Hildegard was a remarkable woman in medieval Germany. A first in many fields for women, Hildegard von Bingen was a poet, artist, musician, playwright, writer, scientist, theologian, doctor of medicine, abbess, educator and philosopher[1]. She shows us that if you work hard, it is indeed possible to gain respect and power even in the Middle Ages which was very much a patriarchal society. As an example, when she was making the move to a separate house in Rupertsburg, she claimed that she was following God's order in making the move, she assumed a rigid position, lying on the ground like a rock, until the Abbott gave his permission for the move. The move was completed in 1150.[2]
Yes, Hildegard of Bingen is well known for her art, scientific and theological writings and songs, but in my opinion the biggest factor into her significance and success was her correspondence. She was writing with some of the most powerful and well known people of her time such as kings, popes, priests, emperors and monks (men, mostly). She would address issues within the church, philosophy, social justice, laws, and calling them out on what they were doing wrong- and what's most impressive is that they would actually listen to her. These highest ranked men would take in her advice, fix what they were doing wrong, and write back. This lead Hildegard to rise to a position of great influence especially in the catholic church, which is very impressive considering that the catholic church was pretty much like government now- there was no greater authority except for kings.
Hildegard of Bingen has made a very impressive reputation for herself in the modern era. She has become of interest first and foremost to feminist scholars, seeing that Hildegard granted herself authority to speak in a time and place when very little women were allowed a voice. Additionally, Hildegard has been known within the contemporary New Age movement mainly because of her natural and holistic views on healing and also her status as a mystic. Her name as a healer and a medicinal writer was used by people to advocate for women's rights to attend medical schools. June Boyce-Tillman's Hildegard Network is a healing center inspired by and named after Hildegard that focuses on "a holistic approach to wellness and brings together people interested in exploring the links between spirituality, the arts and healing" [3]. As for Hildegard's music, many artists have produced celebrated musical works directly linked to Hildegard's songs. She has a great influence on modern day Christian music. [3]
Bibliography
[1] Baker, Brittany. “Hildegard Von Bingen: Why Is She Important?” A Medieval Woman's Companion, 21 Feb. 2016,
amedievalwomanscompanion.com/hildegard-von-bingen-why-is-she-important/.
[2] Lewis, Jone Johnson. "Hildegard of Bingen." ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/hildegard-of-bingen-3529308 (accessed February 24, 2019).