Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Berlin.

Thesis (doctoral)--Friedrich-Alexander-Universität zu Erlangen.

This dissertation examines the representation of ascetic renunciation in early modern drama, focusing in particular on the way asceticism functions as a tool of political agency. This study argues that the act of renunciation is essentially performative and public, directed outward to an audience whose responses the performer hopes to shape or direct. The specific political significance of ascetic acts varies according to the status and social position of those who perform and receive them, potentially functioning as a discourse both of resistance and of control. In early modern England, traditional asceticism's association with heterodox catholicism lent it an extra-normative and subversive quality that found utility in acts of resistance. However, ascetic or renunciatory discourse could also be utilized in the exercise of power by monarchs, both as a discourse of legitimation and as an act of public image construction. To help explain this flexibility, this study utilizes the sociolinguistic theories of M.M. Bakhtin, V.N. Voloshinov, and Pierre Bourdieu, all of whom offer models for interpreting language in shifting contexts and across discursive fields. The introduction defines asceticism as performative and potentially political, before tracing some of the relevant historical developments of asceticism from the Middle Ages to the sixteenth century. Chapter One analyzes the representation of asceticism in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, focusing in particular on the character of Isabella, whose celibate vows place her in conflict with mechanisms of power. Chapter Two examines the literary representation of asceticism in both medieval and early modern contexts by reading Shakespeare and Fletcher's The Two Noble Kinsmen in relation to its Chaucerian source material, The Knight's Tale. Chapter Three shifts to an examination of ascetic postures and discourse by monarchs, considering first The Escorial, Philip II's monastic palace, and then moving to a reading of Elizabeth I's translation of the renunciatory Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. Chapter Four further pursues this intersection of kingship and asceticism with an analysis of ascetic discourse in Shakespeare's Henry V. The conclusion considers areas for further analysis of asceticism in early modern literature, including revenge tragedy and Milton's Paradise Lost.

This study of renunciation and self-realization examines four of Henry James's novels which have been selected for the centrality of this theme. Following James's failure as a dramatist, in the novels of the major phase, from 1897 on, the theme of renunciation becomes primary as James's work achieves psychological and stylistic maturity. In addition Henry James's letters, notebooks, and prefaces will be used to indicate his attitudes concerning renunciation.

Note:

[pt] A renúncia é tema clássico e, portanto recorrente nos estudos sócioantropológicos. O objetivo deste trabalho é mapear as especificidades de um renunciante modelar brasileiro. O trabalho propõe-se utilizar as duas versões da biografia de Antonio Vicente Mendes Maciel, aquele que ficou conhecido na história do conflito de Canudos como Antonio Conselheiro, ambas transcritas na obra clássica de Euclides da Cunha, Os sertões. Nosso alvo é contrastar as duas versões no intuito de discutir em detalhe as dimensões sociais e ideológicas que a sociedade local ressalta para que um dos seus membros seja obrigado a abandoná-la, transformando-se num ser individualizado: num indivíduo fora-do-mundo. Uma entidade sociológica que, como renunciador, morre socialmente para sua sociedade, mas renasce numa coletividade marginal e paralela. / [en] Renounce is a classical theme and therefore a recurrent subject in social and anthropological studies. The purpose of this work is to map the specificities of a Brazilian standard renouncer. The research aims to use two versions of Antonio Vicente Mendes Maciel´s biography, who became famous in the history War of Canudos (1896-1897) as Antonio Conselheiro, both transcribed in Euclides da Cunha´s classical work, Os Sertões. Our purpose is to contrast the two versions in order to discuss, in details, the social and ideological dimensions emphasized by local society so that one of his members is obliged to abandon it, transforming himself in one individualized being: an out of world individual. A sociological entity that, as a renouncer, dies sociologically for it, but establishes a new marginal and parallel collectivity.

This study brings excerpts from the Acts of Thomas (Act 1.11-16 and Act 3.30-33) together with two Buddhist jātakas (Udaya Jātaka - #458 and Visavanta Jātaka -#69) to consider how stories might have been transmitted in the early centuries of the common era in a milieu of mercantile exchange on the Indian Ocean. The Acts of Thomas is a 3rd century CE Syriac Christian text concerned with the apostle Thomas proselytizing in India. The jātakas are popular didactic narratives with a pronounced oral dimension that purport to be accounts of the Buddha’s previous lives. Syriac Christians possessed knowledge about Indian religious practices linked to renunciation, and it is plausible that they adapted Buddhist jātakas to convey Christian ideas in the account of Thomas journeying to India and converting people there. Epigraphic evidence from the western Deccan in India attests to yavana, or Greek, patronage of Buddhist institutions in cosmopolitan settings where ideas and commodities circulated. Against the grain in scholarship on early Christianity that tends to privilege Latin and Greek sources, this project moves the lens of analysis eastward to consider Indian influence on early Christianity as expressed in the Acts of Thomas. A literary comparison of the texts under consideration with reference to the historical and cultural context of exchange reveals similar models of renunciant practices in Buddhism and Christianity that establishes new grounds for consideration of interconnectivity across ‘East’ and ‘West.’ / Religion

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:19:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 KellenAraujo.pdf: 1529695 bytes, checksum: 095167119ba0c9624180097471cad0ce (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The purpose of this research is to analyze the work the Acts of Paul and Thecla, focusing on the importance of sexual abstinence for womens leadership. A topic that was essential for women to conquer their space and power in society and this way get to make their voice heard, even though not as considerable. By examining the Apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, its main characteristics and composition can be observed, also with its origin and interpretation by communities and leaders in the beginning of Christianity. Sought to portray this research, justifying the Greek romance, presenting their similarities with the Acts of Paul and Thecla and thus highlight the influence of Greek writing on the apocryphal text in its way of structuring. It was presented the definitions of sexual abstinence, leadership and martyrdom always stressing themes with the figure of the woman, addressing the issue of the body and society and demonstrating how these themes inspired speeches in early Christianity. Referring to the writings of Acts Apocrypha, we present the origin of communities of celibate women who influenced the writing of texts, reporting why the Acts were written and how they were disseminated in other communities. About martyrdom it was described its origins and how Christians saw in this action an approach to God and how martyrdom prepared Theclas life to become an agent of Gods word. / O propósito desta pesquisa é analisar a obra os Atos de Paulo e Tecla, focando na importância da renúncia sexual para a liderança da mulher. Tema este que se tornou fundamental para que as mulheres conseguissem conquistar seu espaço e poder diante da sociedade e assim conseguir fazer com que sua voz fosse ouvida, mesmo que de forma não tão considerável. Ao examinar os Apócrifos Atos de Paulo e Tecla, pôde-se observar suas principais características e composição, apresentando sua origem e interpretação pelas comunidades e pelos líderes do início do cristianismo. Buscou-se nesta pesquisa retratar e fundamentar o romance grego, apresentando suas similaridades com os Atos de Paulo e Tecla, e desta maneira destacar a influência do escrito grego sobre o texto apócrifo em sua forma de estruturação. Apresentamos as definições sobre a renúncia sexual, liderança e martírio sempre destacando os temas com a figura da mulher, abordando a questão do corpo e a sociedade e demonstrando como estes temas inspiraram os discursos no início do cristianismo. Referente aos escritos dos Atos Apócrifos, apresentamos a origem das comunidades de mulheres celibatárias, que influenciaram a escrita dos textos, relatando o motivo pelo qual os Atos foram escritos e como foram disseminados nas outras comunidades. Sobre o martírio, descrevemos suas origens e como os cristãos viam nessa ação uma aproximação com Deus, e como o martírio preparou a vida de Tecla para que ela se tornasse uma anunciante da palavra de Deus.

L'expérience du passage à la retraite paraît susceptible d'induire le trouble sur la scène psychique de bien des femmes. Souvent l'objet d'une chère attente associé au mérite et à la délivrance, la retraite professionnelle marque aussi l'avancée en âge et ne peut donc être pensée sans les problématiques qu'engage la traversée du vieillissement. À l'appui de 28 entretiens de recherche réalisés auprès de femmes retraitées, âgées entre 60 et 66 ans, cette thèse se propose d'appréhender tant la complexité que la singularité du travail psychique réclamé par cette expérience de passage. Cette recherche montre que le traitement psychique de l'arrivée à la retraite est tributaire de l'organisation psychique. Par ailleurs, certains effets associés au statut hiérarchique occupé durant l'exercice professionnel permettent également d'approcher les modalités spécifiques de désinvestissement de l'« objet-travail » et de la « scène professionnelle ». Enfin, parce qu'il est susceptible de bouleverser tant les repères que les places investies par la femme, l'accès à la retraite semble pleinement re-convoquer certaines problématiques psychiques inhérentes au travail d'adolescence, offrant parfois l'occasion de l'approfondir. Cette thèse cherche à promouvoir une réflexion sur le travail de culture et la « mise en partage » de ses objets. / Experiencing transition to retirement seems likely to induce disorder on many women's psychic scenes. As often happens, retiring from one's job is the focus of cherished expectations associated to merit and deliverance. Yet, it also portends getting on in years: it cannot therefore be envisaged without dealing with the problems incurred by coping with age. In support of 28 research interviews conducted with 60 to 66-year old retired women, this thesis aims to understand both the complexity and singularity of the psychic work required by such transitioning experience. This research shows that the mental processing of reaching retirement-age depends on the person's emotional organization. In addition, some effects associated with the hierarchical status enjoyed by women during a busy professional career also make it possible to approach the specific modalities of disinvesting the "work-object" and the "professional scene". Lastly -- since it is likely to upset both their grounding and the spheres conquered by women -- reaching retirement seems to fully reconvene some psychological problems inherent in adolescence work, sometimes providing the opportunity of deepening it. This thesis seeks to promote a reflection on working at cultural level and "setting up ways of sharing" its objects.

[pt] A vingança, nas artes, é provavelmente um tema tão frequente e tão relevante quanto o amor. Na teoria social, em contrapartida, o assunto se encontra pulverizado, coadjuvando várias outras ideias. Este trabalho busca elevar a vingança à condição de protagonista também nas ciências sociais: para tal, em primeiro lugar, procuro situar vingança e vingador a partir da noção de reciprocidade, contrastando trocas positivas (dádivas) e negativas (ofensas). Procuro ainda examinar uma série de conceitos correlatos — honra, sacrifício e renúncia, por exemplo — sempre com o intuito de circunscrever ou de inserir o objeto entre os elementos contemplados pela teoria antropológica. Em um segundo momento, busco na literatura modelos de vingador; partindo do indivíduo para a sociedade, colocando personagens clássicos da literatura ocidental no centro do drama, tento interpretar as representações da vingança à luz dos modelos antropológicos ora pretendidos. Por fim, no terceiro e último bloco me aproximo da vingança a partir do caso brasileiro, usando como molduras a realidade sertaneja, os contrastes entre interior e litoral, explorando as particularidades sócio-culturais amparadas principalmente na honra como elemento mantenedor da coesão social. / [en] Vengeance, in arts, is probably a theme as recurring and as relevant as love. In social theory, however, the subject is pulverized, supporting several other ideas. This thesis tries to elevate revenge to a protagonist status also in social sciences: therefore, in the first place, it attempts to understand vengeance reading classical studies about reciprocity, contrasting positive (gifts) and negative (offenses) exchanges. Then, still observing social or cultural concepts — as honor, sacrifice and renounce, for example — we proceed trying to circumscribe vengeance between elements contemplated by anthropological theories. In a second moment, targeting literature, there will be a search for our avenging models; from the individual to society, bringing some classical characters to the center of the stage, some representations of revenge will be analyzed in accordance with the theoretical models previously appointed. Finally, the third and last part is devoted to the Brazilian case: using our backlands as a frame, understanding differences between country and litoral, exploring the sociocultural particularities mainly based on honor and violence, as elements that sustain social cohesion.