Dramatic ritual and preaching in late Anglo-Saxon England
Visitatio, however, is driven by the same forces that drive equally dramatic liturgical commemorations year-round, climaxing in but not exclusive to the period around Easter. Beginning with an account of late Anglo-Saxon baptism, I examine the liturgy for the high festivals from Christmas to Ascension Day. For each chapter, I describe the liturgical forms for the day and their intended relationships with the participants, focussing on the establishment of dramatic associations between the celebrants and certain figures in the commemorated events. I then compare the liturgical forms with vernacular treatments of a particular festival, looking both for overt instruction and more subtle influence of the liturgy on the preaching texts. Anglo-Saxon preachers and homilists openly assumed the themes and symbolic images of the dramatic ritual in their attempts to make their congregations understand and take on Christian imperatives. Recursively, vernacular preaching helped solidify the meanings of the symbolic elements of the dramatic ritual and their significance to the lives of Christians. Anglo-Saxon appreciation of the dramatic potential of the liturgy was realized both in creative expansion of the liturgy and
Bedingfield, M. Bradford
Liturgy ; History ; Liturgy and drama ; Preaching ; Church history ; England ; Middle Ages, 600-1500
Dramatic ritual and preaching in late Anglo-Saxon England. Visitatio, however, is driven by the same forces that drive equally dramatic liturgical commemorations year-round, climaxing in but not exclusive to the period around Easter. Beginning with an account of late Anglo-Saxon baptism, I examine the liturgy for the high festivals from Christmas to Ascension Day. For each chapter, I describe the liturgical forms for the day and their intended relationships with the participants, focussing on the establishment of dramatic associations between the celebrants and certain figures in the commemorated events. I then compare the liturgical forms with vernacular treatments of a particular festival, looking both for overt instruction and more subtle influence of the liturgy on the preaching texts. Anglo-Saxon preachers and homilists openly assumed the themes and symbolic images of the dramatic ritual in their attempts to make their congregations understand and take on Christian imperatives. Recursively, vernacular preaching helped solidify the meanings of the symbolic elements of the dramatic ritual and their significance to the lives of Christians. Anglo-Saxon appreciation of the dramatic potential of the liturgy was realized both in creative expansion of the liturgy and
dramatic ritual preaching late_anglo saxon_england however driven force drive equally dramatic liturgical commemoration year_round climax exclusive period around easter beginning account late_anglo_saxon baptism examine liturgy high festival ascension day describe liturgical form day intend relationship participant focus establishment dramatic association certain figure commemorate event compare liturgical form vernacular treatment particular festival look overt instruction subtle influence liturgy preach text anglo_saxon preacher openly assume theme symbolic image dramatic ritual attempt_make congregation take christian imperative vernacular preaching help meaning symbolic element dramatic ritual significance life christians anglo_saxon appreciation dramatic potential liturgy realize creative expansion liturgy