Gender, God, and G l ory
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Gender, God, and Glory Examining gender portrayals in Beowulf and Judith through a religious lens Sarah Perkins Camille Ward
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Sarah Perkins Camille Ward. Gender, God, and G l ory. Examining gender portrayals in Beowulf and Judith through a religious lens. Background. Both were included in the same 10 th Century Manuscript Both were by Christian authors Written within same historical and cultural context - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Gender, God, and G l ory
Gender, God, and GloryExamining gender portrayals in Beowulf and Judith through a religious lens
Sarah PerkinsCamille Ward
BackgroundBoth were included in the same 10th Century ManuscriptBoth were by Christian authorsWritten within same historical and cultural context“Females were to be protected, secured, bartered, and exchanged…Women warriors were titillating phantoms from a reimagined and very distant past.” (Bitel).
Thesis:
Although Judith and Grendel’s Mother embody similar
masculine qualities, their feminine characterization is nonetheless polarized. This polarization correlates with
their relationship to Christianity.
Feminine Qualities of Grendel’s Mother
“looks like a woman”- 1351Mother
Feminine Qualities of Judith
“elfin beauty” -14“illustrious maiden” -43“braided locks”, “adorned with bracelets, decorated with rings”-78, 36Always referred to as a woman or maidenUses powers of seduction
Masculine Qualities in Grendel’s Mother
• Follows Heroic TraditionExacts the blood-price
“driven to avenge her kinsman’s death” -1340“has taken up the feud” -1333
Exhibits strength“she rose quickly and retaliated,/grappled him tightly in her firm embrace.” -1541-42
PowerfulSolitary ruler of “her court”
• Fights with “bare-faced defiance”
Judith’s Masculine Qualities
• Killing of Holofernes -98-111Physical prowess and unflinching determinationGory descriptionDominant, acting character
• Heroic Tradition• “Judith had won illustrious glory/in the
battle”-122-123• Received armor as an award and “more
illustrious treasures than any man.” -129• “daring maiden”-134
Grendel’s Mother’s Connection to ChristianityAssociated with the Devil, she is called a
“demon” and a “monstrous hell-bride.”-1378,1259.
Subhuman: she “pounced” on her victims.
Descendant of Cain, who chose to serve the Devil over God.God was not on her side although she was avenging her son.
“Holy God decided the victory.”-1553
Judith’s Connection to Christianity
An Israelite woman with a relationship with God
“holy maiden,” “Lord’s woman.”
Attributes her victory to God“thanks to the Lord of hosts, who had given her…the reward of victory… because she possessed true faith in the Almighty.”
ConclusionGrendel’s Mother’s ambiguous gender traits correlate to her connection to fallen religious characters such as Cain.Judith’s femininity is accentuated by her relationship with God.Within this manuscript, a female can be a warrior, with masculine qualities, and still have a feminine portrayal only if she exhibits a strong connection to Christianity.
Questions?How does this reflect on other female characters within this historical era?Do you see examples of this outside of this era?
Sir Gawain?Wife of Bath?
Do we see this in modern society?
BibliographyBitel, Lisa M. Women in Early Medieval Europe 400-1100. Cambridge: Cambridge, UP. 2002.
