Aelfric and the Cult of Saints in Late Anglo-Saxon EnglandThe cult of saints was one of the most important aspects of life in the Middle Ages, and it often formed the nucleus of developing group identities in a town, a province or a country. The literature of Anglo-Saxon England is unique among contemporary European literatures in that it features a vast amount of saints' Lives in the vernacular. Of these Lives, Ælfric is the most important author, and his saints' Lives have never previously been explored in their contemporary setting. In this study, Gretsch analyses Ælfric's Lives of five important saints in the light of their cults in Anglo-Saxon England. This gives the reader fascinating glimpses of 'Ælfric at work': he adapts the cults and rewrites the received Latin hagiography of the five saints, with the result that each of their English Lives conveys a distinct message to the contemporary political elite and to a lay audience at large. |
Contents
Section 1 | 21 |
Section 2 | 25 |
Section 3 | 28 |
Section 4 | 32 |
Section 5 | 42 |
Section 6 | 46 |
Section 7 | 49 |
Section 8 | 51 |
Section 25 | 133 |
Section 26 | 136 |
Section 27 | 151 |
Section 28 | 155 |
Section 29 | 157 |
Section 30 | 162 |
Section 31 | 164 |
Section 32 | 169 |
Section 9 | 60 |
Section 10 | 62 |
Section 11 | 63 |
Section 12 | 65 |
Section 13 | 69 |
Section 14 | 75 |
Section 15 | 76 |
Section 16 | 80 |
Section 17 | 85 |
Section 18 | 88 |
Section 19 | 95 |
Section 20 | 101 |
Section 21 | 107 |
Section 22 | 110 |
Section 23 | 113 |
Section 24 | 127 |
Section 33 | 174 |
Section 34 | 178 |
Section 35 | 179 |
Section 36 | 180 |
Section 37 | 182 |
Section 38 | 184 |
Section 39 | 192 |
Section 40 | 197 |
Section 41 | 198 |
Section 42 | 211 |
Section 43 | 218 |
Section 44 | 219 |
Section 45 | 221 |
Section 46 | 223 |
Section 47 | 232 |
Section 48 | 243 |
Other editions - View all
Aelfric and the Cult of Saints in Late Anglo-Saxon England Mechthild Gretsch No preview available - 2009 |
Aelfric and the Cult of Saints in Late Anglo-Saxon England Mechthild Gretsch No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
addition Ælfric Æthelstan’s Æthelthryth Æthelwold Aldhelm Alfred Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon England apparently Bede Bede’s Benedictional Bishop brief calendars Canterbury Catholic Homilies century chapters church clear close Colgrave collection commemorated composed concerning contain copies Corpus cult Dialogi doubt early edition England episode Epitome especially established evidence example feast first followed further given Godden Gregory Gregory’s hagiography Historia hymn ibid important interest Keynes King Lantfred Lapidge late Latin letters lines litany Lives of Saints London manuscript mass metrical miracles monastery monastic monks narrative occurs Office Old English origin passage perhaps poem Pope possible Preface preserved presumably probably prose question reasons recent refers reform regard remark sanctorale seen sources St Cuthbert St Swithun story structure Swithun tenth century trans translation uita verse virginity Whitby Winchcombe Winchester written
Popular passages
Page 11 - A Testimonie of Antiquitie, shewing the auncient fayth in the Church of England touching the Sacrament of the body and bloude of the Lord, here publikely preached, and also receaued in the Saxons' tyme, aboue 600 yeares agoe. Imprinted at London by John Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S.
References to this book
The Church in the Early Middle Ages: The I.B.Tauris History of the Christian ... G.R. Evans No preview available - 2007 |