A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. Harper Collins. ISBN 0064405842.
B. SUMMARY
Catherine, Called Birdy is a historical novel set in Medieval England in the year 1290, and is written in the form of diary entries. Catherine aka Birdy, who is fourteen-years-old, is the daughter of Lord Rollo and Lady Aislinn, and sister to Thomas, Edward, and Robert. She lives in a manor house, and begins the diary upon the prompting of her favorite brother Edward, who is a monk at an abbey.
The diary contains Catherine’s entries of a year in her life which is filled with rich details of life in medieval England. It begins on the 19th of September, 1290 and Catherine writes on the leftover skins from the household accounts. She writes that she is the daughter of a country knight with ten servants and seventy villagers. Catherine’s intense dislike of her father is evidenced throughout the diary. She also laments her situation as a girl with limited prospects. All she does on a daily basis is sew, hem, brew, nurse, and count linen, activities which she does not care for. Instead, she daydreams about going off to fight in the Crusades and lead an adventurous life, like some of her brothers and uncle Robert. She also finds herself in a predicament as her father keeps trying to marry her off to a series of incompatible suitors, finally betrothing her to a vile old man whom she calls Shaggy Beard.
Catherine tries to find a way to avoid her fate but finds there is little recourse or means of escape. Fortunately, fate is kind to Catherine and she finds a glimmer of hope at the end.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Catherine is a complex and multi-dimensional character who is well-delineated. Contrary to the times she lived in, where women were considered no more than chattel to be bartered at will, Catherine is presented as a strong-willed and opinionated young woman. Her nickname is apt considering she is like a little bird that struggles valiantly to be free from the strictures of her life. The feelings that Catherine expresses through her diary entries are typical for an adolescent dealing with difficult issues, and though the setting of the story is medieval England, these feelings are relevant in today’s context and are feelings many adolescents will identify with.
Even though the story is written in the form of diary entries, the epistolary format works in favor of the novel as there is an abundance of details which provide the reader with information about life in medieval England. For example, the status of women is portrayed as lowly and subject to the dictates of men (Catherine has to marry whomever her father chooses with no choice in the matter); high born women are trained to manage a household and indulge in monotonous activities such as sewing and hemming (which Catherine abhors), and there are also descriptions of daily activities such as making soap from goose-fat (which is described as foul-smelling). Conditions in medieval England are described as filthy, even in a manor house such as the one Catherine resides in. She describes killing fleas as if it were a common activity in her daily life, and there are many other details provided in the diary entries that convey a dirty environment lacking in hygiene. All of these details are period-authentic as such was the life in medieval England and the author weaves these period details credibly into the novel.
The themes of women’s rights, adolescence and freedom are well-explored in this novel and though the setting is medieval England, Catherine’s plight will resonate with adolescents today as they too struggle to find their “voice” and be independent. The author’s writing style is witty and engaging with the main character using interesting and often funny phrases to convey how she is feeling, such as “Corpus Bones!” as an expression of frustration. Catherine is a young woman ahead of her time and a character many adolescents will identify with.
D. AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPT (S)
Newbery Honor (1995)
Publishers Weekly: “The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy’s yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden. Her tenacity and ebullient naivete are extraordinary; at once comic and thought-provoking, this first novel is a delight.”
School Library Journal: “The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive, scathing, and often raucously funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. A delightful, rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice.”
E. CONNECTIONS
*This novel can be used as part of a Language Arts unit where students can be asked to write about their own daily life and experiences, over a period of a few months, and describe events and details that mirror society in present times, just as Catherine did in her diary about life in medieval England. This would enable students to make connections between the past and the present.
*The novel can also be used as part of a Social Studies or History unit on medieval England. Students can be encouraged to gather and compile information on different aspects of medieval England such as daily activities, law and order, the way society was structured, the rights of women, etc.
*As a further extension, students can be asked to present a creative project on medieval England such as a travel pamphlet, a diorama, a piece of verse or prose, etc.
*Several other works on medieval England which can be explored are:
Cushman, Karen. 1996. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. Harper Collins. ISBN 006440630X.
Morley, Jacqueline. 2008. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE IN A MEDIEVAL CASTLE! Ill. by David Antram. Franklin Watts. ISBN 0531219135
Aliki. 1986. A MEDIEVAL FEAST. Harper Collins. ISBN 0064460509.
Skurzynski, Gloria. 2004. MINSTREL IN THE TOWER. Random House. ISBN 0394895983.
Platt, Richard. 2003. CASTLE DIARY: THE JOURNAL OF TOBIAS BURGESS. Candlewick. ISBN 0763621641.
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