The perfect woman
The main subject in the “ABC of Women” is describing the perfect woman. Is important to analyze the way in which women are described here because it is representative of the way in which women were seen during the 13th and 14th century. Women are described here as being always obedient and never doing anything which may upset the men in their lives.
Jesus on the holy cross
The most important image in “Soul of Christ, Sanctify Me” is that of Jesus Christ, on the cross, moments before he died. This image is extremely representative of Christians because it represents the idea of self-sacrifice. This image is also important because it represents the model every good Christians should follow.
Sinful body
“Debate between Body and Soul” is constructed as a symbolic debate between the body ruled by desires and the soul ruled by rationality and more importantly, by faith. The body is described here in a rather negative way, as something that cannot be controlled and as something that will always lead a person to sin. This way of describing the body also characterizes every form of physical need or desire as being inherently negative and thus as something which everyone should fight against.
Sinful literature
The subject analyzed in “The Poet’s Repentance” has to do with the value the written word has and how it can influence a person’s life. Religious writings are portrayed here as being good and uplifting while any other form of literature which does not have religion as its main subject is described as sinful and degrading. The narrator does not criticize only the writings but also the writer. Thus, if a person ends up committing a sin after reading a piece of provoking literature, the author of the writing in question is seen as partially responsible for that person’s actions.
