Bound and Free

• Celtic languages & literatures
• Medieval literature (general or comparative)
• Women's & gender studies

“Joanne Findon is at the forefront of the study of women in medieval Irish literature, and has already made groundbreaking contributions, not least with her 1997 monograph, A Woman’s Words: Emer and Female Speech in the Ulster Cycle. Her latest book is a multifaceted exploration of women – both mortal and otherworldly – and their significance in early Irish narrative. Combining cutting-edge scholarship on medieval literature with important critical frameworks from literary theory, Findon sheds new light on the varied roles that women play in what are largely male-authored texts, produced within (and for) a patriarchal society. Engagingly written and accessible, this is an important addition to the bookshelves of anyone working on medieval Irish literature, as well as those interested in medieval literary or feminist studies more broadly.” — Elizabeth Boyle, Maynooth University

Joanne Findon earned her MA and PhD at the Centre for Medieval Studies in the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on women’s speech and agency in medieval Irish and English literature. Her book Lady, Hero, Saint: The Digby Play’s Mary Magdalene (2011) explores the influences of secular literature on the representation of the central female character in a Middle English religious play. Her most recent work continues the exploration of women’s voice, agency and emotion in medieval Irish literature that she began in A Woman’s Words: Emer and Female Speech in the Ulster Cycle (1997), extending the analysis to a number of lesser-known medieval Irish tales. She is Professor Emerita of English Literature at Trent University, where she spent more than two decades teaching courses in medieval romance, Chaucer, medieval drama, creative writing, and children’s literature. She lives in Toronto.