Elizabeth Gaskell and the Madonna: metaphors of the maternal divine

Styler, Rebecca (2013) Elizabeth Gaskell and the Madonna: metaphors of the maternal divine. The Gaskell Journal, 27 . pp. 68-87. ISSN 0951-7200

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Item Type:Article
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Abstract

Gaskell evokes the image of the Madonna in several fictional works, to consider its value as a metaphor for the maternal aspect of God. Her representation of the Marian cult is placed in the context of contemporary debates about the universal value of the Virgin Mary as a religious symbol, a discourse which includes the voices of Anna Jameson, Frances Power Cobbe, and Sarah Stickney Ellis among others. Gaskell’s Mariology is shaped by Unitarian theological views on the use of religious images, and by Gaskell’s own ambivalence towards the spiritual/moral status of maternal feeling. Thus her fiction includes multiple versions of the Madonna, which are invested with different symbolisms, and which Gaskell variously celebrates and critiques. In 'Cranford' and to an extent ‘The Poor Clare’, the Virgin Mary is a sympathetic and counter-cultural icon, invested with egalitarian and feminist values. Yet in ‘The Poor Clare’ the cult of the semi-divine grieving mother is shown to be ethically dangerous. The protagonist in 'Ruth' is informed by many ideas of the Madonna, including the biblical Mary, the Mater Amabilis, the Mother of Mercy, and the pagan Magna Mater.

Keywords:Madonna, Elizabeth Gaskell, Feminist theology, God as mother, Victorian religion, refpending
Subjects:Q Linguistics, Classics and related subjects > Q321 English Literature by period
V Historical and Philosophical studies > V620 Religious studies
Q Linguistics, Classics and related subjects > Q300 English studies
Q Linguistics, Classics and related subjects > Q320 English Literature
V Historical and Philosophical studies > V621 Christian studies
Q Linguistics, Classics and related subjects > Q322 English Literature by author
V Historical and Philosophical studies > V330 History of Religions
V Historical and Philosophical studies > V600 Theology and Religious studies
V Historical and Philosophical studies > V610 Theology
Divisions:College of Arts > School of English & Journalism > School of English & Journalism (English)
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ID Code:11615
Deposited On:15 Aug 2013 20:20

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