Emotional Communities in Ælfric’s Maccabees

• Authors: Olesiejko Jacek

Abstracts

The present article studies Ælfric of Eynsham’s homily based on the biblical books of Maccabees. It uses Barbara H. Rosenwein’s concept of an “emotional community” to elucidate Ælfric’s treatment of anger and violence in the process of adapting the biblical source in his Old English homily. His presentation and characterisation of characters draws upon the hagiographic technique of polarisation. He makes vivid contrast between fury-driven persecutors and the just Hebrew, whose conduct is a commendable example of self-master over emotion. The argument of the article is that Ælfric handles his representation of anger and violence to enhance the figurative, tropolotical exposition of the homily.

Keywords

EN

emotion; Ælfric; homily; anger; representation

• Publisher: Institute of English Studies, University of Warsaw
• Journal: Anglica. An International Journal of English Studies
• Year: 2018
• Issue: 27/1
• Pages: 5-20

Contributors

author

Olesiejko Jacek

• Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań

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