It is the earliest surviving example of a book in the English language known to have been written by a woman. Revelations of Divine Love, written in the 14th century by an anchoress, Julian of Norwich, is remembered today as the first work in the English language. It was written between the 14th and 15th centuries by Julian of Norwich, about whom almost nothing is known. She is believed to have died sometime around 1416 in Norwich. Revelations of Divine Love is a medieval book of Christian mystical devotions. In 1413, she was described by a scribe as “a devout woman, who is a recluse at Norwich, and still alive.”

Twenty to thirty years passed and she then began to write a theological exploration of the meaning of the visions, known as the Long Text. This came to be known as the Revelations of Divine Love. Immediately afterward, she began to write her visions and what happened. Three analytical angles help shed more light on Julians innovative use of. Over the next several hours, she experience a series of sixteen visions of Jesus Christ, which ended by the time she recovered from her illness on May 13, 1373. These three narrative features are brought into dialogue with Julians theology. A priest arrived to administer last rights and held the crucifix over the foot of her bed.

One source stated in seeking a deeper love of Christ, she appealed for God to provide a deeper understanding of Christ’s passion, a sickness like death without actual death and the wounds of absolute contrition, kind compassion and steadfast longing towards God.Īround the age of 30, she suffered a serious illness and was believed to be near death.

Julian of norwich divine love