Dying to be men : gender and language in early Christian martyr texts / L. Stephanie Cobb.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cobb, L. Stephanie.

Series:

Gender, theory, and religion

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Martyrologies--History and criticism.

Martyrologies.

Martyrdom--Christianity--Early works to 1800.

Martyrdom.

Sex role--Religious aspects--Christianity--History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600.

Sex role.

Church history--Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600.

Church history.

Church history--Primitive and early church.

Sex role--Religious aspects--Christianity--History of doctrines.

Sex role--Religious aspects--Christianity.

Martyrdom--Christianity.

Physical Description:

xiii, 208 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, [2008]

Contents:

Introduction: Constructing Identity Through Cultural Appropriation 1

Scholarship and Early Christian Martyrologies 3

Martyrdom and Identity Formation 8

Christianity and the Roman World: Appropriation or Subversion? 11

1 What Is a Christian? Constructing a Christian Identity 18

Constructing Social Identity 19

Social Identity Theory Applied 22

Sex and Gender in Antiquity 24

2 Noble Athletes: Gladiatorial, Athletic, and Martial Imagery in the Martyr Acts 33

Martyrdom and the Amphitheater 34

The Gladiator in Antiquity 47

The Athlete and the Soldier in Antiquity 55

3 Be a Man: Narrative Tools of Masculinization in Early Christian Martyr Acts 60

Masculinity and Virtue 61

Constructing Masculinity by Comparison 80

4 Putting Women in Their Place: Masculinizing and Feminizing the Female Martyr 92

Perpetua 94

Felicitas 111

Blandina 113

Agathonike 116

Conclusion: Gender and Language in Early Christian Martyr Texts 124.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [185]-201) and index.

ISBN:

9780231144988

0231144989

9780231518208

023151820X

OCLC:

192048071