Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts in English
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
English
Advisor/Mentor
Dr. Mary Beth Long
Committee Member
Dr. Lora Walsh
Second Committee Member
Bree McMahon
Third Committee Member
Sophie Brady
Abstract
When the general public thinks of childbirth in the Middle Ages, they think of death and danger. However, Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate in the entire United States, and many of those deaths are preventable. There have been previous analyses on different medieval texts as well as research into modern Arkansas, but none have made a direct connection between the two subjects. By analyzing medieval literature to understand cultural norms surrounding childbirth and postpartum care, patterns can be traced to modern Arkansas, where needless deaths are still prevalent. Ultimately, medieval texts demonstrate cultural attitudes surrounding blame toward women that still persist today. The biggest conclusion, though, is that there was a general culture of strong female community in the Middle Ages that does not exist in modern Arkansas today. If positive change can be achieved in Arkansas, community must be implemented legislatively and culturally.
Keywords
maternal mortality; medieval literature; postpartum; childbirth; Arkansas; community
Citation
Thompson, P. Q. (2026). Survey of Medieval Literature on Maternal Mortality, Postpartum Care, and Birth Trauma in Relation to the Crisis in Arkansas. English Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/engluht/26
Included in
English Language and Literature Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Medieval Studies Commons
