"Not an empty vessel": Paths of learning about illness and pain in the autobiographical work of Hilary Mantel

Experiences of illness and pain can affect all aspects of a person’s life, from the daily organisation of work and social relations to the perception of past and future to the control they can exert over their body. People who are ill and in pain must therefore learn not only what their condition is, but also how to manage it socially and how to navigate environments of care.
These issues are examined through three autobiographical pieces by Hilary Mantel, a renowned British novelist who, in a book and several shorter works, described her lifelong suffering with endometriosis migraine, and gout. The works illustrate the impact of the socio-cultural context, her autonomous search for knowledge, and the way in which the practice of writing supported her efforts toward self-reintegration. The analysis highlights themes related to health literacy, doctor-patient relations and different form of expressions that can support the witnessing and testimony of pain.