| dc.description.abstract | This thesis investigates the social and religious roles of two twelfth-century
hermits connected to Durham Cathedral Priory, Godric of
Finchale and Bartholomew of Farne, within the general context of
twelfth-century western European eremiticism. Chapter One is a
general discussion of the historiography of eleventh and twelfth-century
hermits, and introduces the main hagiographic materials to
be discussed. Chapter Two discusses the context of monasticism and
eremiticism in northern England, and analyses the Vitae of Gothic
and Bartholomew, particularly in terms of the problem of authority
and asceticism. Chapter Three begins the discussion of the miracle
cults at Farne and Finchale, raising the problem of popular interest in
hermits and holy sites. Chapter Four continues this discussion by
considering the large group of animal miracles at Farne and Finchale.
Through comparison with the hagiographic tradition of such stories
from their inception in Late Antiquity to the twelfth century, the
chapter considers the relationship between popular and educated
clerical elements in the Durham stories. Chapter Five considers the
hagiographic theme of the eremitical diet, and the hermit in the
wilderness, mainly through a comparison of Godric with a hermit,
Aibert of Crespin, from the Cambrai. Chapter Six discusses the theme
of eremitical clothing, and the social status of the hermit, comparing
Godric to an English hermit, Wulfric of Haslebury. Chapter Seven
considers the problem of hermits and women, and holy men and holy
women. Godric's relation to holy women, and the misogyny of
Durham's cult of Saint Cuthbert is considered through comparison
with the Life of Christina of Markyate. Chapter Eight concludes with
a final comparative discussion, of hermits and crowds, and discusses
the social function of twelfth-century hermits. | en_US |
