Antwerp

The literary work Mariken van Nieumeghen, part of the Flemish Canon, takes place in various concrete locations that play an important role in the course of the story.

In Venlo, Mariken initially lives with her uncle Gijsbrecht, who is a priest. This is Mariken's safe haven before she is sent on her journey. Mariken is sent by her uncle to Nijmegen for errands. Here her trial begins, and she meets the devil in the city. After the events in Nijmegen, Mariken and the devil (Moenen) wander together for a time through, among other places, ’s-Hertogenbosch. However, this city is only briefly mentioned as a place where they stay.

Antwerp is the most important city in the story after Nijmegen, where Mariken and the devil live together for seven years. Antwerp is not only frequently mentioned in the story, but it was also the place where the oldest printed versions of the work have been found, making it symbolically relevant.

Pascal Brackman