Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century German Catholic nun, became one of the most influential voices in a time when women, especially in the realm of religion, were suppressed. Yet, Hildegard overcame these suppressions through her writing and work subsequently legitimizing her status today as a saint and Doctor of the Church. Hildegard’s influential writings hold weight beyond the Catholic Church especially in feminist circles. This thesis applies rhetorical criticism as the scholarly lens from which to analyze a sample of Hildegard’s writings for the purposes of understanding her contemporary influence. Aided by Kenneth Burke’s interpretive method of logology, this project argues that Hildegard’s legacy is shaped by her consistent use of the “marriage to God” metaphor. The “marriage to God” metaphor functions persuasively, I argue, because its prophetic vision emphasizes a union with God, rather than as a disenfranchisement from God.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ndsu.edu/oai:library.ndsu.edu:10365/27026 |
| Date | January 2015 |
| Creators | Mayer Kruse, Heidi Jo |
| Publisher | North Dakota State University |
| Source Sets | North Dakota State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text/thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | NDSU Policy 190.6.2, https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf |
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