Although I am familiar with the basic Christian notion of prudence and resisting temptation, I was surprised by the emphasis on suffering Margery Kempe places on leading a righteous life. Kempe justifies her isolation and isolation and misery as following the path of suffering that was the Lord's. It is truly her belief that "being despised by the world was the right path to heaven" (371). All the while, following this path, she all but abandons her marriage and essentially offends other Christians with her extreme rhetoric.
I also find the sentences "she continually thanked God for everything" and "She hated the joys of the world" a bit contradictive (371). How could she so hate the world that God made in his own eyes? It's hard for me to see the spiritual reward of such a pessimistic lifestyle. How can one anticipate the joys of heaven if she can't even appreciate the beauty in mortal life?
I am unfamiliar with the church culture of the 15th century, but it does not seem surprising to me that Margery was accused of being a heretic. The scene described on page 375 before the Archbishop was reminiscent of The Crucible's dramatic witch trials. I am not surprised to find such "worship," if you would, as practiced by Margery was rejected by the established church. Frankly, her display sounds a bit more like an exorcism.
Margery's bout with infidelity was also unexpected. That Margery, who has sworn chastity--and forced it upon her own legal husband--would so consider sleeping with another man was shocking. Further, she seems more ashamed of her husband's persistent desire to sleep with his own wife than her own consideration of adultery. I'm just unsure of how this chapter fits in with the rest of the story.
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