The lives of the early Irish saints : a study in formulaic composition and the creation of an image
The purpose of this study is to examine the Lives of the early Irish saints according to traditional historical and structural principles, in order to perceive the basic pattern underlying their composition and to document the repertoire of formula items which became the Irish hagiographers' stock-in-trade. Section I introduces the genre of hagiography, its forms and conventions, and its place in the context of the Irish Church, with a cursory appraisal of the manuscript history of the Lives, as well as the milieu of their composition. Section II begins with an examination of the native Irish secular tradition and its influence in the Lives of the Irish saints. The first chapter discusses biographical romance and related narrative forms, and the idea of a ~Heroic Age~ in Ireland in its relationship to the series of texts commonly designated as heroic literature. The second chapter looks at the Christian elements in the saints' Lives, and the influences of Western Christianity in Irish ecclesiastical literature, in particular Biblical and apocryphal sources. The third chapter begins with a discussion of the status of the saint in Western Christianity as the Christian 'hero', drawing parallels with the Desert
Bray, Dorothy Ann
Philosophy
The lives of the early Irish saints : a study in formulaic composition and the creation of an image. The purpose of this study is to examine the Lives of the early Irish saints according to traditional historical and structural principles, in order to perceive the basic pattern underlying their composition and to document the repertoire of formula items which became the Irish hagiographers' stock-in-trade. Section I introduces the genre of hagiography, its forms and conventions, and its place in the context of the Irish Church, with a cursory appraisal of the manuscript history of the Lives, as well as the milieu of their composition. Section II begins with an examination of the native Irish secular tradition and its influence in the Lives of the Irish saints. The first chapter discusses biographical romance and related narrative forms, and the idea of a ~Heroic Age~ in Ireland in its relationship to the series of texts commonly designated as heroic literature. The second chapter looks at the Christian elements in the saints' Lives, and the influences of Western Christianity in Irish ecclesiastical literature, in particular Biblical and apocryphal sources. The third chapter begins with a discussion of the status of the saint in Western Christianity as the Christian 'hero', drawing parallels with the Desert
life early irish saint study formulaic composition creation image purpose_study examine lives early irish saint accord traditional historical structural principle order perceive basic_pattern underlie composition document repertoire formula item become irish stock trade section introduces genre hagiography form convention place_context irish church cursory appraisal manuscript history lives well milieu composition section_ii begin_examination native irish secular tradition influence lives irish saint first_discuss biographical romance relate narrative form idea heroic age ireland relationship series text commonly designate heroic literature second_look christian element saint lives influence western christianity irish ecclesiastical literature particular biblical apocryphal source third begin_discussion status saint western christianity christian hero draw parallel desert