The Multifunctionality of a Medieval Hagiography : A Historical Case Study of the "Gesta et Passio" and the Making of the Danish Royal Saint Cnut (C. 1100) / Fiona Fritz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fritz, Fiona, author.

Series:

Beiträge zur Hagiographie ; Volume 27.

Beiträge Zur Hagiographie Series ; Volume 27

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Hagiography.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (252 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Stuttgart, Germany : Franz Steiner Verlag, [2024]

Summary:

The 'Gesta et Passio' is a Latin hagiographic text written around 1112 by Ælnoth of Canterbury about the Danish king Cnut who was killed in 1086 and later venerated as St Cnut.Due to its textual complexity Ælnoth's work has been considered heterogeneous and strangely structured. With her study Fiona Fritz aims to show that this complexity reflects the systematic multifunctionality of the text and that the text's construction afforded Ælnoth the opportunity to express his perception of contemporaneous ecclesiastical and secular political matters. Relevant textual functions include the construction of Cnut as a royal saint, propagating the cult of St Cnut, furthering ecclesiastical interests, presenting an ideology of kingship, and enhancing the legitimacy of the ruling dynasty.The analysis of the text considers both the historical context of its production and various textual moves and strategies employed by the author. Over and above the results attained in relation to the 'Gesta et Passio' as an individual text, the present study can be taken as a general exploration of methods for the analysis of the potential of hagiographical texts for various functions and for multifunctionality.

Contents:

Intro

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

1 Introductory remarks

1.1 Background and aims of this work

1.2 Concepts and methods

2 Historical context and literature review

2.1 Denmark's transition to Christianity

2.2 Saints and sanctities

2.3 Danish sources on Danish history

3 Sources on St Cnut

3.1 The life of the Danish king Cnut and extant sources

3.2 The Odense literature

3.3 The "Gesta et Passio

3.4 Tradition of motifs from the Odense literature

3.5 Liturgical texts

3.6 Later sources

3.7 The vernacular "Knytlinga saga

4 The development of the cult of St Cnut

5 The "Gesta et Passio": Basic structures, narrative strategies and rhetoric

5.1 Ælnoth's sources and resources

5.2 Basic structures

5.3 Narrative strategies

5.4 Rhetoric and style

6 The making of Cnut as a royal saint

6.1 Constructing a royal saint

6.2 Showing elements of imitatio Christi

Explicitly mentioning imitatio Christi

Showing Cnut imitating Christ

Referring to the Last Supper and a Judas figure

Alluding to Christ's spear-wound

Attributing miracles of the kind worked by Christ to Cnut

Attributing virtues of Christ to Cnut

Interpreting Cnut's death as martyrdom by comparing the Jutes to the Jews

Describing further parallels between Cnut and Christ

6.3 Comparing Cnut to other saints

6.4 Mentioning miracles

6.5 Portraying Cnut as a Christian king

Showing Cnut's Christian virtues and asceticism

Describing Cnut as a model king

Showing Cnut as a worthy successor to Sweyn

Proving Cnut to be a rex iustus

Describing Cnut as a potent ruler and lawmaker

6.6 Concluding remarks on the construction of Cnut as royal saint

7 Propagating the cult of St Cnut and showing its beginnings

7.1 Narrating the canonisation of Cnut.

7.2 Showing the beginnings of the cult of Cnut

Showing the veneration of Cnut

Describing the shrine of Cnut

Including the "Epitaphium" in the narrative

8 Propagating an ideology of kingship: The "Gesta et Passio" as a mirror of princes?

8.1 Ideals of kingship and mirrors of princes

8.2 Advising, admonishing and wishing a prosperous future

8.3 Praising exemplary kings

8.4 Condemning bad kings

8.5 Concluding remarks

9 Enhancing the legitimacy and prestige of the ruling dynasty

9.1 The background to Ælnoth's work

9.2 Consolidating the dynasty internally

Presenting a sequence of good kings

Addressing the line of succession

Providing kingship with a sacred aura

Showing the superiority of the monarchy

9.3 Praising Cnut's international renown

9.4 Introducing Cnut as a holy ancestor in Flanders

9.5 Concluding remarks

10 Furthering ecclesiastical interests

10.1 The state of the Danish church c. 1100

10.2 Advocating the strengthening of the Danish church

10.3 Defining the relationship between church and rulers

10.4 Tracing the evolution of the Danish church

10.5 Concluding remarks

11 Providing Edification

11.1 Aspects of edification

11.2 Presenting the story of Cnut's martyrdom and sanctification

11.3 Showing good and bad examples

11.4 Inserting edifying segments in the narrative

11.5 The aura of biblical language

11.6 Concluding remarks

12 Providing entertainment

13 Conclusion

Abbreviations

List of Figures

Bibliography.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

3-515-13600-2