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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages Paperback - 1992

by Thomas J. Heffernan

Though the medieval "saints' lives" are among the oldest literary texts of Western vernacular culture, they are routinely considered as pious fiction by many. Heffernan demonstrates that to characterize the genre as fiction is to misunderstand the intentions of medieval authors as he explores sacred biographies in relation to the community for which they were written.


From the publisher

Though medieval "saints' lives" are among the oldest literary texts of Western vernacular culture, they are routinely patronized as "pious fiction" by modern historiography. This book demonstrates that to characterize the genre as fiction is to misunderstand the intentions of medieval authors, who were neither credulous fools nor men blinded by piety. Concentrating on English texts, Heffernan reconstructs the medieval perspective and considers sacred biography in relation to the community for which it was written; identifies the genre's rhetorical practices and purposes; and demonstrates the syncretistic way in which the life of the medieval saint was transformed from oral tales to sacred text. In the process, Heffernan not only achieves a more contextually accurate understanding of the medieval saints' lives, but details a new critical method that has important implications for the practice of textual criticism.

From the rear cover

This excellent book attempts to bridge the gulf separating medieval from modern sensibility with regard to issues of authority and judgment in biographical writing...Logical, thorough, and well-documented...It is now, and will be for some time to come, the most substantive study of the subject, providing a fair assessment of the work of earlier pioneers, establishing a far-ranging and comprehensive bibliography, and offering new, fresh insights on the writing, context, and reception of 'sacred biographies.'

Details

  • Title Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
  • Author Thomas J. Heffernan
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition First Printing
  • Pages 352
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Oxford University Press, USA, -
  • Date 1992-10-01
  • Features Bibliography, Index, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780195079074 / 0195079078
  • Weight 0.91 lbs (0.41 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.27 x 5.56 x 0.94 in (21.01 x 14.12 x 2.39 cm)
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: Medieval (500-1453) Studies
    • Cultural Region: British
    • Religious Orientation: Catholic
    • Religious Orientation: Christian
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 87030280
  • Dewey Decimal Code 820.938
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Sacred Biography : Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

Sacred Biography : Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Thomas J. Heffernan

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Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 1992. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Sacred Biography : Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

Sacred Biography : Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Thomas J. Heffernan

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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Heffernan, Thomas J.

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Sacred Biography Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Heffernan, Thomas J.

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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Thomas J. Heffernan

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Sacred Biography Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Heffernan, Thomas J.

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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

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by Heffernan, Thomas J

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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by Thomas J. Heffernan

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Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Oxford University Press (October 1, 1992) Language: English ISBN-10: 0195079078 ISBN-13: 978-0195079074. Previous owner's name and university on address label of two lines, erased pencil bookstore notes in same area of first title page, otherwise like new. .
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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages
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Sacred Biography: Saints and Their Biographers in the Middle Ages

by HEFFERNAN Thomas J

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