ABSTRACT
Widows, in early modern Europe, served as sites of memory in two important ways: as custodians of property and wealth, which was passed from generation to generation; and as active participants in the ritual performance of remembering, through which they constructed, preserved and transmitted their own social identities as well as those of their husbands and families. The widow's role in actively shaping remembrance can be most clearly seen in her participation in the rites of death and burial for her spouse, which served to create a memory of his 'good death' within the memento mori tradition. The dying were, thereby, led to depend on those in attendance to participate in making the death a 'good' one because, it was acknowledged, the duty of enacting a model deathbed performance was a fearful burden for a person already plagued by anguish and pain.
