The Bormliza: Maltese Folksong Style and Women

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, a general attitude toward the status of women may be discerned only if one accepts a normalized statement. Generally, virtue of women tends to be treasured and guarded, while sexual activity outside strict bounds is disdained. The nature of that disdain and its extent have not yet been fully investigated. Direct comments on the social position and status of women are absent from all our sources, as is discussion of women aberrant from cultural norms. Therefore, it will be necessary to direct our remarks exclusively to Malta, without attempting to extend our conclusions to other parts of the Mediterranean.