. We have a letter To Grebergwhich shows her admiration and gratitude to this Abbess.
As typical in a monastery of that time, Hroswitha's works were composed at the request of her
abbess. Gerberg was connected with the court and she asked Hroswitha to write a heroic poem in honor of
the Emperor of Otho I. The cannoness complied. She also wrote a history of the Gandersheim monastery
and a series of plays and a number of poems. It is clear from Hroswitha of Gandersheim's own words that
she saw her writing as part of the activity of her religious commitment.
To read more details about her life and work, go to Cardinal Gasquet's Introduction to the Works of
Roswitha of Gendersheim
The the translator's Preface to the works of can be found at Translator's Preface Hroswitha of
Gandersheim and the philosopher's own preface can be found at Roswitha's Preface to her plays .
Further, her preface to her Poetical works, The Life Story of the Blessed Virgin, The Fall and Conversion
of Theophilus, The Martyrdom of Saint Agnes, Poems concerning the First Cenobites at Gandersheim, The
Acts of Otho I, etc. can be read at: Preface to the Poetical Works

Her short preface to her Complete Works can be found along with a note on the acting of the plays can be
found at Preface to the Complete Works of Hroswitha of Gandersheim - including a note on the acting of
the Plays
The Works as Philosophy
Hroswitha's of Gandersheim's philosophy is embedded in her works. In her play, Sapientiae [Latin for
'Wisdom'] includes a discussion of number theory and a number of references to Christian wisdom.
Her play Dulcities offers pieces of logic and argumentation. The opening sets the stage.
Diocletian labels the Christian women mad when they disagree with him and his use of this common
fallacy "ad hominem" sets the stage for all that follows. Later, when Sisinnius is trying to convince Irena to
worship the gods he threatens her with a long, extensive death and then dishonor by forcing her into
prostitution. Irena, engages him in argument. She makes careful distinctions and explains that it is the
orientation of the will and the direction of intention that define the ethical character of an action and not
merely the action itself - especially when one does not have control over the action. And Hrosthwina of
Gandersheim embeds this logic and discussion of ethics in a plot that employs the miraculous and the
fantastic. As such, the play can be compared with some of the Medieval morality plays that we find in the
corpus of English literature.
In Gallicanus, found at Gallicanus She addresses women's power and choice over their own lives. The plot
places Constance, daughter of Constantine, who has chosen to make the vow of a consecrated virgin, at risk
of being given political marriage. She agrees to allow her father to promise her in marriage and trusts two
men, John and Paul, to bring about a change of mind and intention of the potential husband, Gallicanus.
The play under the guise of the ancient setting addresses the contemporary question of arranged political
marriage, and the power of women to live "lives of choice" rather than "family arrangement". And it clear
that the life of 'consecrated virginity', be it lived in family or in the monastery is argued as a worthwhile
option for women who do not want the bonds of marriage.