Seeing Marguerite in the Mirror
Subtitle: a linguistic analysis of Porete's Mirror of simple souls
By: by Wendy Rachele Terry
Series: Studies in Spirituality. Supplement -- 21; Studies in spirituality -- 21.
Publisher: Peeters
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Leuven; Walpole, MA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 169
ISBN-13: 9789042923225
Subjects: Spirituality; Gender identity in literature; Linguistic analysis (Linguistics); Language; History
Description: Using Marguerite Porete's (d.1310) "Mirror of simple souls" as the case study, Terry outlines a new application of linguistic tools to the analysis of spiritual texts, showing how the tools can elucidate discourse aim, self-presentation, and concepts of God. Terry's book explains the tools, outlines a four-step process for applying them, contextualizes Marguerite's mirror in light of potential sources, medieval images of women and documentation concerning her trial, and then applies the tools to Marguerite's Mirror. The image of Marguerite that emerges is in sharp contrast to that preserved by her contemporaries who used highly gendered labels: Marguerite's self-presentation is not highly gendered. Gendered elements in mirror are explainable in light of Marguerite's potential theological and literary sources. Consequently, Terry determines that modern focus on gender images for Marguerite relies less on her own voice and more on historical labels given to her, missing the core of her self-understanding.
Notes: "Using Marguerite Porete's (d.1310) Mirror of simple souls as the case study, Terry outlines a new application of linguistic tools to the analysis of spiritual texts, showing how the tools can elucidate discourse aim, self-presentation, and concepts of God. Terry's book explains the tools, outlines a four-step process for applying them, contextualizes Marguerite's Mirror in light of potential sources, Medieval images of women and documentation concerning her trial, and then applies the tools to Marguerite's Mirror. The image of Marguerite that emerges is in sharp contrast to that preserved by her contemporaries who used highly gendered labels: Marguerite's self-presentation is not highly gendered. Gendered elements in Mirror are explainable in light of Marguerite's potential theological and literary sources. Consequently, Terry determines that modern focus on gender images for Marguerite relies less on her own voice and more on historical labels given to her, missing the core of her self-understanding."--P. [4] of cover.

Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--Graduate Theological Union, 2007.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [157]-169).
Table of contents: title: Introduction and overview; title: Introducing the tools : a review of methods; title: Creation and context of a "fake-woman" : a review of images of women in medieval France, including a review of the historical documentation concerning Marguerite Porete and her trial; title: Reflections and reversals : a review of theological and literary sources for Marguerite Porete's Mirror of simple souls; title: Linguistic analysis of Marguerite's Mirror; title: Conclusions and implications.