Mercantile Experience and Spirituality in The Book of Margery Kempe

Abstract

This paper argues that The Book of Margery Kempe describes Margery Kempe’s progress from self-centered mercantile consciousness to widespread spirituality. Whereas critics focus on the strong influence that Margery’s experience in the lay economy had over her spirituality, Margery’s way of distributing her spirituality goes beyond the limits imposed by her mercantile consciousness. Although she must rely on the language and concepts of merchant community in order to understand the religious visions she encounters, she is also aware of the sinful nature of her merchant past. Thus she overcomes the self-centered production and consumption of her earlier days and shares her spiritual experience with many others’ profit. Her definition of the relationship with Christ and her treatment of the holy visions can be seen as economics in the field of spirituality and religion. Margery’s way of translating her visions ensures easy access for those that witness her tears and listen to her speech. Her decision to have the Book written is not motivated by her desire for authority; by transcribing her experience in written text, Margery produces a format that can be circulated more widely than her speech and thereby give benefit to more people for longer periods of time. As such, The Book of Margery Kempe describes Margery’s pursuit of spirituality and transcendence of self-centered accumulation.