Throughout the Middle Ages, women had a life that was totally dominated by the male members of the family. They were expected to be very submissive and instantly obey not only their fathers and husbands, but other male members as well. Any kind of "disobedience" was seen as a crime against the church and domestic violence was accepted as a way of beating an unruly girl into submission. Not only were they expected to be obedient, they were also expected to marry very young and to have large families. The exception of this life was one of a nun; who was given to a church at an early age to devote her life totally to God. One such prolific nun, writer and composer of the Middle Ages was Hildegard von Bingen who, despite the heavy patriarchal times, became very respected and well known by many.
