This work offers an examination of religious texts written by 12 women over three centuries in two languages and three genres, showing the variety and complexity of gendered images available to medieval women. Moving beyond the categories of virgin, wife and widow, these religious texts created a spectrum of exemplary feminine life-paths based not on marital status, age, social rank or profession, but instead founded on biblical figures, monastic divisions of labour, expected saintly behaviours and even individual personality characteristics.