Were women in the past completely uneducated — or worse, cruelly denied any meaningful opportunity to receive an education by their parents and society at large? Some modern scholars say so, but in this “back-to-school” edition of Rachel’s Trivia Challenge, the Lutheran Ladies are revisiting key literary sources as they not only explore the history of women’s education but also investigate whether the prevailing narrative of our day is truly just to those who came before us.
With questions drawn from Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and other notable authors writing in and about their own times, this quiz will tickle the minds of literary mavens and education enthusiasts alike — even though, in the end, it may raise as many questions as it answers.
Sources referenced in this episode include …
- Luther on education: arnold__lut_33_3.pdf
- Martin Luther: A Sermon on Keeping Children in School (1530)
- William Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing
- The Old Deluder Satan Act: deluder.html
- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice; Mansfield Park
- Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
- Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge) and on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge. Follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), and Erin (@erinaltered) on Instagram!
Sign up for the Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge monthly e-newsletter here, and email the Ladies at lutheranladies@kfuo.org.
The Lutheran Ladies Lounge is the podcast produced by KFUO Radio and hosted by Sarah Gulseth, Erin Alter, and Rachel Bomberger. Created for Lutheran ladies to have a place to escape to with inviting conversations, laughter, and fellowship with Lutheran sisters, we invite all of you Lutheran ladies to join Sarah, Erin, and Rachel on the sofa in the Lutheran Ladies Lounge to sit, rest your feet, and stay a while. If you’re a Lutheran lady, join us in our Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge.
