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Gender, God, and G l ory

Sarah Perkins Camille Ward. Gender, God, and G l ory. Examining gender portrayals in Beowulf and Judith through a religious lens. Background. Both were included in the same 10 th Century Manuscript Both were by Christian authors Written within same historical and cultural context

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Gender, God, and G l ory

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  1. Sarah Perkins Camille Ward Gender, God, and Glory Examining gender portrayals in Beowulf and Judith through a religious lens

  2. Background • Both were included in the same 10th Century Manuscript • Both were by Christian authors • Written within same historical and cultural context • “Females were to be protected, secured, bartered, and exchanged…Women warriors were titillating phantoms from a reimagined and very distant past.” (Bitel).

  3. Thesis: Although Judith and Grendel’s Mother embody similar masculine qualities, their feminine characterization is nonetheless polarized. This polarization correlates with their relationship to Christianity.

  4. Feminine Qualities of Grendel’s Mother • “looks like a woman”- 1351 • Mother

  5. Feminine Qualities of Judith • “elfin beauty” -14 • “illustrious maiden” -43 • “braided locks”, “adorned with bracelets, decorated with rings”-78, 36 • Always referred to as a woman or maiden • Uses powers of seduction

  6. Masculine Qualities in Grendel’s Mother • Follows Heroic Tradition • Exacts the blood-price • “driven to avenge her kinsman’s death” -1340 • “has taken up the feud” -1333 • Exhibits strength • “she rose quickly and retaliated,/grappled him tightly in her firm embrace.” -1541-42 • Powerful • Solitary ruler of “her court” • Fights with “bare-faced defiance”

  7. Judith’s Masculine Qualities • Killing of Holofernes -98-111 • Physical prowess and unflinching determination • Gory description • Dominant, acting character • Heroic Tradition • “Judith had won illustrious glory/in the battle”-122-123 • Received armor as an award and “more illustrious treasures than any man.” -129 • “daring maiden”-134

  8. Grendel’s Mother’s Connection to Christianity • Associated with the Devil, she is called a “demon” and a “monstrous hell-bride.”-1378,1259. • Subhuman: she “pounced” on her victims. • Descendant of Cain, who chose to serve the Devil over God. • God was not on her side although she was avenging her son. • “Holy God decided the victory.”-1553

  9. Judith’s Connection to Christianity • An Israelite woman with a relationship with God • “holy maiden,” “Lord’s woman.” • Attributes her victory to God • “thanks to the Lord of hosts, who had given her…the reward of victory… because she possessed true faith in the Almighty.”

  10. Conclusion • Grendel’s Mother’s ambiguous gender traits correlate to her connection to fallen religious characters such as Cain. • Judith’s femininity is accentuated by her relationship with God. • Within this manuscript, a female can be a warrior, with masculine qualities, and still have a feminine portrayal only if she exhibits a strong connection to Christianity.

  11. Questions? • How does this reflect on other female characters within this historical era? • Do you see examples of this outside of this era? • Sir Gawain? • Wife of Bath? • Do we see this in modern society?

  12. Bibliography • Bitel, Lisa M. Women in Early Medieval Europe 400-1100. Cambridge: Cambridge, UP. 2002.

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