In episode two of Medieval Beginnings, Mary and Irina turn the pages of the Exeter Book, a remarkable 10th century manuscript containing numerous poems and riddles, some of which are written in the voices of women. They consider in particular the enigmatic and beautiful ‘Wife’s Lament’ and ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’, and their numerous interpretations, and compare them to an extraordinary collection of letters written by influential women to St Boniface in the 8th century. Irina Dumitrescu is Professor of English Medieval Studies at the University of Bonn and Mary Wellesley as a historian and author of Hidden Hands: The Lives of Manuscripts and their Makers. Non-subscribers will only hear an extract from this episode. To listen in full, and to all our other episodes, sign up: Directly in Apple Podcasts at the top of this podcast, or here: https://apple.co/3pJoFPq In other podcast apps: lrb.me/closereadings Find reading resources for this episode on the LRB website: https://www.lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and-videos/podcasts/close-readings/medieval-beginnings-letters-and-laments Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.