Thesis advisor: Stephen C. Bold / Hagiography, or accounts of saints' lives, persists in literature through the ages. It accompanies historical movements and moments, serves as a memorial and remembrance, and often sends a message, explicit or implicit, relevant to the reader's contemporary world. In the early 17th century, hagiographic plays were a brief vogue on the recently renewed Parisian secular stage. In recent years, there has been a reawakening to this dramatic corpus, to its value and its challenges. The current work continues the effort to shed light upon the genre, which is often seen as mediocre when compared to its counterparts that resulted from the classical renaissance of the Grand Siècle in France. I limit my corpus to hagiographic tales of Christian martyrs (some of whom were not yet canonized in this period). The protagonists typically follow a life of pilgrimage. A secular period is followed by conversion, ascetic life, and finally death at the hands of detractors. These are often political, religious or emotional tyrant figures. Most of the saintly heroes in the corpus live at the time of Roman persecutions; others come from a more recent past, such as Thomas More and Joan of Arc. My objective is two-fold: on the one hand, I strive to establish the corpus's relationship to 17th-century religion, by exploring the Jesuit influence on dramatists and reflecting on the seeds of the "querelle de la moralité du théâtre"; on the other hand, I attempt to establish the corpus's relationship to the art of theater, at a time when classical secular theater was emerging in France. Moreover, I aim to affirm the compatibility between church and theater through their successful conciliation in the corpus. This compatibility is further justified by drawing a metatheatrical discourse from the texts, relevant to the time in which they are produced and by the plays' employment of the topos of theatrum mundi. The two objectives intersect in the ultimate goal of including and interpreting this genre as an essential part of a milestone in French intellectual, religious and cultural history. The first chapter focuses on the aesthetic background of the period, with an emphasis on the Baroque spiritualizing impulse in the arts, stemming from the Counter-Reformation and the Council of Trent. I also provide the foundations of theater within theater as a mode of dramatic expression common in the 17th-century repertoire, which becomes necessary for a better understanding of the metatheatrical discourse perceived in the hagiographic corpus. The second, third and fourth chapters focus on the individual plays, with a close reading and analysis of their form and content. After addressing the history of religious theater and its underlying message, I turn to the characteristics of the corpus and analyze strategies used by dramatists to adapt to (or skirt) the progressively more restrained regulations of classical secular theater. I then reflect upon the performativity and theatricality of the plays and discern the metatheatrical discourse in specific dramas. Finally, the fifth chapter is a holistic embodiment of the previous chapters, with an in-depth study and interpretation of Jean Rotrou's Le Véritable saint Genest. From my interpretations and reinterpretations, I conclude that this corpus, short-lived on the Paris professional stage, informed the debate surrounding theater in the 17th century in France, as well as in the polemic regarding its relation to the church. The decline of the genre, occurring around 1650, reflects and symbolizes the progression from a literature of the Counter-Reformation, of the European Baroque, to a literature with an independent French identity, rooted in neo-classical and Aristotelian reinterpretations. Following Lionel Abel's definition of metatheater, I support the idea that this corpus contributed positively to an aesthetic and cultural transformation nascent in French society at this particular historical moment. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Romance Languages and Literatures.

Pachomius as Discovered in the Worlds of 4th Century Christian Egypt, Pachomian Literature and Pachomian Monasticism: A Figure of History or Hagiography?

Pachomius as Discovered in the Worlds of 4th Century Christian Egypt, Pachomian Literature and Pachomian Monasticism: A Figure of History or Hagiography?

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rodrigo Pires Vilela da Silva.pdf: 615859 bytes, checksum: 238dc87ffc85dfae925e2752d596999a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-05-06 / This dissertation develops on the issue seen as hagiographic literature from the life of Father Gabriel Malagrida which aims to extract an understanding of holiness from the colonial era . Problematizes the subject , with the backdrop of theological reflection , questions such as: What is the cultural context in which the narratives of the life of Malagrida then inserted ? You can establish a hagiographic model of holiness from the investigation of biographies of Malagrida ? What is the relationship that we establish between narrative Matias Rodrigues , Life of Father Gabriel Malagrida and more relevant information about the lives of saints hagiographic work , Legenda Aurea ? The method used is the investigation of literary , biographical and hagiographic literature of life Malagrida and other texts that contribute in understanding the thematic sources. The research aims to contribute to this approach in the valuation of a character of historical importance to Brazil , Jesuit Malagrida . It was found , first, that the current model of holiness has its origins in the medieval conception of Portuguese mother permeates all Brazilian colony . Then proved the hypothesis that an investigation of biographical works Malagrida views from the understanding of hagiographic literature , could provide us sufficient evidence to establish a model of colonial medieval holiness. Finally , we relate this concept to the hagiography contained in Legenda Aurea in order to delineate this paradigm of holiness / Esta dissertação desenvolve-se acerca da questão hagiográfica entendida como literatura a partir da vida do padre Gabriel Malagrida do qual pretende-se extrair a compreensão de santidade da época colonial. Problematiza-se o assunto, tendo como pano de fundo da reflexão teológica, questionamentos como: Qual o contexto cultural em que as narrativas da vida de Malagrida então inseridas? É possível estabelecer um modelo hagiográfico de santidade a partir da investigação das biografias de Malagrida? Qual é a relação que podemos estabelecer entre a narrativa de Matias Rodrigues, Vida do padre Gabriel Malagrida e a obra hagiográfica mais relevante sobre a vida dos santos, Legenda Áurea? O método utilizado é a investigação de fontes literárias, biográficas e da literatura hagiográfica da vida de Malagrida e de outros textos que contribuíssem na compreensão da temática. A pesquisa pretende com essa abordagem contribuir na valorização de um personagem de importância histórica para o Brasil, o jesuíta Malagrida. Verificou-se, primeiramente, que o modelo de santidade vigente tem suas origens na concepção medieval de matriz portuguesa que impregna toda a Colônia brasileira. Em seguida, comprovou-se a hipótese de que uma investigação das obras biográficas de Malagrida vistas a partir da compreensão da literatura hagiográfica, poderia-nos fornecer elementos suficientes para estabelecer um modelo de santidade medieval colonial. E por fim, relacionamos essa concepção com a hagiografia contida em Legenda Áurea de modo a delinear esse paradigma de santidade

À l'échelle du nord du royaume de France et plus spécialement de la Picardie médiévale, l'histoire du diocèse de Noyon, appréhendée du point de vue des rapports entre l'aristocratie et les communautés religieuses de la fin du IXe au début du XIIe siècles, révèle une relative exception documentaire : en Vermandois comme en Noyonnais, une certaine profusion de sources (essentiellement diplomatiques) permet une compréhension affinée de la place des abbayes et des chapitres dans les manifestations des politiques religieuses séculières. Les mêmes sources imposent d'accorder une attention particulière, mais non exclusive, aux politiques comtales et épiscopales en la matière. Or, pour l'ensemble de la période choisie, ces dernières ont été trop souvent perçues comme des blocs structurés et linéaires. Il convient de dépasser ces impressions d'homogénéité et d'immobilisme en montrant la diversité et l'évolution des influences réciproques unissant d'une part les communautés religieuses, d'autre part les comtes de Vermandois et les évêques de Noyon. Alors que les églises du diocèse étudié ont été considérées comme des lieux phares d'expression de la fidélité de l'aristocratie de second rang à l'égard des hauts pouvoirs princiers, il nous faut également questionner les comportements religieux de l'ensemble des puissants (spécialement châtelains) afin de montrer en quoi ils témoignent d'attitudes individualisées et contribuent à dessiner les contours des pouvoirs locaux. En d'autres termes, les rapports entre les aristocrates et les communautés religieuses, étudiés à la fois dans leur aspect matériel et spirituel, s'inscrivent-ils dans des sociétés politiques polarisées par le prince, que ce dernier soit évêque de Noyon, comte de Vermandois ou encore châtelain ? / In the north of the kingdom of France and more particularly in mediaeval Picardy, the history of the diocese of Noyon, apprehended from the point of view of the relations between aristocracy and religious communities from the end of the 9th to the beginning of the 12th centuries, reveals a relative documentary exception : in Vermandois as in Noyonnais, a certain profusion of sources (essentially diplomatic) allows a refined understanding of the place of the abbeys and chapters in manifestations of secular religious policies. The same sources require special but not exclusive attention to the policies of the counts and of the bishops in this area. However, for the whole period chosen, the latter were too often perceived as structured and linear blocks. It is necessary to overcome these impressions of homogeneity and immobility by showing the diversity and evolution of the reciprocal influences uniting on the one hand the religious communities, on the other hand the counts of Vermandois and the bishops of Noyon. While the churches of the studied diocese have been regarded as key places of expression of the fidelity of the second-rate aristocracy towards the high princely powers, we must also question the religious behavior of all the powerful (especially castellan) in order to show how they demonstrate individualized attitudes and contribute to drawing the contours of local authorities. In other words, the relations between aristocrats and religious communities, studied both in their material and spiritual aspects, are part of political societies polarized by the prince, whether the latter is bishop of Noyon, count of Vermandois or even castellan ?

À l'échelle du nord du royaume de France et plus spécialement de la Picardie médiévale, l'histoire du diocèse de Noyon, appréhendée du point de vue des rapports entre l'aristocratie et les communautés religieuses de la fin du IXe au début du XIIe siècles, révèle une relative exception documentaire :en Vermandois comme en Noyonnais, une certaine profusion de sources (essentiellement diplomatiques) permet une compréhension affinée de la place des abbayes et des chapitres dans la manifestation des politiques religieuses séculières. Les mêmes sources imposent d'accorder une attention particulière, mais non exclusive, aux politiques comtales et épiscopales en la matière. Or, pour l'ensemble de la période choisie, ces dernières ont été trop souvent perçues comme des blocs structurés et linéaires. Il convient de dépasser ces impressions d'homogénéité et d'immobilisme en montrant la diversité et l'évolution des influences réciproques unissant d'une part les communautés religieuses, d'autre part les comtes de Vermandois et les évêques de Noyon. Alors que les églises du diocèse étudié ont été considérées comme des lieux phares d'expression de la fidélité de l'aristocratie de second rang à l'égard des hauts pouvoirs princiers, il nous faut également questionner les comportements religieux de l'ensemble des puissants (spécialement châtelains) afin de montrer en quoi ils témoignent d'attitudes individualisées et contribuent à dessiner les contours des pouvoirs locaux. En d'autres termes, les rapports entre les aristocrates et les communautés religieuses, étudiés à la fois dans leur aspect matériel et spirituel, s'inscrivent-ils dans des sociétés politiques polarisées par le prince, que ce dernier soit évêque de Noyon, comte de Vermandois ou encore châtelain ? / In the north of the kingdom of France and more particularly in mediaeval Picardy, the history of the diocese of Noyon, apprehended from the point of view of the relations between aristocracy and religious communities from the end of the 9th to the beginning of the 12th centuries, reveals a relative documentary exception :in Vermandois as in Noyonnais, a certain profusion of sources (essentially diplomatic) allows a refined understanding of the place of the abbeys and chapters in the manifestation of secular religious policies. The same sources require special but not exclusive attention to the comital and episcopal policies in this area. However, for the whole period chosen, the latter were too often perceived as structured and linear blocks. It is necessary to overcome these impressions of homogeneity and immobility by showing the diversity and evolution of the reciprocal influences uniting on the one hand the religious communities, on the other hand the counts of Vermandois and the bishops of Noyon. While the churches of the studied diocese have been regarded as key places of expression of the fidelity of the second-rate aristocracy towards the high princely powers, we must also question the religious behavior of all the powerful (especially castellan) in order to show how they demonstrate individualized attitudes and contribute to drawing the contours of local authorities. In other words, the relations between aristocrats and religious communities, studied both in their material and spiritual aspects, are part of political societies polarized by the prince, whether the latter is bishop of Noyon, count of Vermandois or even castellan ? / Doctorat en Histoire, histoire de l'art et archéologie / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished