The badge of sin: The Magdalene Sisters

Abstract

Considered to be the badge of sin, perceived as the privileged agent of Satan, woman maintained an often hostile reputation throughout the Middle Ages. Her image had often been associated with the idea of lust, moral decay, and demonic iniquity. In this way, this article intends to reflect on the medieval imaginary in relation to women during the medieval period and the presence of this imaginary conception in the construction of meaning in the film narrative The Magdalene Sisters, by Peter Mullan (2002). Considering that the feature film presents the true story of women in the second half of the twentieth century, it is possible to analyze the social representations of the medieval woman, as well as the allegories present in the movie, as an element of historical permanence.