From Whore to Madonna
Corporeality and Identity in the Legend of St Thaïs
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19224921 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andrew M Beresford (0000-0001-9851-4592, Durham University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-26 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-15 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Bulletin of Spanish Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1475-3820 • E-ISSN: 1478-3428 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14753820.2026.2651600 |
| OpenAlex | W7164802649 |
| Language | EN |
A commonplace of hagiographic construction concerns how the sins of the body can be countered through the body. This article, which examines the representation of St Thaïs in the Gran flos sanctorum, the most accomplished of the various medieval Castilian hagiographic compilations, focuses on her transition from prostitute to penitential ascetic, considering how her development can be related to the Madonna/Whore dichotomy. Particular attention is afforded to the harlot as a catalyst to civil strife, and how the anchorhold plays on the traditional tomb/womb metaphor, enabling Thaïs to atone for her sins and rise to the ranks of the elect
Legend · Penitential · Early Modern Women Writers · Historical and Religious Studies of Rome · Medieval Iberian Studies
| Highly cited | No |
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