This thesis is comprised of ten Mormon women's miscarriage stories and it is their stories that are used as the text for my analysis. The purpose of the study is to provide a space for these women to share their experiences and to reveal their cultural values and beliefs. Because the women are all Mormon, there are some distinctive cultural and religious values that are shared within their stories and it is these aspects that are analyzed and discussed within the text.Women need to be able to share their miscarriage stories so as to alleviate feelings of isolation and grief. Many of the women in the interviews agreed that talking to others about their miscarriage helped them to feel less isolated and that they were not alone in their experience. Because there is no specific ritual in our society for miscarriage, women struggle to know how to deal with their grief. Again, being able to talk about their experience provides a "marker" to remember the pregnancy--to animate the invisible.A common response found with women who miscarry is a sense of guilt--guilt that they somehow caused the demise of the pregnancy by strenuous physical exercise, feelings of uncertainty about wanting the pregnancy or taking medications that could affect the baby. These feelings of guilt extended into religious issues as some of the women questioned whether the miscarriage was a result of their spiritual state or their relationship with God.The women also talk in detail about the actual physical occurrence of the miscarriage. Many described how they felt about their bodies during and after the miscarriage. There were feelings of embarrassment or weakness and they questioned why their body had reacted the way it did. Enabling the women to talk about their bodies in such an intimate and personal way can be empowering as well as an excellent means to educate the women's societies about the real physical and emotional effects of miscarriage.

The aims of this thesis are to illuminate the meaning of being cared for and treated by nurses and physicians, as narrated by psychiatric suicidal in-patients; the meaning of taking care of and treating patient at risk of committing suicide, as narrated by nurses and physicians; and the meaning of being met and having one’s suicidal relative taken care of by health personnel, as narrated by relatives. Narrative interviews were conducted with 42 adult patients at risk of committing suicide in an in-patient psychiatric unit, 19 RNs, 19 physicians, and 15 relatives at a hospital in Norway. The tape-recorded and transcribed interviews were interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic method. Nurses’ relations to patients at risk of committing suicide were illuminated via the dimension ‘Distance- Closeness’ (I). The relation of the suicidal patient to the nurses was illuminated via the dimension ‘Confirming- Lack of confirming’ (II). The relation of physicians to patients was illuminated via the dimension ‘Power to - Power over’. (III). The relation of suicidal patients to physicians was illuminated via the dimension ‘Participating approach-Observing approach’ (TV). Results from the relatives’ experiences of being met by health personnel of suicidal patients reveal that the context of being met was characterized by ‘being helpless-powerless’, and that the meaning of the experiences of ‘being met’ was reflected in six themes: ‘Being seen as a human being’; ‘Participating in an I-Thou relationship with personnel’; ‘Trusting personnel, treatment and care’; ‘Being trusted by personnel’; ‘Being consoled’; and ‘Entering into hope’ (V). The interpreted meanings of the experience of being cared for as a person at risk of committing suicide were illuminated as confirmation, communion, consolation and hope. Threaded through these meanings is the relation with self and others. Thus, the essence of the results that emerged from this study indicates the presence of a relational view of the care received by people at risk of committing suicide. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2001, härtill 5 uppsatser</p> / digitalisering@umu

Syftet med avhandlingen är att, ur ett vårdvetenskapligt, och ett i detta inkluderat vårdteologiskt perspektiv, belysa innebörden av fenomenet tröst och hur tröst förhåller sig till lidande och vård. Det görs i två empiriska intervjustudier med vårdare och äldre vårdtagare samt en tredje delstudie som analyserar tröst såsom den framstår i Jobs bok i Gamla testamentet. Dessa delstudier behandlar vårdares upplevelse av tröst och att trösta, äldre vårdtagares upplevelse av tröst samt Jobs upplevelse av tröst. Metodologiskt har forskningen sin utgångspunkt i fenomenologi och hermeneutik. En fenomenologisk-hermeneutisk metod, inspirerad av Paul Ricoeur, har använts för textanalyserna. I avhandlingen behandlas också det som är signifikant för poetisk och religiös text. De metaforer som förekommer i de empiriska delstudierna med vårdare och äldre analyseras för att ta tillvara det överskott av mening som metaforer, enligt Ricoeur, kan uttrycka. Resultatet visar fem övergripande innebörder: Den motsägelsefulla trösten, Den sammanbindande trösten, Den stumma trösten, Den okontrollerade trösten och Den vilsamma trösten. En vårdande tröst är motsägelsefull såtillvida att den innebär dels att den lidande överlämnar sitt lidande till någon annan, dels att lidandet kan ges tillbaka för att lidas. Tröst kan således vara att lida. En sammanbindande tröst är närvarande, d.v.s. är hos den lidande och utgår från dennes lidande. Denna tröst kännetecknas av djup gemenskap, en upplevelse av att vara förstådd på ett djupare sätt. Resultatet visar också en tröst som är stum. Denna tröst svarar inte an på den lidandes upplevelse av sitt lidande, är oformlig och saknar följsamhet för lidandet. Ett exempel på en stum och icke-vårdande tröst är vännernas tröst i Jobs bok. Denna tröst förmår inte trösta därför att den inte är där Job är, d.v.s. i hans upplevelse av sitt lidande. Vidare framstår en vårdande tröst som okontrollerad därför att den dels är spontan, dels bistår den lidande att släppa kontrollen över lidandet. Att släppa kontrollen innebär bl.a. att den lidande ger upp försöken att förstå lidandet för att istället låta det oförståeliga vara oförståeligt. Genom att ge upp det som på olika sätt binder lidandet infinner sig en tröstande och hälsobringande vila i eller från lidandekampen. Resultatet som helhet tolkas ur ett vårdvetenskapligt perspektiv som vårdgemenskap, tro, hälsa och offer. Tröst som hälsa förstås utifrån en teoretisk modell, inspirerad av Katie Erikssons ontologiska hälsomodell. Filosofiskt-etiskt belyses forskningen utifrån företrädesvis Emmanuel Levinas. Resultatet diskuteras i förhållande till tidigare forskning och i förhållande till vårdvetenskap, samhälle och vård. / The aim of the thesis is, from a caring science perspective including a caring theology perspective, to illustrate the meaning of the phenomenon consolation and how consolation relates to suffering and care. Two studies were completed where staff and elderly care receivers were interviewed and a third study focused on an analysis of consolation as it is presented in the Book of Job in the Old Testament. These studies deal with carers’ experiences of consolation and consoling, elderly care receivers’ experiences of consolation, and Job’s experience of consolation. Phenomenology and hermeneutics form the basis for the methodological approach. A phenomenological-hermeneutic method, inspired by Paul Ricoeur, has been used for the text analyses. The thesis also covers significant aspects of poetical and religious texts. The metaphors that occur in the interview studies with the carers and the elderly are analysed in order to take care of the excess of meaning that,according to Ricoeur, can be expressed in metaphors. The result show five overall meanings: The contradictory consolation, The bonding consolation, The mute and rigid consolation, The uncontrolled consolation and The restful consolation. A caring consolation is contradictory in the sense that it entails that the sufferer on the one hand passes on his or her suffering to someone else and on the other hand that the suffering can be returned to be suffered. Consolation can thus entail suffering. The bonding consolation is present, i.e. is with the sufferer and is based on that person’s suffering. This consolation is characterised by a close fellowship, a feeling of being understood at a deeper level. The results also reveal a consolation that is mute and rigid. This consolation does not respond to the sufferer’s experience of his or her suffering, is shapeless and therefore unable to follow the suffering. An example of a mute, rigid and non-caring consolation is the consolation of the friends in the Book of Job. This consolation is not capable of consoling because it does not correspond to where Job is, i.e. in his experience of his suffering. A caring consolation is also uncontrolled because it is on the one hand spontaneous and on the other hand helps the sufferer to lose control over the suffering. To lose control entails, amongst other things, the sufferer giving up trying to understand suffering and instead lets that which is incomprehensible be incomprehensible. A consoling and health-bringing rest in or from the struggle with suffering presents itself by giving up what in various ways is tied to the suffering. The result as a whole is interpreted from a caring science perspective with the following important concepts: caring relationship, faith, health and sacrifice. Consolation as health is considered on the basis of a theoretical model inspired by Katie Eriksson’s ontological health model. The research is also illustrated from a philosophical-ethical perspective, mainly based on the work of Emmanuel Levinas. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and also to caring science, society and care. / <p>With English summary</p>

Syftet med avhandlingen är att, ur ett vårdvetenskapligt, och ett i detta inkluderat vårdteologiskt per- spektiv, belysa innebörden av fenomenet tröst och hur tröst förhåller sig till lidande och vård. Det görs i två empiriska intervjustudier med vårdare och äldre vårdtagare samt en tredje delstudie som analyse- rar tröst såsom den framstår i Jobs bok i Gamla testamentet. Dessa delstudier behandlar vårdares upp- levelse av tröst och att trösta, äldre vårdtagares upplevelse av tröst samt Jobs upplevelse av tröst. Metodologiskt har forskningen sin utgångspunkt i fenomenologi och hermeneutik. En fenomenolo- gisk-hermeneutisk metod, inspirerad av Paul Ricoeur, har använts för textanalyserna. I avhandlingen behandlas också det som är signifikant för poetisk och religiös text. De metaforer som förekommer i de empiriska delstudierna med vårdare och äldre analyseras för att ta tillvara det överskott av mening som metaforer, enligt Ricoeur, kan uttrycka. Resultatet visar fem övergripande innebörder: Den motsägelsefulla trösten, Den sammanbindande trösten, Den stumma trösten, Den okontrollerade trösten och Den vilsamma trösten. En vårdande tröst är motsägelsefull såtillvida att den innebär dels att den lidande överlämnar sitt lidande till någon an- nan, dels att lidandet kan ges tillbaka för att lidas. Tröst kan således vara att lida. En sammanbindande tröst är närvarande, d.v.s. är hos den lidande och utgår från dennes lidande. Denna tröst kännetecknas av djup gemenskap, en upplevelse av att vara förstådd på ett djupare sätt. Resultatet visar också en tröst som är stum. Denna tröst svarar inte an på den lidandes upplevelse av sitt lidande, är oformlig och saknar följsamhet för lidandet. Ett exempel på en stum och icke-vårdande tröst är vännernas tröst i Jobs bok. Denna tröst förmår inte trösta därför att den inte är där Job är, d.v.s. i hans upplevelse av sitt lidande. Vidare framstår en vårdande tröst som okontrollerad därför att den dels är spontan, dels bistår den lidande att släppa kontrollen över lidandet. Att släppa kontrollen innebär bl.a. att den lidande ger upp försöken att förstå lidandet för att istället låta det oförståeliga vara oförståeligt. Genom att ge upp det som på olika sätt binder lidandet infinner sig en tröstande och hälsobringande vila i eller från li- dandekampen. Resultatet som helhet tolkas ur ett vårdvetenskapligt perspektiv som vårdgemenskap, tro, hälsa och offer. Tröst som hälsa förstås utifrån en teoretisk modell, inspirerad av Katie Erikssons ontologiska hälsomodell. Filosofiskt-etiskt belyses forskningen utifrån företrädesvis Emmanuel Levinas. Resultatet diskuteras i förhållande till tidigare forskning och i förhållande till vårdvetenskap, samhälle och vård. / The aim of the thesis is, from a caring science perspective including a caring theology perspective, to illustrate the meaning of the phenomenon consolation and how consolation relates to suffering and care. Two studies were completed where staff and elderly care receivers were interviewed and a third study focused on an analysis of consolation as it is presented in the Book of Job in the Old Testament. These studies deal with carers’ experiences of consolation and consoling, elderly care receivers’ ex- periences of consolation, and Job’s experience of consolation. Phenomenology and hermeneutics form the basis for the methodological approach. A phenomenologi- cal-hermeneutic method, inspired by Paul Ricoeur, has been used for the text analyses. The thesis also covers significant aspects of poetical and religious texts. The metaphors that occur in the interview studies with the carers and the elderly are analysed in order to take care of the excess of meaning that, according to Ricoeur, can be expressed in metaphors. The result show five overall meanings: The contradictory consolation, The bonding consolation, The mute and rigid consolation, The uncontrolled consolation and The restful consolation. A caring conso- lation is contradictory in the sense that it entails that the sufferer on the one hand passes on his or her suffering to someone else and on the other hand that the suffering can be returned to be suffered. Con- solation can thus entail suffering. The bonding consolation is present, i.e. is with the sufferer and is based on that person’s suffering. This consolation is characterised by a close fellowship, a feeling of being understood at a deeper level. The results also reveal a consolation that is mute and rigid. This consolation does not respond to the sufferer’s experience of his or her suffering, is shapeless and therefore unable to follow the suffering. An example of a mute, rigid and non-caring consolation is the consolation of the friends in the Book of Job. This consolation is not capable of consoling because it does not correspond to where Job is, i.e. in his experience of his suffering. A caring consolation is also uncontrolled because it is on the one hand spontaneous and on the other hand helps the sufferer to lose control over the suffering. To lose control entails, amongst other things, the sufferer giving up trying to understand suffering and instead lets that which is incomprehensible be incomprehensible. A con- soling and health-bringing rest in or from the struggle with suffering presents itself by giving up what in various ways is tied to the suffering. The result as a whole is interpreted from a caring science perspective with the following important concepts: caring relationship, faith, health and sacrifice. Consolation as health is considered on the basis of a theoretical model inspired by Katie Eriksson’s ontological health model. The research is also illustrated from a philosophical-ethical perspective, mainly based on the work of Emmanuel Levinas. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research and also to caring science, society and care. / <p>The theis also includes 10 pages summary in Enligh, p. 153-163.</p>

PhD (Psychology) / Department of Psychology

Syftet med detta arbete är att utforska betydelsen av musik vid avsked hos sörjande människor. Internationell och skandinavisk forskning inom närliggande områden har i större utsträckning beaktat musikens terapeutiska och psykologiska roll. I Sverige saknas i stort sett forskning inom detta ämne. Studien är av kvalitativ art där narrativ analyseras utifrån ett hermeneutiskt perspektiv och det empiriska underlaget i uppsatsen består av 12 livsberättelser av efterlevande i sorgegrupper. De berättar om sorg och förlust samt på vilka sätt de relaterar till musik i samband med begravningen och vidare under den efterföljande sorgeprocessen. Av intervjuerna i semistrukturerad form framkom ett material som presenteras i resultatkapitlet. Musikens roll vid rituella avsked har förändrats idag. Anhöriga är mer delaktiga än tidigare. Musik väljs utifrån personliga kriterier. Musik som förknippas med positiva minnen tillsammans med den anhörige kan ge en upplevelse av igenkänning. Att använda musikterapi under sorgeprocessen eller att lyssna på egenvald musik kan vara ett kraftfullt redskap som förmedlar hopp och tröst till sörjande människor. / The aim of this study is to examine the role of music at the condolence in the grieving persons. In related areas, international and Scandinavian research have explored the therapeutic and psychological role of music. This topic has been missing in earlier Swedish research. The study has a qualitative approach and the analytical prism used for the semi-structured interviews was informed by a hermeneutic method. The empirical basis of the essay is based on 12 life stories of survivors participating in grief support groups. The interviews talk about grief and loss and the ways in which they relate to music at the funeral and during the grieving process. The material which emerged from the interviews in semi-structured form is presented in the results section. The role of music in the ritual condolences has changed. Relatives are now more involved in choosing music than in the past. Music is selected based on personal criteria. Music associated with positive memories of the loved one can convey emotions of recognition. Music therapy during the grieving process, or listen to music of own choice, may act as a spiritual force that gives hope and consolation to the grieving persons.

[pt] O discernimento é uma dimensão intrínseca à vida cristã. No contato com textos bíblicos podemos atestá-la desde os profetas passando por Jesus, Paulo e João. O discernimento nos insere numa vida de fé dinâmica, constantemente interpelada pela ação do Espírito Santo. Essas interpelações devem nos levar a atitudes concretas, onde o ser humano investe sua liberdade no projeto salvífico de Deus. Nessa dissertação propomos uma compreensão dessa realidade a partir da ótica de Inácio de Loyola, o que representa o modo como ele buscou captar e interpretar a vontade de Deus em sua vida e de como este modo proporciona mais qualidade no seguimento a Jesus Cristo. A marca da sua espiritualidade é o discernimento, o qual é baseado na sua forte experiência de Deus. Inácio enfatiza que Deus se faz ouvir e compreender nos condicionamentos humanos de cada época, nas experiências mais cotidianas; pode ser buscado e encontrado em todas as coisas. Neste panorama, ele resgata a dimensão pessoal da vida cristã, ao mesmo tempo em que proporciona uma unidade antropológica. Pois fala de um estar atento aos movimentos interiores (moções) de consolação e desolação, fazendo disso critério de discernimento. Mais, o discernimento inaciano restaura a liberdade e a responsabilidade na vida cristã, ao admitir que a busca e o encontro da vontade de Deus na vida de cada um cabe à pessoa. Esse traço do discernimento inaciano desemboca numa abertura mais confiante à ação do Espírito Santo e numa vida com mais sentido. / [en] Discernment is an intrinsic dimension of the Christian life. In contact with biblical texts, we can attest it from the prophets through Jesus, Paul and John. Discernment inserts us into a life of dynamic faith, constantly challenged by the action of the Holy Spirit. These challenges should lead us to concrete actions in which the human being invests his freedom into the salvific plan of God. In this thesis, we propose a comprehension of this reality from the perspective of Ignatius of Loyola, which represents the way how he sought to capture and interpret the will of God, and how this provides better quality in the following of Jesus Christ. The mark of Ignatius spirituality is discernment, which is based on his strong experience of God. Ignatius emphasizes that God is heard and understood from the human conditioning of each epoch, from the most everyday experiences; God can be sought and found in all things. Ignatius rescues the personal dimension of Christian life while providing an anthropological unit since he speaks about being aware of the inner movements (motions) of consolation and desolation, making of these the criterion of discernment. Further, ignatian discernment restores freedom and responsibility in the Christian life, since he admits that the search and the meeting of the will of God is up to each person. This feature of the discernment ends in an opening confident to the Holy Spirit and in a more meaningful life.

Parcelling was a land divison institution that was used intensively in Sweden during the years 1827-1928. The parcelling consisted of one person selling a certain, decided piece of land to another. The deal was sealed with a simple contract. Whilst the seller was a member of the villages commonities and his land was assigned a quantity in the village, and he was bound to pay tax responding to that quantity, the sold parcel was not. In order not to reduce the land owners taxability, the buyer was therefore required to pay an annual fee to the seller. This fee was to be approved by the county administration, and the buyer also had to apply for Title Deed to have the transfer approved. These approvals were for a long time the only points of control toward parcelling. Involvement of a land surveyor was not a required part of the parcelling process until year 1918. Parcelling was terminated in 1928, but the parcels created before then are independent real estate units just like any other. This means that they sometimes are affected by land regulations and surveys just like any other real estate. When investigating the contents of these parcels the contract, past claims and other factors shall be used, to search out the initial purpose of the transfer. The contract that seller and buyer signed is the main source of evidence. Unfortunately, the contracts do not always answer the questions that may arise over time. Maps were not always made, and even when they were, they might have disappeared over time or simply be unspecific. What then remains are past claims and other circumstances to provide clues about what the purpose may once have been. The questions that arise when a parcel is to be investigated often concern its borders, wether water was included, fishing rights as well as other rights and commonities. The issue of water for these parcels has been particularly contentious. Legal practice has concluded that there are no presumptions, although such have been suggested and sometimes applied. There are however a number of scenarios where water and fishing in principle can be considered to have been part of the transfer. / Denna rapport redovisar ett examensarbete som syftat till att genom en litteraturstudie kart-lägga ett äldre jorddelningsinstitut, jordavsöndring. Jordavsöndring var ett jorddelningsinstitut, som fanns i svensk lagstiftning åren 1827-1928. Innan dess förekom också jorddelning som liknade jordavsöndring, men det var i allmänhet förbjudet att dela jord eftersom staten var beroende av skatteintäkter från jordägarna. Jordavsöndring gick, något generaliserat, till så att en person genom ett avtal sålde ett bestämt markområde till en annan. Med detta markområde – avsöndringslägenheten, jordavsöndring-en, avsöndringslotten – följde inte något mantal i byn och heller ingen skattskyldighet. För att inte minska skattekraften i stamfastigheten var köparen skyldig att betala en årlig avgift till säljaren. Den här avgiften skulle godkännas av länsstyrelsen, och köparen skulle söka lagfart för att få överlåtelsen godkänd. Dessa godkännanden var länge den enda kontrollen som gjordes vid avsöndring. Lantmätares inblandning blev inte en nödvändig del i avsöndringsprocessen för-rän år 1918. Jordavsöndringsinstitutet togs bort 1928, men fastigheter som avsöndrats innan dess är själv-ständiga fastigheter som alla andra. Det innebär att de blir berörda av lantmäteriförrättningar precis som alla andra fastigheter ibland blir. Vid bestämning av gränser till en avsöndrad fastighet ska överlåtelsehandlingar, innehav, och andra omständigheter användas för att söka syftet med avsöndringen. Det avtal som säljare och köpare tecknade är den viktigaste beviskällan när man ska utreda vad som ingår i en av-söndrad fastighet. Tyvärr erbjuder avtalen inte alltid svar på de frågor som kan uppstå med tiden. Kartor har inte alltid upprättats, och även när de har upprättats så är de inte alltid till hjälp. Kvar står sedan innehav och andra omständigheter att ge ledtrådar om vad syftet en gång kan ha varit. De frågetecken som uppstår när en avsöndring ska utredas rör ofta gränser, vattenområden och rätt till fiske samt rättigheter och samfälligheter. Frågan om vattenområdens tillhörighet för avsöndringar har varit särskilt omtvistad. Praxis har utvecklats till att det inte finns någon presumtionsregel, även om det har varit på förslag och i perioder har tillämpats. Det finns ett antal typfall där vatten och fiske principiellt kan anses ha ingått vid avsöndring.

German text / Die vorliegende Arbeit setzt sich mit der zentralen Leidensthematik des Ersten Petrusbriefes auseinander. Einer vorläufigen Betrachtung der Entwicklung und des Gebrauchs des zentralen Leidens- Begriffs folgt die ausführliche Untersuchung und Darstellung der Urheber des Leidens und der Ursachen und Gründe für rechtes und falsches Leiden. Es folgt unter Berücksichtigung einiger kulturanthropologischer Einsichten und moderner psychologischer Analysen bezüglich der Wirkung von verbaler Gewalt eine Betrachtung der Arten und Formen des Leidens sowie der Begründungen und Ziele des Leiden. Der zweite Hauptteil untersucht Verhaltensanweisungen, Trost und Anleitung zur Leidensbewältigung, die der Verfasser seinen Empfängern zukommen lässt. Dabei wird zum einen ein Vergleich zwischen den Aussagen des Ersten Petrusbriefs und der antiken Konsolationsliteratur vorgenommen, zum anderen zwischen den vorgeschlagenen Bewältigungsstrategien des Briefes und den Strategien der modernen Sozialpsychologie zum hilfreichen Umgang mit Diskriminierung und Verfolgung. Abschließend werden die zentralen Beobachtungen zusammengefasst. / This dissertation addresses the central theme of suffering in the First Epistle of Peter. After a detailed survey of research, it begins with an examination of the development and use of the terminology for suffering. This is followed by a thorough examination of the origin of suffering and the causes and reasons for right and false suffering. Careful attention to Greek lexicography and grammar is combined with rhetorical criticism. Analysis of both the forms of suffering and the reasons and purposes of suffering is combined with insights from cultural anthropology and modern studies of the effects of verbal violence. The second main part examines the behavioural instructions, comfort and ways of coping with suffering. Furthermore, 1 Peter is compared with the comfort given in various ancient consolation literatures. In addition, the strategies for coping with discrimination and suffering in 1 Peter are compared to insights from modern social psychology. A concluding chapter summarises the results and reflects on their present-day significance. / New Testament / M. Th. (New Testament)

Medieval rhetoric, as a field and as a subject, has largely been under-developed and under-emphasized within medieval and rhetorical studies for several reasons: the disconnect between Germanic, Anglo-Saxon society and the Greco-Roman tradition that defined rhetoric as an art; the problems associated with translating the Old and Middle English vernacular in light of rhetorical and, thereby, Greco-Latin precepts; and the complexities of the medieval period itself with the lack of surviving manuscripts, often indistinct and inconsistent political and legal structure, and widespread interspersion and interpolation of Christian doctrine. However, it was Christianity and its governance of medieval culture that preserved classical rhetoric within the medieval period through reliance upon a classic epideictic platform, which, in turn, became the foundation for early medieval rhetoric. The role of epideictic rhetoric itself is often undervalued within the rhetorical tradition because it appears too basic or less essential than the judicial or deliberative branches for in-depth study and analysis. Closer inspection of this branch reveals that epideictic rhetoric contains fundamental elements of human communication with the focus upon praise and blame and upon appropriate thought and behavior. In analyzing the medieval world’s heritage and knowledge of the Greco-Roman tradition, epideictic rhetoric’s role within the writings and lives of Greek and Roman philosophers, and the popular Christian writings of the medieval period – such as Alfred’s translation of Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, Alfred’s translation of Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care, Ælfric’s Lives of Saints, Ælfric’s Catholic Homilies, Wulfstan’s Sermo Lupi ad Anglos, and the anonymously written Vercelli and Blickling homiles – an early medieval rhetoric begins to be revealed. This Old English rhetoric rests upon a blended epideictic structure based largely upon the encomium and vituperation formats of the ancient progymnasmata, with some additions from the chreia and commonplace exercises, to form a unique rhetoric of the soul that aimed to convert words into moral thought and action within the lives of every individual. Unlike its classical predecessors, medieval rhetoric did not argue, refute, or prove; it did not rely solely on either praise or blame; and it did not cultivate words merely for intellectual, educative, or political purposes. Instead, early medieval rhetoric placed the power of words in the hands of all humanity, inspiring every individual to greater discernment of character and reality, greater spirituality, greater morality, and greater pragmatism in daily life.