Lady Godiva

Godiva (sometimes Godgifu) (c. 990? – September 10, 1067) was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman, who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England in order to gain a remission of the oppressive toll imposed by her husband on his tenants.

Legend

According to the story, Lady Godiva was the beautiful wife of Leofric III (968 – 1057), Earl of Mercia and lord of Coventry. The people of that city were suffering grievously under the earl's oppressive taxation. Lady Godiva appealed again and again to her husband, who obstinately refused to remit the tolls. At last, weary of her entreaties, he said he would grant her request if she would ride naked through the streets of the town. Lady Godiva took him at his word, and after issuing a proclamation that all persons should keep within doors or shut their windows, she rode through, clothed only in her long hair. One person disobeyed her proclamation, a tailor, ever afterwards known as Peeping Tom. He bored a hole in his shutters that he might see Godiva pass and is said to have been struck blind. Her husband kept his word and abolished the onerous taxes.

The oldest form of the legend has Godiva passing through Coventry market from one end to the other while the people were assembled, attended only by two female (clothed) riders. This version is given in Flores Historiarum by Roger of Wendover (died 1236), a somewhat gullible collector of anecdotes, who quoted from an earlier writer. The still later story, with its episode of Peeping Tom, appeared first among 17th century chroniclers. Whether the Lady Godiva of this story is the Godiva or Godgifu ("gift of God") of history is undecided.

Roger of Wendover may not have understood the power and rights of women in preconquest England. Godiva belonged to the second-wealthiest family in Britain at the time—second only to the Godwins—and she ruled Coventry in her own right at the time of the Domesday Book. Though she may have inherited the land from her husband, she did own her land herself. Some scholars speculate that she was also the harsh landlady.

It was customary at that time for penitents to make a public procession in only their shift—a sleeveless white garment similar to a slip today, and one which was certainly considered "underwear". Godiva may have repented of her harshness, traveled through town as a penitent, her people witnessing their feared landlady humilated in her shift. Thus, scholars speculate, Godiva's story may have passed into folk history to be recorded in a rather, but not substantially, romanticized version.

The claim that Godiva's long hair effectively hid her from sight is generally believed, like the story of Peeping Tom, to have been a later addition, but compare Rapunzel. Certain other thematic elements are familiar in myth and fable: the resistant Lord (Esther and Ahasuerus), the exacted promise, the stringent condition, the test of chastity. Even if Peeping Tom is a late addition, his being struck blind demonstrates the closely knit themes of the violated Mystery and the punished intruder (compare Diana and Actaeon).

It is also thought that Lady Godiva's "nakedness" may well refer to her riding through the streets stripped of her jewelery & trademark of her upper class rank.

Historical corroboration

Nevertheless, the fact that a lady of this name existed in the early part of the 11th century is certain, as evidenced by several ancient documents, such as the Stow charter, the Spalding charter, and the Domesday survey, though the spelling of the name varies considerably. It would appear from the chronicles of Ely, Liber Eliensis (end of 12th century), that she was a widow when Leofric married her in 1040. In or about that year she aided in the founding of a monastery at Stow, Lincolnshire. In 1043 she persuaded her husband to build and endow a Benedictine monastery at Coventry. Her mark, "di Ego Godiva Comitissa diu istud desideravi", was found on the charter given by her brother, Thorold of Bucknall, sheriff of Lincolnshire, to the Benedictine monastery of Spalding; and she is commemorated as benefactress of other monasteries at Leominster, Chester, Wenlock, Worcester, and Evesham. She is mentioned in the Domesday survey of 1085, as one of the few Anglo-Saxons to retain land after the conquest, and the only woman mentioned as a landholder. She probably died a few years later and was buried in one of the porches of the abbey church. Dugdale (1656) says that a window, with representations of Leofric and Godiva, was placed in Trinity Church, Coventry, about the time of Richard II.

The Godiva procession—a commemoration of the legendary ride instituted on May 31, 1678, as part of Coventry fair—was celebrated at intervals until 1826. From 1848 to 1887 it was revived, and continued into the 21st century.

The wooden effigy of Peeping Tom which, since 1812, has looked out on the world from a house at the northwest corner of Hertford Street, Coventry, represents a man in armour, and was probably an image of Saint George. It was removed from another part of the town to its present position.

From the mid 1980s a Coventry resident, Pru Porretta, has adopted a Lady Godiva role to promote community events and good works in the city. In 1999 Coventry councillors considered eliminating Poretta's character from the city's public identity. As of 2005 Porretta retains the status of Coventry's unofficial ambassador.

Popular culture

Godiva was immortalized anew in the poem Godiva by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Engineering mascot

In many university engineering faculties, military engineering corps, and other engineering organizations, Lady Godiva is regarded as a mascot, and called the "Patron Saint of Engineers" or "Goddess of Engineering". The origin is unclear, although it probably developed in Britain where several early engineering schools were founded during the industrial revolution. The practice migrated to North America through Canadian schools such as the University of Toronto, which today holds an annual "Godiva Week" as a Hell week for incoming freshman. By the mid-20th century it was well established in the United States.

One tradition associated with this is drinking songs which make reference to Lady Godiva, particularly Godiva's Hymn. Historically, certain college organizations staged an annual "Godiva Ride" where a naked female (or a costumed male) rode a horse across campus. This practice has declined with the advent of modern feminist attitudes and the École Polytechnique Massacre.

Music

Several popular songs make contemporary usage of the Lady Godiva image. These include The Velvet Underground's "Lady Godiva's Operation" on their 1968 LP White Light/White Heat, referring to a transwoman who dies at the hands of her surgeons during a sexual reassignment gone wrong. Peter and Gordon's "Lady Godiva" (1966) is about a woman who becomes involved in a burlesque show. Lady Godiva is also mentioned in the rock band Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now", from their 1978 album Jazz: "I'm a racing car / Passing by like Lady Godiva / I'm gonna go go go / There's no stopping me." Grant Lee Buffalo wrote a song entitled 'Lady Godiva and Me' , including references to Peeping Tom, which featured on their 1994 album Mighty Joe Moon. She is also the title character in the Simply Red song 'Lady Godivas' Room', although this song does not refer to the legendary character other than as part of the title. She is also mentioned in the Peter Gabriel song "Modern Love" off his self-titled first album: "for lady godiva i came incognito, but her driver had stolen her red hot magneto."

Television

• One reference to Lady Godiva on television is in the Charmed episode "The Bare Witch Project" [Season 7, Episode 2] where one of the students in Magic School accidentally conjured Lady Godiva along with Lord Dyson out of a history book.
• In an episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army, women in the town compete for the part of Lady Godiva in a recreation the town stages.
• Lady Godiva is referenced in the theme song of 70s TV show Maude.

Film

From the movie Tillie and Gus (1933)

Tom (Clifford Jones): That ferryboat race was the world's biggest gamble!

Gus (W.C. Fields): Well, don't forget... Lady Godiva put everything she had on a horse!