Single Life and the City 1200-1900

Isabelle Devos, Julie De Groot, Ariadne Schmidt

"Today, singleness is often represented as a new and increasingly popular lifestyle, particularly in the city. However, single people crowded European towns from the late middle ages onward. This book discusses the living conditions of women and men living without a spouse in cities in western Europe, and reflects on differences and similarities in the past. Throughout the volume, singles' lives are examined via a continuum of lenses ranging from labour and social activities to living arrangements and material culture. The collection provides some of the first comparisons of single men and women and sheds light on new groups of single women, such as beguines, prostitutes and heads of households. Not only do the singles portrayed in this book emphasize the diversity of their experiences, they also call stereotypes into question. By providing fresh approaches and evidence to the study...