This doctoral thesis studies the life and writings of Hrotsvit of Gandersheim, a 10th century Saxon canoness within the Ottonian Empire. Hrotsvit's decision to write, and thus enter
the male-dominated literary realm, places her within a unique category. This canoness' writings explore her perceptions of the worth of the Christian female in subjectivity and voice.
Although her stated purpose for her dramas was to compete with the Roman poet, Terence, she also sought to provide female characters with strengths and choices not given to other female
characters in either the Classical or medieval tradition. This project aims to study Hrotsvit's six dramas, as compared with Terence's six plays, in terms of the canoness' interplay with
thematic inversion and subversion. This paper will delve into Hrotsvit's background in order to hypothesize as to her ambitions and goals. It will also analyze the canoness' forms of
inversion and subversion within both writers' prologues, focusing on the humility topos as understood in Classical times and medieval times. This thesis also will study the themes of female
subjectivity and voice within the literary structures of disguise, marriage, and parental figures. Lastly, this dissertation will analyze the themes of female subjectivity and voice within
Hrotsvit's dramas as compared to the hagiographical sources she used as her source material, in order to posit that the canoness not only openly challenged Terence, but also obliquely
challenged the representation of women from the hagiographical literature. / A Dissertation submitted to the Program in Interdisciplinary Humanities in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2014. / October 9, 2014. / Hrotsvit, Terence / Includes bibliographical references. / Laurel Fulkerson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Martin Kavka, Committee Member; David Johnson, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_252807 |
| Contributors | Bonds, Tara A. (authoraut), Fulkerson, Laurel, 1972- (professor directing dissertation), Stover, Tim (university representative), Kavka, Martin (committee member), Johnson, David F. (David Frame), 1956- (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Arts and Sciences (degree granting college), Program in Interdisciplinary Humanities (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (152 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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