SOURCE: "Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim," in Hrotsvitha: The Theatricality of Her Plays, Philosophical Library, 1960, pp. 62-84.

In the following excerpt, Butler presents an overview of Hroswitha's life and early writings, then outlines the significant sources, style, influences, and intent of her dramatic works.

The Woman and Nun

Most theatre historians admit that there is scant documentary evidence about Hrotsvitha's chronology and background. Three sources will be related here as representative of typical available data.

Magnin, relying on the Hildesheim Chronicles, Monumenta Germaniae Historica, and on the Anti-quitates Gandersheimenses of Leuckfeld volubly states:

Hrotsvitha informs us that she was born a long time after the death of Otto the Illustrious, Duke of Saxony, father of Henry the Fowler, which event [the death of Otto] occurred on November 30, 912. In another source (the preface of her poetic works) she says she was a little older than the daughter of Henry, Duke of...